Emerging web technologies are changing the way CTOs think about the websites of the future. Globally, forward-thinking companies understand the need to adopt and adapt to tech advancements. They have to in order to reach consumers and carve out a competitive edge.

As AI and other tech advancements segue into public and private life, CTOs are under pressure to learn which tools and trends are relevant. They also have to keep an eye on the government’s first steps toward AI standards and laws so that they can use these tools safely and effectively.

Which Emerging Web Technologies Will Have the Most Impact in 2024?

The 2024 website trends are upon us, but which emerging web technologies will significantly impact CTOs and their teams?

Robotic Process Automation

The most overarching trend is arguably artificial intelligence. AI leads recent web development trends, which manifests in various forms. Robotic process automation (known as RPA), for example, refers to using AI solutions designed to enable faster processing of website and commerce data. Turning previously time-costly processes into automated tasks means teams can focus their energy on more creative projects.

Predictability = ROI

RPA solutions help companies predict and shape their user behavior with data. Businesses can quickly learn about what customers need and want, add new product listings or personalized customer service information, and fix errors without the need for downtime, apologies, or refunds. This connection to data makes website improvement far easier and allows businesses to instantly spot opportunities to increase ROI.

Unsurprisingly, the global RPA software market is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate of more than 55% and become a $70 billion industry by 2028.

What Are the Best Ways to Incorporate AI?

Knowing the latest web development trends and using them to transform your website are two different things. To make the leap, CTOs and their teams must connect emerging web technologies to their business goals via KPIs.

KPIs = Informed Decisions

Automation can only benefit your company if it helps you achieve your business objectives and make informed decisions. You could use RPA software for a variety of functions. This includes intelligent document processing, workflow streamlining, cost analysis, and supply chain management. But what are your priorities?

By creating a list of specific, trackable KPIs, you can identify which actions to take next.

For example, if you want to acquire more visitors to your site, automated tracking of organic traffic sources will help. If you want to engage visitors for longer on certain pages, tracking the bounce rate will show you what is and isn’t working.

Can CTOs Create Future-Proof Websites?

The next piece of work on CTOs’ plates is ensuring their organizations’ websites are adaptable to future tech advancements. Many challenges and hurdles can get in the way of using AI successfully in the long term, and CTOs need to be on top of these.

Alleviating the Tech Burden

Investing in technology and keeping up with web development trends isn’t easy. Some companies may run up large amounts of “tech debt” as they try to maintain and update their software. This debt can grow astronomically if CTOs let issues and bugs go unfixed. Minor problems become major, and systems become clogged with unstructured updates, undocumented changes, and messy code. If CTOs want to create future-proof websites that can take advantage of the latest in web development, they will need to stay flexible and be ready to invest in updates.

3 Innovative Strategies for CTOs in 2024

In the rapidly evolving landscape of 2024, CTOs can set their websites up for future success by harnessing AI and RPA solutions. Use these tools to enhance user experiences, personalize content, automate decision-making processes, and connect to KPIs to keep your strategies measurable and achievable.

Here are three strategies that could help CTOs find their way with 2024 website trends:

1. Task AI With Finding the Perfect Leads

Automated customer acquisition can expand and diversify a website’s user base. This helps businesses draw in leads and qualify them without a whole team working on this process manually.

Your AI platform can take massive amounts of data from customers and potential customers, identify patterns to segment groups of individuals by behavior, and predict how these people will react to different kinds of messages.

This strategy results in a customer acquisition process that converts strangers into paying customers more quickly and sustainably.

2. Make Customer Service Worth Talking About

AI can change customer service from a pain into part of your USP. Chatbots have received bad press in the past, but they are growing smarter and more individualized thanks to generative AI and its natural language capabilities. Implement chatbots to gain fast response times and more tailored problem resolution. Plus, the processing power of LLMs can take all the data around consumer behavior and preferences and turn it into predictions you can use to make products and projects that are more likely to do well.

3. Try a Headless CMS Architecture

Many trends in web development are designed to help CTOs manage life behind the scenes. Headless CMS is one of those trends that makes content management more scalable and customizable. It involves separating the back and front end of content-making, leading to enhanced flexibility, more options for new and innovative formats, faster and smoother loading times, and higher levels of security.

What Next?

As companies become more proactive in adopting emerging web technologies, they will need to track web development trends. Their priorities will keep shifting in order to maintain a future-proof website. In 2024, CTOs may turn their attention beyond technologies themselves and invest in eliminating tech debt, bolstering security processes, making their AI more personal, and customizing it to their needs.

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Artificial intelligence and AI-powered chatbots are becoming integral to providing the competitive advantages many companies need. One Intercom survey found that chatbots increased sales in 67% of businesses and saved companies $300,000 a year on average. However, to harness this technology effectively, it’s essential to prioritize training human employees on how to use AI at work.

What does AI training for employees look like? How should companies begin to equip their teams with the skills and knowledge of AI? This article investigates AI training for businesses, particularly on using AI chatbots. It focuses on how organizations can optimize employees’ use of AI in the workplace and align this powerful technology with job roles and responsibilities.

Why Employees Must Evolve to Work Alongside AI-Powered Chatbots

In 2022, Gartner predicted that by 2027, chatbots will be the main customer service channel for about 25% of all businesses. It also found that more than half of survey respondents were already using some form of chatbot or conversational AI in customer-facing applications.

Advances in AI and the release of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools could compound these numbers.

That’s because AI can now automate basic and repetitive tasks, and chatbots can adequately answer simple customer inquiries for most organizations.

With these advances, AI in the workplace will become more commonplace, requiring human employees to evolve their ways of working.

How Roles Will Shift

Here are just a few ways the role of workers will likely shift to maximize the benefits of AI:

• Customer service roles are shifting focus. Humans will handle more nuanced, sensitive, and complex issues that require empathy and a personal touch beyond AI’s scope.
• AI oversight is becoming a pivotal task, where humans monitor, train, and refine chatbot interactions to ensure quality and accuracy.
• Human employees are transitioning to roles that require complex decision-making skills while using AI chatbot data to inform strategic business choices.
• Collaborative roles are emerging. Humans and AI will work in tandem to combine the speed and efficiency of AI with the creativity, problem-solving capabilities, and adaptability of human employees.
• Continuous AI training for employees will be critical to equip them for their new, more complex roles. AI training for business is essential for leaders to manage this shift and stay ahead of AI trends to integrate new technologies successfully.

Critical Considerations for the Effective Use of Chatbots

As with any digital transformation, embracing new technologies begins with accurately assessing their benefits and aligning features and advantages with business objectives before communicating, implementing, and managing deployment. Technology leaders must seek the answers to the following questions to ensure their teams can use AI in the workplace, especially chatbots:

• What specific tasks or problems will an AI chatbot solve? How does this align with business objectives?
• How will a chatbot create value? What is the estimated ROI?
• Can a chatbot integrate easily with existing systems and workflows?
• How will AI change the roles of existing employees?
• What new human responsibilities will be created?
• What level of customization is available to ensure a chatbot meets the unique needs of the business?
• What are the privacy and security measures required for data processed by AI?
• How does a chatbot handle complex queries beyond programmed responses?
• How is a chatbot’s performance measured? What metrics will there be for effectiveness?
• Is the chatbot interface user-friendly for employees and end users?
• Is the business ready for digital transformation? How will this change be managed?

The Risks of Chatbot Implementation

AI-powered chatbot implementation is not without risk. Failure to deploy an appropriately calibrated chatbot with the proper oversight from human employees could result in a loss of credibility, brand reputation, and customers.

AI chatbot deployment must be treated as a strategic implementation rather than a simple technology purchase.

A substantial part of this strategy will be communication followed by robust AI training with employees. It also includes continuous development to move employees to their new responsibilities and ensure future success.

Bridging the Gap: 4 Steps to Align AI and Employee Workflows

How can organizations bridge the gap and provide robust training and support so employees can work alongside AI?

1. Communicate the Change

Many employees are fearful of AI replacing them. The potential of AI to augment customer service roles makes it all the more important to understand and answer employee concerns and effectively communicate a strategic AI adoption.

If employees understand that using AI will make their roles easier and less repetitive and open up opportunities for their development and even progression, human alignment with AI will go more smoothly.

2. Implement Upskilling Programs

Organizations can implement upskilling programs tailored to their workforce’s needs, including online courses, workshops, and hands-on projects involving AI applications relevant to their roles. Employees can be empowered with the skills to combine AI with their roles, work in tandem with AI, and use AI’s data.

3. Leverage Partnerships

AI solution providers will likely offer AI and workforce training. This may include specialized training sessions that help employees calibrate and use tools and platforms. Taking advantage of onboarding programs and ongoing AI training initiatives will ensure competence and confidence.

4. Establish Mentorship Programs and a Continuous Learning Culture

Initiatives such as creating AI ambassadors or technology mentors combined with a continuous learning culture will encourage regular knowledge-sharing and collaborative problem-solving. Employees will be able to learn from AI experts, adapt to integration, and be motivated to achieve more with their new tools.

The Bottom Line: Effective AI Training for Employees Is Essential

To embrace and harness AI, and in this case, AI-powered chatbots, a strategy that begins with answering key questions and communicating the transition before focusing on an ongoing culture of learning and development is vital. Training for employees on AI will help overcome anxieties and introduce workers to their new responsibilities.

AI chatbots will change how employees work — especially in customer service roles — with human agents becoming problem solvers and overseers.

AI can improve customer experiences and offer substantial savings to organizations, but only if human employees are confidently working to optimize these results.

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Are files disappearing from your Google Drive? If so, you may be one of the unlucky users affected by a worrying bug.

Google Drive is one of the world’s most popular cloud-based file storage and synchronization services. It allows you to store your files on Google’s servers, making them accessible from any device with an internet connection. It’s used by a staggering one billion people across the globe, so if there is an issue with the system then it has the potential to become a huge problem.

How can I stop my Google Drive files from disappearing?

Don’t panic. The good news is the reports of “disappearing” files appear to be confined to a very small number of users currently. Several customers reported the issue on a Google Support forum and employees of the Silicon Valley giant are now investigating the issue.

A response from a verified Google employee stated: “We’re investigating reports of an issue impacting a limited subset of Drive for desktop users and will follow up with more updates.”

The technical support worker advised customers to not click “Disconnect account” within Drive for desktop, to not delete or move the app data folder, and (if the computer has space),
make a copy of the app data folder. The last step is likely overkill for the average user but if you want to be completely confident your important files are safe, copy them to your hardrive.

The problem was first flagged by a person named Yeonjoong, who noticed files from May 2023 onwards were gone on Nov, 22. They said even the folder structure within Drive had reverted to how it was in May despite no files being deleted manually.

At the time of writing, there appears to have been no resolution. Until Google technicians can fix the issue, the advice remains not to remove files from critical folders and to create new backups.

The Google Drive mobile app is available for both iOS and Android, and comes with the functionality to download important files for offline use.

Featured image: Ivan Radic via Flickr under a CC.20 license.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we live our lives. From self-driving cars to virtual personal assistants like Siri and Alexa, AI technologies are increasingly integrated into our daily activities. One area where AI is proving particularly useful is customer service. As more and more businesses switch to online platforms, AI-enabled customer service is becoming an essential component of modern commerce. In this article, we explore the role of empathy in AI and examine its potential to transform the customer experience.

The importance of empathy in customer service

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy is critical in customer service, building trust, and creating an emotional connection with customers.

According to a study by the Harvard Business Review,

Customers who feel emotionally connected to a brand are 52% more valuable than those who are just satisfied with their experience.

This highlights the importance of empathy in customer service.

The impact of empathy on customer loyalty

Empathy has a significant impact on customer loyalty. A report by PwC found that

73% of customers would abandon a brand if they felt it lacked a human touch.

On the other hand, empathetic interactions can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. According to a study by Qualtrics,

86% of customers are willing to pay more for products and services if they receive empathy from the customer service representative.

The challenges of empathy in customer service

Empathy is a complex emotion, and replicating it through AI poses several challenges. AI models require vast amounts of data to learn how to empathize effectively. Additionally, AI is still a long way from reading and understanding human emotions accurately.

According to a survey conducted by Servion,

42% of customers still prefer interacting with human customer service representatives over AI-powered ones.

Empathy in AI customer service

Despite the challenges, advances in AI technologies are making integrating empathy into customer service possible. AI-enabled customer service technologies can analyze vast amounts of data to provide personalized and empathetic responses to customer queries.

AI-powered chatbots

Chatbots are one of the most common AI-enabled customer service tools. AI Chatbots can analyze customer queries to provide personalized and empathetic responses. According to research by NotRS,

chatbots are projected to save businesses over $8 billion annually by 2022.

Voice assistants

Voice assistants like Alexa and Siri are also integrating empathy into their software. The AI models that power these voice assistants can analyze voice patterns and tone to provide empathetic responses. According to a survey by Capgemini,

over 70% of consumers prefer human-like interaction with voice assistants, highlighting the potential for these technologies to create emotional connections with customers.

The future of AI in customer service

AI technologies are constantly evolving, and the future of AI-powered customer service looks promising. Advances in machine learning, natural language processing, and emotion detection are making it possible to create even more empathetic and personalized customer service experiences.

Personalized experiences

AI-powered customer service technologies can analyze customer data to provide personalized experiences. This helps create a deeper emotional connection with customers, increasing loyalty and lifetime value.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a critical aspect of empathetic customer service. Advances in emotion detection technology are making it possible for AI-powered customer service technologies to read and understand human emotions accurately. This will lead to even more effective and empathetic customer service experiences in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, empathy is a critical component of customer service success. Advances in AI technologies are enabling empathy into customer service experiences, creating emotional connections with customers and increasing loyalty and lifetime value. While challenges remain, the future of AI in customer service looks promising. By investing in these technologies, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and provide the best possible experience for their customers.

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva; Pexels

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In 2023, technology trends in business increased, especially regarding enhancing client relationships. More than ever, companies are leveraging new technology to reach customers across multiple digital channels. As a result, more marketers are shifting their budgets from traditional advertisement methods to mobile applications, social media, videos, and podcasts.

Although these tools are a great way to find new customers and share content with existing ones, companies in all industries must continue to build better client relationships for retention. It’s been proven repeatedly that purchasing behaviors can be driven by the emotional connections created by establishing more fulfilling client relationships, after all.

The Importance of Bringing Emotion to Business Relationships

Any business’s success depends on its customers’ loyalty and satisfaction. Without loyal brand advocates who routinely come back for services or products offered, the business will require costly acquisition methods to continuously find new buyers.

In a world dominated by algorithms and screens, finding the right audience and converting can be challenging. That’s why it’s imperative to continue to focus on retention efforts — it’s less expensive to get returning customers to purchase again, and they are likely to spend more when purchasing a new customer.

Building Successful Business Relationships

Using technology to automate and enhance the buying cycle can make connecting with customers scalable. Many unique tools can be used to create a memorable and emotional connection with customers.

First and foremost, you must acknowledge the whole person and not just what they do for your business. Building a relationship with a customer and not another order number takes sending additional touchpoints outside of the sales cycle. Emotions tend to drive purchasing behavior, so work to find important life and special occasion moments to build upon the business relationship and improve retention rates in the process.

Pitfalls to Avoid When Automating Technology

While many companies are showing ways that the use of technology can enhance business operations and customer experiences, many brands are falling into the trap of relying too heavily on tech tools without considering the human touch.

One common mistake brands make is treating technology as a replacement for human interaction. This can lead to impersonal customer experiences and a lack of trust. Customers value genuine connections and personalized interactions with businesses, which makes it essential for brands to remember that technology should complement, not replace, these human interactions.

The Importance of Continuous Training and Support

Another area where brands go wrong is by implementing complex tech tools without providing proper training or support. Technology can overwhelm employees and customers if they do not fully understand how to use it effectively.

Unfortunately, no new technology will function correctly without a usage guide. This makes it vital for companies to implement comprehensive training programs and provide ongoing support to ensure that everyone feels comfortable using these tools.

Without a doubt, companies are building successful business relationships through the use of technology. However, they need to remain focused on providing the human factor at every interaction to make sure customers are getting the most out of the technology as well.

How a Business Technology Strategy Can Ensure Future Success

Technology trends in business are ever-evolving. Recently, we have seen many companies focus on ways to implement artificial technologies into their practices. Although AI and other forms of technology come with an array of benefits, it is critically important to determine where each new piece belongs.

There is never a one-size-fits-all solution for developing a business technology strategy. However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure success with technology today and in the coming years:

1. Create a roadmap to success.

Building a roadmap can help you remain focused along the journey. You should identify your business goals, the timeline in which you want to meet your goals, and the resources that are needed to implement your business technology strategy. This step will help you remain focused on the road ahead.

2. Increase efficiency with automation.

Try to automate everything that you can. Automation is key for saving time and increasing efficiency. Look for areas in your business practices where manual processes can be replaced with automation. This can help you focus more on urgent tasks while ensuring your team is able to focus on customers and use their time more effectively.

3. Test now to avoid disaster later.

Determining which forms of technology will work for your business and help you reach your goals is crucial. That’s why testing is a critical part of finding out what works. Take ample time to test your technology in various scenarios to ensure it works as intended. Catching bugs and other issues early on can save you time and money in the long haul.

4. Tailor your technology to customer needs.

Your stakeholders and customers play a vital role in your success. Listening to them and understanding their specific needs and concerns is imperative. This can help you tailor your technology to meet their needs while ensuring it remains efficient and effective. Reviewing client lifecycle management information, speaking with customers, and talking with customer service reps can help you find out what is working and, even more importantly, what’s not working so that you can keep your customers happy.

5. Keep genuine connections in your technology stack.

Identify which parts of the process your customers want something more than technology can provide and work that into the flow. Embracing the importance of human touch at every step enables brands to tap into our innate desire for connection in an increasingly disconnected world. It adds authenticity, warmth, and understanding at every step of the customer journey while building relationships beyond mere transactions.

By providing a personal touch and utilizing effective tools, businesses can easily retain their customers and ensure long-term loyalty. Instead of constantly jumping on to the latest trend or using too many tools, it is essential for businesses to carefully select the right ones that fit their needs and use them strategically. With a strong customer retention business technology strategy, businesses can thrive and continue to provide excellent products or services to their loyal customers.

Featured Image Credit:  Brooke Cagle; Unsplash; Thank you!

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No matter where your staff works from day to day, everyone can easily collaborate across teams — communicating fluidly, accessing resources, finding information, brainstorming, and maintaining progress. This is possible thanks to advanced technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and machine learning (to name a few), which open the door to more immersive work experiences.

These innovations are coming at a crucial time, according to a recent study by Pew Research. This study showed that 53% of those who work from home at least some of the time report that the remote environment impacts their ability to connect with colleagues. And 41% of employees who work primarily from the office report that being around coworkers helps them feel more connected. While immersive technologies benefit remote workers, these technologies don’t just benefit office employees. They’re creating new experiences and opportunities for consumers and businesses at and below the enterprise level.

Immersive Experiences Benefit Businesses

Immersive technologies help to carve out a fresh, personalized user experience across the buyer’s journey. As customers engage with a variety of brands to buy from, we are in a new position to impact that experience in a positive way, on a broader level, and along many touch points. This customer experience revolution also expands opportunities for people with disabilities and physical challenges. Immersive experiences reduce the friction of going to a physical location to transact business, buy, or get product help. We’ve seen a massive improvement in how disabled individuals can engage in the same way able-bodied customers do.

An interesting example was using AR glasses with a hearing-impaired customer who needed help troubleshooting a product problem. The AR glasses enabled real-time visual transcription of the conversation with the product support team, making it possible for the customer to read and understand the full conversation. Imagine the frustration that experience eliminates for the customer and the sales associate or support team. Ultimately, the technology created an effective and satisfying experience for everyone.

Along with changes to customer experience, we are also seeing a rise in new entrepreneurs. This increase has fostered a user community-driven creator economy. More individuals have found they can effectively monetize their individual value in new ways. They are leveraging the same immersive technologies as mid- to enterprise-level businesses while partnering with others to deliver unique and compelling solutions to their clients. Together with the expanding B2B marketplace, entrepreneurs are operating within a globally open economy, creating new market niches and bringing to market products and services that are helping advance every industry.

3 Methods to Manage Immersive Technology Adoption

As the future of business begins to center on a variety of immersive aspects, any company that is not shaping strategy and investment with an immersive strategy and realistic investment will quickly find themselves behind in their industries. It’s a competitive must-have — just as when the internet was invented. With that in mind, let’s discuss guidelines on where to invest and prioritize for your organization.

1. Start with value-driven use cases delivering ROI.

We can probably all agree that immersive technologies are at varying stages of maturity. For instance, the metaverse is in its early stages, whereas AR and VR are well underway. The intersection of generative AI and virtual reality has enabled the creation of truly immersive experiences. Generative AI enables the interactive generation of VR environments based on user inputs. Before determining if and what technologies suit your company, identify use cases that deliver leadership value, innovation, and efficiency.

To identify suitable alternatives that leverage advanced technologies and shape immersive experiences, consider existing areas where you have known business challenges. For example, we’re seeing swift augmentation in the retail shopping experience. Amazon, Sherwin-Williams, and many housing businesses let you visualize any object, paint, or furniture in your space by using a “view in your room” feature. And glasses retailers, like Ray-Ban’s retail website, make it possible to virtually try glasses frames on your face.

In this environment and economy, it’s important to reap the early benefits and leapfrog the competition in the early adoption stages. While it’s realistic to expect organizational needs and technology to continue to evolve, focus early on low-hanging initiatives that drive quantifiable impact. In parallel, explore alternative business models that can drive large-scale business transformation, innovation, and revenue.

2. Secure stakeholder collaboration with a data-driven approach.

Ultimately, a data-driven approach and stakeholder collaboration can help identify the most suitable use cases for immersive experience technology. When creating and shaping change in any organization, it’s best to secure executive sponsorship from the leadership team. This further enables success in the scale and adoption of other new initiatives.

A recent metaverse study done by Wipro polled companies in the U.S., U.K., and Germany on how they viewed and were preparing for the metaverse within their enterprises. Eight out of every 10 respondents agreed the metaverse would enhance businesses by making them more immersive. This was an astounding level of cross-country alignment among many industries.

In the near future, advanced technologies will become core and critical to enterprise success. We will continue to see evolution as more industries test and discover what’s possible. Together, we’ll collectively dive deeper into the best ways to implement within various industries with an eye toward efficiency, revenue generation, and business growth based on experiences that transform customers into loyal followers.

The sooner your business plans for and adopts immersive technologies, the more opportunities you will have to outsmart and outpace the competition.

3. Establish a center of excellence and a foundational team.

Immersive experience delivery calls for the right people. It’s an intelligent strategy to establish a practice developer community with representation from tech power users across the technology stack who will foster the adoption of technology. While technology is critical to the success of immersive experiences, your people will ultimately drive its adoption and use within your business, together with executive leadership reinforcement.

Behind your foundational team, you need a center of excellence. The COE will enable different technology and business stakeholders to come together to develop strategy and direction. The COE can evangelize the potential of immersive technology with different business lines, helping them to identify the right use cases with high-value potential. The COE can also provide governance around best practices and guidelines during the development cycles.

As you’d imagine, the initial COE team becomes the foundation of your immersive business practice, representing teams from across the organization. This is your ground crew for accelerating solution development with your specific business needs in mind while enabling you to apply the desired strategy and implementation across the organization.

Start Your Immersive Journey

Don’t delay or fall behind. By prioritizing personnel development, identifying suitable use cases, and taking a proactive approach to implementation, businesses can harness the power of immersive experience technology and stay ahead of the curve. Early adopters will have a special advantage that latecomers will miss: the ability to leverage brand visibility and time to sharpen their approach. So, start now and prepare for an exciting time in the years ahead.

Featured Image Credit: Provided by the Author; Photo by John Schnobrich; Unsplash; Thank you!

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User research is essential because it helps to study people’s behavior, needs, and motivations. UX designers are often responsible for a clear interface. However, product managers and marketing departments also need to study user habits and help designers improve the interface.

Products are developed primarily for the users. We analyze what options they use, why they chose this product, what they don’t like about competitors’ products, etc. They constantly interact with the product and pay attention to completely different things than we previously thought in the company. Although there is no universal list of questions to understand the needs of users better, there are specific points that we would advise you to consider.

This article is based on the Nektony software development company’s experience developing Mac cleanup applications. In this article, we will tell you how we selected users for in-depth interviews and analysis of our applications and what we changed in our products thanks to the data we received.

A common mistake when analyzing users

In the past, when we made some changes to products, we often relied on our own subjective opinions of what would be better for the users. However, product usage scenarios among company employees can be very different from the usage scenarios of real users. When you work with a product for a long time and know all its options and capabilities perfectly, you look at the interface, usability, etc., differently. Therefore, firstly, it is necessary to study the pain points of customers and ask them about possible changes in the product.

How to choose interviewees

At the beginning of the product analysis of Nektony apps, we showed the products to everyone we knew, friends and colleagues from other companies, and asked them what they thought about the apps. But, as I noted above, this is not the right approach. Later, we started working only with real users who once contacted our technical support service.

Among the letters in support, you can find many users who may be loyal to the company.

• First, it’s not cold contacts we’re reaching out to. We already communicated successfully with them; they contacted us, and we solved their problems; that is, they remained satisfied customers.
• Secondly, people who write to technical support to solve a question (rather than go, for example, to some forum and complain) – usually this is a special category of people who are ready to share their thoughts, spend their time to make the product better for own use in the future. So, such people willingly agree to become interviewees.
• Third, these are real users, not hypothetical ones. Interviews with such users provide more accurate data on what exactly they like and what they don’t like, which options are used more often, and which are not clear.

Stage 1: Gathering contacts to whom we will write about the interview

We sell our apps through the App Store and our website worldwide. However, we did not select respondents by country. The main criterion for collecting respondents is the level of their loyalty to the company, which characterizes the level of their willingness to agree to an interview. In our case, the support service always adds the client’s loyalty tag after communicating with him when solving issues. So, downloading a list of such contacts was not a problem.

Stage 2: Sending letters and preparing for the interview

We prepared a letter asking you to agree to an interview and help us make our product better. We sent these letters individually, not through a mailing service, because personalization is important. In general, we experimented with the content of the letter. We changed it depending on the history of interaction with the person, as well as on the results of responses to my previous letters to other people.

You can immediately offer a bonus to the user for the time spent, for example, another app as a gift or a discount on the next purchase. But my personal opinion is that it is better to give a gift to the user after the interview as a pleasant bonus. From experience, those people who agree to provide an interview, not for a bonus, are usually more interested in the results of the interview. They are certainly more loyal and open — more willing to talk about the pros and cons of the application for them personally, etc.

Before starting the meeting with the respondent, it is vital to prepare a script. It can change a little depending on the person. The respondent should be relaxed, and the entire conversation should be in a friendly atmosphere.

Stage 3: The interview

Approaching the interview itself — The primary goal and all our questions to respondents consist of understanding the following:

• Who is a user of the application?

• How will users be divided by types? (Like scenarios of behavior, depending on age, type of activity, interests, etc.)

• How exactly do people use our apps? (launch frequency, most favorite options, why they chose our product, etc.)

• What is the product’s most significant value to users?

Now, we will briefly talk about the scenario of communication with the respondent according to the pre-prepared script. It is also important that you open a document or have a paper where you will take notes.

• Introduction: greetings, remembering to say thanks for their time, and asking some short questions of the person to collect information about the country of residence, type of activity, age, etc. Of course, you don’t need to ask directly about all this; for example, you can mark the approximate age of a person (understand visually), or if they tell you how they spent the weekend with their family — you know their family status and lifestyle. At this stage, I also asked how long the person has been using a Mac because, in our case, it is very important. The person’s user habits may depend on this.
• Permission to record a video. Of course, we were making notes, but the video recordings allowed me to go back to the interview, study it more deeply, and make a transcript of the conversation.
• Studying the application usage scenario. We asked the person to run our app and use it in their normal mode without my comments. In the process, you can ask the person questions — but ensure that you do not distract them from the usual actions in the program.
• Question. After observing the user’s actions, we asked them additional questions: open and closed questions. Here are some sample questions:

Open questions:

1. How did you find Nektony programs, and why did you choose them?
2. When was the last time you used MacCleaner Pro, and what functionality did you use?
3. Which option was difficult for you to understand and why?

Closed questions:

1. Was this or that functionality in the program useful for you?
2. Would you like us to change the app’s interface?
3. Is it possible to get back to you after some time for a re-interview?

To sum up. At this stage of the interview, you can ask the interviewees if they have any questions for you. Listen! And give a bonus gift as a thank you to them for their time.

Unexpected results from interviews

Many of the user responses came as a complete surprise to me and the entire team as a whole. Things we never paid attention to and thought that users didn’t need at all turned out to be a significant part of their interaction with applications:

• Sound effects. People like it when apps have sound effects when they launch or press buttons. It wasn’t important to anyone on our team, so we didn’t even think about it before.

• Welcome window and results. People like the animations when the program starts and also after some action, such as cleaning the disk. People wanted to see a window with congratulations on their successful results (to show the completion was done correctly). On the contrary, we always tried to simplify the program and get rid of unnecessary windows and user clicks.

• Texts. People don’t like to read. Previously, we tried to always add an explanatory text to one or another option so that the user could familiarize himself and be sure of his actions when cleaning the Mac. So, we shortened all these texts and left only the mandatory ones. It is important to make the names and icons of each option clear so that everything is intuitive without text. At the interview — it turned out that not all option icons were understandable to users.

• Expectations. The user sometimes expects something completely different from the program or a certain option. Before adding any new features, it is better to conduct interviews and test your hypotheses. Our company keeps a list of all wishes from users. Before adding a new feature, we first analyze this letter, sort by the number of requests, see how many people are looking for such a feature, and only after that make a decision about the need to add a new feature.

Stage 4: First prototypes and repeat interviews

It is important that after analyzing the necessary changes in the programs, prototypes should be made and re-shown to users. As we said above, sometimes you may encounter unreasonable user expectations. Here are my next steps before finalizing product changes:

• Preparation of prototypes. There can be many prototypes. In my case, I made more than 20 prototypes until we chose the most convenient version of the interface.

• Demonstrating the prototype to users. This stage is a repetition of all our previous steps, where we observe precisely how the users use the application at the first launch, how much everything is clear to them, which options they saw at first, and which they overlooked. It happened when the users used the options — they chose differently than we intended. Then, we redesigned the product.
• Final decision-making. When we finally find an option that is understandable to users, we can hand over the task to the designer and the entire development team. That team then works on the changes in the programs.

Examples of changes based on interview results

Using examples of the interface of some of our programs, we wanted to show what changes occurred in them, thanks to the analysis of user needs through interviews. This process must not only be about UX design but also must consider rethinking some options and the need to show these options to users.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller

Previously, at the first launch, the user saw the information about the number of programs on their Mac, the number of service files, and extensions. We found that this information scares many non-geek users who do not understand what service files are used for. We also added the Expert Mode Option, and only in this mode can the users see the list of service files that will be deleted when uninstalling programs. The average user does not want to see these files; they only want to click on one “magic” button — and for the program to solve their problem immediately.

Before Unneeded information in the right panel. The main option below this information is in the blind spot.	After The main function for which this app is downloaded is now in the right panel.

Duplicate File Finder

During the interview, it became clear that each user has their own goals when using the application. Some users want to find only duplicate photos in the Photo Library; others run the program to merge their folders with duplicates. We always guide them according to the scenario of searching for all duplicates they are comfortable with.

Previously, they had to take extra steps to reach their goal. So we completely changed the first window and added different functions to it — immediately — according to groups of user needs.

Before	After

Disk Space Analyzer

During the interviews, it became clear that people are more familiar with and understand when the application interface is similar to the interface of system programs on macOS. For example, people find it easier to click on folders and explore their contents, as they are used to doing in the Finder, rather than clicking on a chart. So we’ve added a Folder Outline file view as done in the Finder.

Before	After

MacCleaner Pro

It is important for users to see animations, beautiful pictures — and a minimum of text. Thanks to the fact that we took all this into account in the new design (after the interviews), we managed to make the application more understandable for the user and increase purchase conversions after downloading the trial version.

We also added the “magic” that users asked for — cleaning all junk files in one click.

Before	After

Final recommendations

I recommend transcribing each individual interview and then using the Value Proposition Canvas to identify user values and needs. This topic needs a separate article, but you can google it and find a lot of information about this process. Take the time to do the following for the best success.

• Exchange experiences with other product managers and show them the product. Yes, these managers are not your users, but sometimes they can give you valuable advice, depending on their experience.
• The user likes to be led by the hand and told what to do next after each step.
• Make the command names and icons as straightforward and clear as possible to be immediately understandable without additional text.
• Combining functionality and showing extras, like additional options where the user does not expect to see them, is a bad idea.
• Bring the main functionality of the program to the start window (as shown above in the Duplicate File Finder example).
• Be very careful with letters to technical support. It is a storehouse of information from where you can get a lot of insights into what is important to users. Fast and good technical support is the loyalty of your users and the opportunity to further interact with them for the development of your company.

We hope that our experience and examples are helpful for you and give you many insights of your own.

Featured Image Credit: Provided by the Author; Thank you!

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2023 heralds a fresh wave of innovation in product packaging design. Let’s explore the latest trends reshaping how products are wrapped and presented, offering a glimpse into the future of packaging.

Minimalistic Packaging

Picture strolling down a supermarket aisle. Products there clamor for your attention with flashy graphics, vibrant colors, and bold fonts—a sensory overload. Minimalistic packaging steps in to offer visual relief. Simplicity is its strength. Stripping away clutter lets the product’s true essence shine.

Minimalistic packaging directs attention to what truly matters: the product itself. It brings calm to chaos, delivering an elegant, memorable experience. This uncluttered design appeals not only to the eyes but also to the soul, fostering a deeper brand connection.

Minimalistic packaging isn’t just about removal; it’s about crafting a meaningful visual language. Key principles include:

Simplicity: Removing the unnecessary, leaving only the essential to convey the product’s identity.

Typography: Embracing clean, sans-serif fonts with whitespace for legible, unobtrusive text.

Color Palette: Utilizing limited, muted colors for serenity, and sometimes monochromatic schemes for a timeless look.

Whitespace: Artfully employing negative space for balance and emphasis on vital elements.

Sustainable Packaging Solutions

Today’s conscientious consumers reject excessive plastic packaging, opting for eco-friendly choices in line with their values, driven by heightened awareness of the environmental toll of waste. This green-minded consumer base is now a powerful industry influencer, compelling businesses to pivot towards sustainable packaging. This isn’t just an ethical move; it’s a savvy business strategy. It garners loyal customers and aligns with global waste reduction efforts.

This shift fuels remarkable changes in packaging materials and methods:

Biodegradable Materials: Cornstarch plastics, mushroom packaging, and biodegradable films replace traditional plastics, naturally reducing their environmental impact.

Recycled and Recyclable Packaging: Brands embrace recycled materials and design easily recyclable packaging, promoting a circular economy and reducing waste.

Minimalist Design: Less becomes more as brands adopt minimalist packaging for an elegant and eco-conscious aesthetic.

Reduced Packaging: Companies rethink sizes, minimizing excess materials and maximizing space efficiency.

Reusable Packaging: Some innovative brands specializing in custom boxes are introducing reusable packaging options. Customers can return the packaging for refilling, reducing the need for single-use containers.

Sustainable Printing: Environmentally friendly inks and dyes gain prominence in packaging, reducing their ecological footprint.

Supply Chain Optimization: Beyond materials, companies optimize supply chains, reducing emissions and energy consumption.

Personalized Packaging

In today’s era of celebrating individuality, personalized packaging goes straight to consumers’ hearts. It’s more than just using their name; it’s forging an emotional bond. When your package arrives with a personal touch, be it a handwritten note, a custom design, or a tailored message, it whispers to the recipient that they’re memorable and cherished.

Consumers now seek products and experiences that mirror their unique preferences. This shift in behavior has birthed a new era in marketing – personalization isn’t merely a strategy; it’s an expectation.

The wonder of personalized packaging is its flexibility. Brands can make their packaging special in many ways, including using Custom Cardboard Boxes and cardboard Packaging.

Custom Printing: Innovations in printing tech make it a breeze for businesses to print custom messages, images, or even individual names on packaging materials. This personalization turns a plain package into a memorable one.

Variable Data Printing (VDP): VDP takes personalization up a notch, letting businesses change text, graphics, and images from one printed piece to the next, all without slowing the printing process. This means each package can be truly unique.

Tailored Packaging Shapes: Beyond printing, brands are toying with unique packaging shapes. Imagine a cosmetics brand crafting a lipstick box in the shape of a customer’s zodiac sign. This doesn’t just surprise the customer but also prompts them to share their personalized experience on social media.

Retro and Nostalgic Packaging

Nostalgia wields incredible power, pulling heartstrings, time-traveling us to the past, and binding us to cherished memories. Vintage packaging taps into this sentiment, serving as an emotional time machine, connecting consumers to simpler days like secrets shared with old friends.

Reviving the past isn’t mimicry; it’s blending the best elements into something fresh. Classic soda brands, for instance, modernize hand-drawn fonts and vibrant colors. Tradition meets innovation, satisfying familiarity and contemporary tastes.

Retro snack packaging follows suit, resurrecting iconic mascots with a modern, animated twist. This fusion of old and new captures nostalgia’s essence while catering to today’s visual preferences.

Sustainable Materials Innovation

Today’s conscientious consumers reject excessive plastic packaging, opting for eco-friendly choices in line with their values, driven by heightened awareness of the environmental toll of waste. This green-minded consumer base is now a powerful industry influencer, compelling businesses to pivot towards sustainable packaging. This isn’t just an ethical move; it’s a savvy business strategy. It garners loyal customers and aligns with global waste reduction efforts.

This shift fuels remarkable changes in packaging materials and methods:

Biodegradable Materials: Cornstarch plastics, mushroom packaging, and biodegradable films replace traditional plastics, naturally reducing their environmental impact.

Recycled and Recyclable Packaging: Brands embrace recycled materials and design easily recyclable packaging, promoting a circular economy and reducing waste.

Minimalist Design: Less becomes more as brands adopt minimalist packaging for an elegant and eco-conscious aesthetic.

Reduced Packaging: Companies rethink sizes, minimizing excess materials and maximizing space efficiency.

Reusable Packaging: Some innovative brands that specialize in custom boxes are introducing reusable packaging options. Customers can return the packaging for refilling, reducing the need for single-use containers.

Sustainable Printing: Environmentally friendly inks and dyes gain prominence in packaging, reducing their ecological footprint.

Supply Chain Optimization: Beyond materials, companies optimize supply chains, reducing emissions and energy consumption.

Storytelling through Packaging

Packaging isn’t merely aesthetics; it’s a vessel for emotions and shared tales. Think about that artisanal chocolate bar you unwrapped once – the paper, fonts, and colors wove a story. Crafting such narratives matters. Packaging, from design to materials, wields subtle cues that spark nostalgia, curiosity, or adventure, forging an emotional link with consumers.

So, why does packaging storytelling matter to brands? It taps into human psychology’s storytelling power. Humans are wired for stories; they engage us emotionally and make us feel part of something larger. Brands that tell compelling packaging stories sell more than products; they sell experiences, lifestyles, and values. It’s about aligning with a brand’s philosophy and becoming part of its narrative.

Take iconic brands like Coca-Cola or Apple; their packaging shares stories of joy, togetherness, and innovation, nurturing unwavering brand loyalty. Consumers don’t just buy; they become brand advocates loyal to these stories.

Moreover, packaging storytelling thrives in today’s digital age. With social media, unboxing experiences go viral. A well-crafted packaging narrative turns routine unboxing into free, emotionally driven brand marketing.

Multifunctional Packaging

Multifunctional packaging is like a chameleon for products – it transforms and enhances the consumer experience. Imagine a coffee cup that turns into a plant pot or a cosmetics box that doubles as a smartphone stand. This packaging evolution goes beyond being disposable.

Versatility is the key:

Reusable Packaging: Containers become more than just containers – a jam jar becomes a glass.

Portability: Snack boxes become plates or trays for those on the move.

Storage Solutions: Cereal boxes seal up, keeping breakfast fresh.

Educational Packaging: Kids’ toy boxes turn into puzzles or games.

It’s packaging that adapts to your changing needs.

Conclusion

The packaging landscape for 2023 is all about sustainability, simplicity, and efficiency. As eco-conscious consumers reshape industries, innovative packaging materials and designs are not just trends; they’re essential steps toward a more responsible and competitive future.

Inner Article Image Credit: Provided by the Author; Thank you!

Featured Image Credit: Provided by the Author; MK2; Unsplash; Thank you!

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What Is Customer Churn?

Customer churn, often referred to as customer attrition, is a business term that describes the process when customers stop doing business with a company. It’s a critical metric because it’s often less expensive to retain existing customers than it is to acquire new ones. Churn can occur for a variety of reasons: customers may be dissatisfied with a product or service, they may find a better or cheaper alternative, or they might simply no longer need the product or service. In other cases, churn is a sign of a deeper issue with customer loyalty.

Understanding customer churn is not just about identifying the rate at which customers leave, or predicting customer churn in advance, but also recognizing why they leave. This knowledge can provide valuable insights into the areas of your business that may require improvement. Identifying and addressing these issues can reduce customer churn, enhance customer loyalty, and ultimately increase profitability.

The Importance of Reducing Customer Churn

Reducing customer churn is vital for every business. It’s not just about maintaining a healthy customer base; it’s also about ensuring the financial health and profitability of the business.

Financial Health and Profitability

Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one. Moreover, existing customers are likelier to try new products and spend more than new customers. Therefore, a high churn rate can significantly impact a company’s bottom line.

The impact of customer churn on revenue is not just immediate; it also has a long-term effect. When a customer leaves, not only does the company lose that customer’s current revenue, but it also loses all its potential future revenues. Furthermore, the company may have to spend more on marketing and sales efforts to replace the lost customers, further eroding profits.

Predictable Business Growth

Reducing customer churn is also crucial for predictable business growth. A business with a high churn rate is like a leaky bucket; if water keeps leaking out, you’ll never fill the bucket. On the other hand, a business with a low churn rate is like a sturdy container; the more customers you add, the fuller it gets.

A low churn rate allows for more predictable revenue, enabling better planning and forecasting. It provides stability and allows the business to focus on growth strategies rather than constantly trying to plug leaks.

Customer Loyalty and Advocacy

Customer churn is not just about lost sales; it’s also about failed and lost relationships. When customers leave, they take their loyalty and advocacy, which can be far more valuable than their immediate financial contribution. Loyal customers are more likely to refer others to your business, and word-of-mouth referrals are often the most effective form of marketing.

A high churn rate can also harm a company’s reputation. Customers who leave due to dissatisfaction may share their negative experiences with others, deterring potential customers. On the other hand, reducing customer churn helps build a loyal customer base that can act as brand ambassadors, promoting the company’s products or services to its network.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Finally, reducing customer churn is crucial for enhancing the customer experience. When customers churn, it’s often a signal that something is wrong with the customer experience. It might be poor customer service, a lack of perceived value, or a product that doesn’t meet the customer’s needs.

By focusing on reducing churn, businesses can improve the customer experience. They can identify the pain points that drive customers away and find ways to address them. This helps retain existing customers and makes the product or service more attractive to potential customers.

5 Ways to Reduce Customer Churn

Now that we understand what customer churn is and why it’s crucial to reduce it, let’s explore five strategies to help you achieve this.

Enhance Customer Onboarding

A well-structured and efficient onboarding process is the first step towards reducing customer churn. The onboarding stage sets the tone for the entire customer relationship and can significantly impact a customer’s decision to continue using your product or service.

Ensuring customers understand how to use your product or service and quickly gain value from it is key to a successful onboarding process. This can be achieved by offering precise and detailed user guides, instructional videos, or even one-on-one training sessions.

Improve Customer Engagement and Communication

Constant and meaningful engagement with your customers is crucial for retention. Regular communication via emails, newsletters, or social media can help keep your business top of mind for your customers.

However, it’s not just about frequency but also the quality of your communication. Personalized messages, addressing your customers’ specific needs and interests, are far more effective than generic communication.

Invest in Quality Customer Support

High-quality customer support is another vital area in reducing churn. Customers should feel that their concerns and complaints are being heard and addressed promptly and efficiently.

Investing in a skilled customer support team and implementing customer-friendly policies can significantly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby reducing churn.

Regularly Update and Upgrade Product/Service Offerings

In today’s fast-paced world, businesses must continually evolve to meet their customers’ changing needs and expectations. Regularly updating and upgrading your product or service offerings can keep your customers engaged and reduce their likelihood of seeking alternatives.

This strategy reduces churn and enhances your product’s value proposition, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Implement Predictive Analytics for Early Churn Detection

Lastly, implementing predictive analytics can help detect early signs of customer churn. This involves analyzing data to identify patterns or trends that indicate a customer is at risk of churning.

By detecting these signs early, businesses can proactively address the issue and take steps to improve the customer’s experience, thereby reducing the likelihood of churn.

In conclusion, understanding and addressing customer churn is crucial for any business’s success. By implementing these strategies, businesses can significantly reduce churn, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately boost their bottom line.

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Brands are under immense pressure to advance and evolve as customer buying trends change, budgets shrink, and broad economic factors become increasingly complicated.

In response, many companies are turning to emerging applications of well-known technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to make their companies more agile, competitive, and responsive.

These technologies provide powerful buyer insights that allow companies to understand better when customers will make a purchase, what they will buy, and when they will engage.

According to a Deloitte survey, 79 percent of respondents have fully deployed three or more AI technologies, a 15 percent year-over-year increase. As AI and ML technologies become more ubiquitous as mainstream services soar in popularity and serve as proof of concept for many business leaders, everyone seems to want more. To accelerate AI and ML adoption, three-fifths of businesses intend to increase spending on digital transformation by the end of 2023. Of course, simply throwing money at the latest tech trends doesn’t guarantee business success.

The key lies in leveraging data, a company’s most abundant and valuable resource, to directly enhance AI and ML solutions that impact core KPIs at the enterprise level. These systems can help companies achieve two foundational objectives: increase top-line revenue and reduce overall costs by enabling new efficiencies.

Here’s how leaders can leverage strategic applications of this technology to remain agile and create compelling customer interactions with impact in 2024 and beyond.

#1 Collect the Right Data & Collect it with Consent

Many companies are overwhelmed by the volume, velocity, and complexity of customer data they collect. They are unable to convert this raw data into actionable customer-facing interactions.

One survey of CIOs and senior IT leaders found that nearly three-quarters of respondents said they were struggling with data management, and most companies are discarding the vast majority—up to 90 percent—of the data they receive.

Effective AI and ML implementation is predicated on accurate, actionable, and timely customer data, so companies must turn off the firehose of information instead of collecting the correct information at the right time to inform the right decisions.

Brands can leverage several data sources to obtain this information, including:

• Transactional data from credit card and other financial services
• Customer-collected data from surveys, research, and other buyer-centric sources
• Loyalty data from product offerings and other promotional opportunities

Specifically, focus on incentivizing customers to provide 20 percent of the data that provides 80 percent of the value.

The brands best positioned to receive the highest value data will acquire customers’ consent before collecting data, capitalizing on transparent data collection practices to solicit support and build trust.

The results of building customer trust with this approach can reach all the way to the bottom line. Eighty-four percent of consumers say they are more likely to share information with brands with transparent data practices and policies, 77 percent say it impacts their purchases, and 50 percent say they will purchase more from transparent brands.

The message for innovative brands is simple: obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting data. Users should be able to opt in or out easily. Some consumers will undoubtedly opt-out, but those that remain, when properly nurtured, become the backbone of solid brands.

#2 Compile a “Single View of the Customer”

Compiling a “single view of the customer” means having a complete and accurate understanding of a customer’s needs, preferences, and behaviors based on all the data and interactions a company has collected about them.

This can be achieved through multi-platform infrastructures that allow businesses to store, track, and analyze customer data from various sources, such as sales, marketing, and customer service.

Such efforts focusing on the value exchange must gather the information to complete the 80/20 guiding principle, which relies on progressive profiling to provide a single customer view across all touchpoints.

#3 Create Real-time Interactions

Real-time interactions can propel people through buying by delivering the information, insights, and promotion needed to convert leads into sales.

While customers expect real-time, hyper-personalized interactions, many anticipate that brands won’t be able to deliver. One industry report found that 44 percent of Gen Z shoppers and 43 percent of millennials “expended more effort than expected to complete an interaction.”

In 2023 and beyond, time is a valuable currency. Companies can increase conversions by deploying AI and ML solutions to power real-time interaction management systems that foster emotional connections, identify potential pain points, and optimize the buying journey.

Many brands continue to rely on static content to entice buyers. AI and ML solutions let brands move beyond this, delivering real-time, personalized interactions at scale.

#4: Create Hyper-Personalized Experiences for customers

A McKinsey & Company report found that 71 percent of consumers expect brands to provide personalized experiences, and most are disappointed when they don’t deliver.

Customer data is key to personalizing customer experiences, but many brands are overwhelmed by the firehose of information, making the sheer data volume and information sprawl an impediment to progress.

AI is making sense of this information and using it to generate targeted advertising content that empowers personalized experiences at scale.

Marketing, commerce, analytics and data, and merchandising can use AI in different ways to present targeted content to prospects and customers through lightboxes, promotional links, special offers and discounts, and platform onboarding efforts.

AI is moving brand marketing away from content repositories that present plausibly engaging content to consumers to an environment where analytics, profile information, and segmentation data can be used in real-time to create customer-centric, generative content that converts buyers.

In retail advertising as one example, AI allows advertisers to present advertising content with surgical precision in ways that we could only dream of five years ago.

Truly Data Driven

Leveraging AI and ML is becoming increasingly crucial for brands to maintain relevance in a digital-first world, to remain competitive, and to create compelling customer interactions. Businesses can increase top-line revenue and reduce costs by collecting the correct data, compiling a “single view of the customer,” and creating real-time interactions.

However, it’s important to note that simply investing in these technologies is not enough. The key is using data, a company’s most valuable resource, to impact core KPIs at the enterprise level directly. As AI and ML adoption continues to rise, companies implementing these strategies will be well-positioned to remain agile and stay ahead of the competition.

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The interaction between customers and businesses has increased exponentially with higher communication channel diversity across multiple touchpoints. McKinsey reports 94% of companies surveyed claim to positively experience the new omnichannel sales model in comparison to the sales model they used before. It is common knowledge that customer experiences (CX) determine a company’s ability to pull ahead of the competition. But for CX to become compelling and advantageous, it must incorporate connected experiences that foster lasting relationships and loyalty.

Connected CX consumes data generated from automated systems and intelligent technologies to deliver gratifying services adaptable to changing tastes and demands. Due to these favorable outcomes, connected CX satisfies customers by meeting their needs and expectations through personalized and curated offerings at any point. The cumulative effect of it translates into a customer’s effortless buying journey that enhances business conversions, loyalty, and bottom-line growth. Providing an effortless and friction-free customer journey has become so vital that lagging behind will prove costly for any business.

Do we know why organizations that offer connected CX have a higher capability to meet customers’ evolving needs and build long-term relationships?

Consistency Builds Trust:

A business must coordinate each customer touchpoint along the customer journey and align its efforts across all interaction channels. For instance, if a marketing strategy emphasizes a hassle-free return policy, but an unfamiliar in-store associate creates problems for the customer, the customer may not return. Consistency in customer service across a brand’s relationship with a customer is essential in ensuring satisfaction, building trust, and loyalty, thereby preventing customers from seeking other options.

Customers who receive exceptional service and positive experiences throughout their interaction with a brand will come to anticipate the same level of service and experiences in the future. Conversely, customers encountering poor service with a business will likely form negative assumptions that may lead to losing future business opportunities. Simply put, consistency in customer interactions translates into repeated purchases. Even a single negative experience can cause customers to move on to other brands. Providing customers with a consistent experience every time is the key to achieving long-term success.

Convenience Facilitates Switching Between Channels:

Offering multiple channels to interact with customers is the norm now as it fits perfectly with modern consumer behavior. Moreover, customers who engage with a business through various digital touchpoints are more likely to convert and become repeat customers. An omnichannel experience enables customers to interact with a company, enabling them to switch between multiple channels as part of a seamless customer journey.

Marketing, sales, customer support, and in-store experiences are coordinated, allowing customers to easily transition from one touchpoint to another to complete their purchase. For example, a customer browsing a social media channel finds an ad for a fashion retail store and discovers a pair of shoes they love. After clicking the ad, they land on the store’s social media handle, obtain more information about the shoes, and read customer reviews. Next, they navigate to the store’s website to place an order, but their size is out of stock.

They use the live chat widget to ask an agent when their size will be available again. The agent informs them that their size is currently in stock at the customer’s nearest store. The agent reserves the shoes for the customer, and the customer goes to the store the following day to make the purchase. The convenience of a connected CX can help companies build robust customer relationships, drive revenue growth, and improve operational efficiency.

Personalization Makes Customers Feel Valued:

Personalization is the cardinal element for brands nurturing customer relationships in today’s hyper-connected, competitive landscape. Companies rely on data integration across multiple channels and platforms to achieve personalization and create a holistic view of each customer. Businesses must collect, integrate, and analyze data from various sources, such as customer interactions, purchase history, and social media activity. As new channels and touchpoints emerge, they must adapt quickly and ensure that the CX remains tailored and personalized.

Customers who feel like a company comprehends and values their unique needs are likelier to become repeat customers. One way to provide a customized customer experience and reward loyal clients is by offering personalized recommendations and promotions based on their purchasing history. By analyzing customer data and employing machine learning algorithms, businesses offer suggestions that cater to the interests and needs of individual customers, making them feel that the brand puts effort into creating a tailored experience just for them.

The effect is a connection and trust between the customer and the business. By providing personalized recommendations, companies can create a more relevant and enjoyable experience for the customer, making customers feel valued and appreciated.

Efficiency Speeds up Engagement:

In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer behavior and habits, providing efficiency and speed while engaging the customers is critical to meeting expectations and satisfying and retaining customers. It’s essential to provide the efficiency of real-time engagement opportunities like live chats for convenience and immediate feedback. Brands that respond slowly risk losing customers who value efficient issue resolution. The fewer steps required to make a purchase, the less time customers spend, leading to higher satisfaction with the brand.

Failing to optimize efficiency in customer experiences can drive customers to competitors’ websites. When companies engage their customers with a proactive approach by offering complete assistance that addresses specific needs through proper communication and collaboration, it results in effective and personalized interactions. Efficient CX connects with customers to cater to their needs and even goes beyond to cater to their latent needs. Another focus area for efficient customer service offerings is securing customers from cybersecurity threats such as data breaches, identity theft, and ransomware attacks.

Companies must invest in robust security measures to mitigate these risks and ensure their data collection and storage practices comply with relevant regulations and compliance requirements.

Loyalty Leads to Increased Profitability:

Customer loyalty is a critical component of maximizing profitability for businesses. According to Forrest Research, acquiring new customers is five times more expensive than keeping existing ones. Therefore, a company that sells more products to repeat customers will ultimately have higher profits. It is essential to promote customer loyalty because gaining new customers at the expense of old ones is not a sustainable approach in competitive industries.

Measuring customer loyalty is straightforward and can be tracked by monitoring the number of customers who stop doing business with a company. The Gartner Group reported that 80% of future revenue would come from 20% of existing customers. Even when businesses launch new marketing campaigns, they are more likely to sell products to existing customers than new prospects. Building customer loyalty means prioritizing customer satisfaction over short-term sales numbers.

Selling a product that causes customer loss may result in record profits, but it will ultimately decrease the organization’s earning potential. Customer loyalty increases profitability by encouraging repeat business, reducing operating costs, establishing a reasonable price premium, and generating referrals. To summarize, promoting customer loyalty is essential for any business that wants to maximize profitability, and it is more cost-effective than acquiring new customers.

Connected CX Nurtures a Flawless Purchase Journey in Fulfilling Customer Delight:

As connected CX creates a consistent and engaging customer journey across all touchpoints, it eases the buying process navigation without disruptions or complications. This results in higher satisfaction rates, repeat purchases, and increased conversions. Customers on a smooth buying trail are likely to complete their purchases. Additionally, it saves costs as customers with effortless buying journeys are less likely to need assistance.

Customers with positive experiences remain loyal, and an effortless customer journey goes a long way in delivering customer delight. A connected CX-driven customer journey not only improves the user experience but also contributes to reduced support costs and increased efficiency for the brand. Companies that prioritize these elements will be able to provide a superior customer experience that sets them apart from their peers.

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The rapid emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) plays a vital role in shaping the future of e-commerce. It unites physical objects through internet connectivity and advanced data collection capabilities. As observations reveal, IoT transforms how businesses track, analyze, and anticipate customer needs and augment the overall shopping experience.

“E-commerce & IoT are the modern-day amigos that can provide seamless experiences to its users and can help businesses thrive, no matter how dull the market gets.”

The article shares insights about the growing impact of IoT on e-commerce. It delves into strategies that e-commerce marketplaces can adopt to harness the full potential of this technological revolution.

What is one of the most talked about concepts — IoT?

Physical devices like gadgets, appliances, and vehicles possess embedded software, sensors, and connectivity. This integration enables the objects to establish connections and exchange data, defining the concept of interconnectedness.

Internet technologies have made it possible to connect physical elements to the network, which is the basis for developing the IoT (Internet of Things).

This technology allows for the collection and sharing of data from a vast network of devices, creating opportunities for more efficient and automated systems.

Is IoT the game changer?

Internet of Things (IoT) is the networking of physical objects that contain electronics embedded within their architecture to communicate and sense interactions amongst each other or concerning the external environment. In the upcoming years, IoT-based technology will offer advanced services and practically change how people lead their daily lives.

Advancements in agriculture, power, gene therapies, smart cities and smart parking management, edge computing, big data, medicine and healthcare, and smart homes are just a very few of the categorical examples where IoT is strongly established.

Today, with around 15 billion connected IoT devices worldwide, the figure, Oracle mentions, is expected to rise to a whopping 22 billion by the year 2025.

The latest IoT analytics report shows that global IoT connections grew by 18% in 2022 to 14.3 billion active IoT endpoints. This number is predicted to grow another 16%, leading to 16.7 billion active endpoints.

This growth for the year 2023 is slightly lower than it was predicted for 2022. Essentially, IoT device connections are expected to rise for several years to follow. These figures leave every stakeholder thinking about whether IoT is really the game-changer.

Image credit: Here.

IoT in E-commerce: Dictating new rules and pushing industry limits

Image credit: Here.

IoT refers to a network of interconnected devices embedded with sensors, software, and network connectivity, enabling the collection and exchange of data with minimal human intervention. With billions of devices connected worldwide, IoT presents immense opportunities for e-commerce markets. This fac reshapes how businesses operate, manage operations, and engage with customers.

Research firm Gartner stated that IoT would result in a transformation of the world of delivery services. The magnanimous impact of IoT on e-commerce can be well gauged by the fact that the study stated that a thirty-fold increase in Internet-connected physical machines by 2020 will significantly alter how the sector works.

An example of IoT’s applicability in e-commerce can be comprehended by the fact that there are warehouse robots within e-commerce companies that work with machine learning algorithms. Machines can identify certain items within a cluttered environment and determine the best ways to pick them up safely and effectively.

Better Demand Analysis, Personalization, and Customer Engagement

IoT devices can collect vast amounts of data on customer behavior, preferences, and purchase patterns. By analyzing this data, e-commerce platforms can do a better demand analysis, create highly-personalized shopping experiences for varying consumer needs, and offer relevant product recommendations and targeted promotions. This level of personalization enhances customer engagement, eventually nurturing brand loyalty and driving sales.

The use of IoT has been pretty revelatory for businesses. Its use in information sharing helps firms better understand their customers’ needs and collaborate with them for better demand planning and ameliorated customer service. IoT helps to close the information gap in modern supply chains by capturing fine-grained information among organizational entities, processes, and people in real-time

Inventory Management and Supply Chain Efficiency

IoT enables businesses to implement data-driven inventory management systems using sensors, RFID tags, and real-time tracking technologies. These systems monitor stock levels, anticipate replenishment needs, and avoid out-of-stock situations. This ensures that the right products are available when customers demand them. IoT’s potential to streamline supply chain processes includes optimizing logistics, warehouse management, and order fulfillment, leading to improved operational efficiency, cost savings, and faster deliveries.

The cyber-physical systems (CPS), which are nicely integrated with communication, computation, and control systems,, can manage the inventory and make the supply chain free from bottlenecks.

By analyzing demand data and enabling self-decision-making algorithms for the machines in CPS, the production line can work efficiently with a minimum of direct human role and fewer errors in real-time interactions.

A paper published in Elsevier mentions that several scholars have investigated the potential of RFID for supply chain traceability, stating that RFID provides increased visibility, tracking, and enhanced communication throughout the supply chain.

The paper also asserts that businesses have myriad reasons to consider applying IoT in their supply chain models. The extant literature that the paper has produced establishes that IoT can be extremely useful. It can hep in tracking to locate products, materials, and assets, and to know their current status and environmental conditions. This is highly suggestive of the fact that herein, lie heaps of opportunities for e-commerce businesses.

Smart Warehouses and Automation

IoT-powered smart warehouses play a crucial role in transforming e-commerce operations. The integration of IoT devices like sensors, drones, and autonomous robots facilitates automation, enabling smoother processes and reducing human errors. These capabilities allow businesses to manage inventory more effectively, expedite order processing and shipping, and ultimately deliver better customer experiences.

With the challenges of storing and warehousing growing in abundance, one of the finest ways of combating such a situation is the automation and robotization of the warehouse system. On the one hand, automation expedites business operations and smoothens the storage and movement of inventory. On the other hand, robotization does not mean completely replacing human work with machines. Instead, it is about supplementing and increasing human work efficiency with robotic systems.

Consider the example of Amazon, a known tech giant in the e-commerce space. It effectively uses IoT installed robots that take care of picking, packing, and many other jobs, ensuring the product’s effectiveness. Amazon, in their warehouses, uses drones as well to pick up and deliver products. The engineers at Amazon are also working on a pinch-grasping robot. Tests showed a prototype achieved a tenfold reduction in product damage due to its gentle but secure grip.

Seamless Omnichannel Experience

The Internet of Things if utilized well by businesses, does lead to ameliorated omnichannel experiences.

Explicitly said, one of the primary benefits of IoT is its ability to create a seamless omnichannel experience for customers. As per a report published in Walker, a customer experience consulting firm, the customer experience will overtake price and product as the key differentiator by 2020 (and we’ve seen this). Standing in 2023, we know the importance of customer experiences (CX) and the joys they can bring. This speaks volumes about the relevance of customer experience (CX) in today’s customer-centric business world.

By synchronizing data across multiple channels, IoT allows e-commerce marketplaces of all natures — and sizes and brick-and-mortar stores to offer a unified shopping experience. Moreover, real-time updates and access to shopping carts, wish lists, and customer profiles ensure a consistent and personalized approach.

Conducting your businesses by leveraging the IoT devices should gather direct, up-to-date customer feedback to understand what matters most to them. They can then deliver as per the varying needs. IoT can be a game changer for businesses if integrated effectively, as it offers seamless omnichannel experiences.

IoT-enabled Delivery Solutions

IoT can potentially revolutionize the delivery process in e-commerce, from smart lockers to drone deliveries. Connected devices provide real-time location tracking, enabling businesses to monitor shipments and provide customers with up-to-date information on their orders. Autonomous vehicles and drones guided by IoT technologies promise faster, more efficient deliveries that minimize costs and enhance customer satisfaction.

Technavio market research report suggests that the autonomous delivery market is poised to grow by USD 16.86 billion during 2020-2024. Given this projected trend, Chinese e-commerce companies deployed robots, more so to deliver orders to combat the pandemic.

A Chinese delivery app ‘Meituan Dianping’ launched the concept of “contactless delivery”, in which the brand has started using fully automated vehicles to send grocery orders to customers’ homes in Beijing.

Strategies for Ecommerce Marketplaces

Having learned that IoT influences logistics, inventory, warehouse management, deliveries, and the overall e-commerce scenario, businesses should act wisely. And business wisdom lies in embracing technology, integrating IoT, and becoming the leaders of change.

To capitalize on the IoT revolution in e-commerce, businesses must adopt innovative strategies. Besides that, they must be capable of addressing current market dynamics and anticipating future developments.

1. Embrace IoT-driven Personalization: Leverage IoT devices and data analytics to offer personalized experiences and tailored product recommendations. The perfect blend of IoT and data can help businesses develop targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customer preferences.
2. Optimize Supply Chain and Inventory Management: Implement connected devices and real-time tracking technologies for efficient supply chain and inventory management. This will help in reducing costs, avoiding stockouts, and ensuring products are available when customers need them.
3. Design Omnichannel Experiences: Focus on building seamless, synchronized experiences across all touchpoints and channels. This will give customers the convenience and flexibility they always desire.
4. Invest in IoT-enabled Delivery Solutions: Explore innovative delivery solutions such as autonomous vehicles, drones, or smart lockers. This can be done by enhancing customer satisfaction with faster, more convenient deliveries.
5. Prioritise Security and Privacy: As IoT devices collect vast amounts of data, it is critical to prioritize security and privacy concerns. Implementing robust encryption and stringent data protection measures can help businesses take care.

Be Future Ready: Stay informed about IoT developments that impact e-commerce. Also, businesses must act proactively to adapt and evolve with market developments.

Wrapping up

The development of the Internet has affected almost all businesses operating in today’s tech-dominated market. To remain competitively upfront — today’s supply chain and logistics industry should prioritize developing and implementing IoT technologies. This will help them drive significant advancements and enhance warehouse systems.

Undoubtedly, the Internet of Things is transforming the e-commerce playing field. It impacts every aspect of the customer journey, from personalization to delivery. Businesses can gain quickly by embracing IoT technologies, blending them in, and adopting forward-looking strategies. By integrating IoT, futuristic e-commerce businesses can doubtlessly enhance customer satisfaction and secure a competitive edge in an ever-evolving landscape.

The emergence of IoT has paved a smooth way where there wasn’t initially — ones where businesses were stagnating. But, the fact remains at the heart of every contemporary business and wakeful stakeholder that if IoT is understood and absorbed well, it will help around 70% of retailers from all over the world to improve their customer relations

Concludingly, there is no doubt that the time to seize the opportunities presented by IoT is now. Businesses and entrepreneurs that leverage the potential of IoT will undoubtedly thrive in the e-commerce marketplace of the future.

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In today’s highly competitive business landscape, delivering exceptional customer service is paramount to success. It not only builds customer loyalty but also drives business growth. According to recent studies, organizations that prioritize customer service have been found to experience a 10-15% increase in customer retention rates and, on average, a 5.7 times greater likelihood of gaining new customers. However, as the demand for exceptional customer experiences continues to rise, companies face the challenge of ensuring they have the right talent equipped with the necessary competencies to provide outstanding service.

The Significance of Exceptional Customer Service:

To set the stage, let’s delve into the crucial role of exceptional customer service in today’s business landscape. We’ll explore the impact of positive customer experiences on customer loyalty and business growth, citing relevant statistics and real-world examples. Additionally, we’ll address the common challenges faced by organizations in delivering exceptional customer service, such as handling customer grievances, addressing diverse customer needs, and maintaining consistency across various touchpoints.

Unveiling the Key Competencies for Customer Service Success:

In this section, we’ll explore the essential competencies that empower customer service professionals to excel in their roles. We’ll discuss empathy and the ability to understand and connect with customers on an emotional level. Adaptability and problem-solving skills will also take center stage, enabling service professionals to navigate diverse customer situations and find effective solutions. Effective verbal and written communication will be highlighted as a core competency, along with the importance of time management and domain knowledge in providing efficient and knowledgeable customer support.

The Transformative Power of Assessments:

Assessments are pivotal in identifying and measuring the key competencies required for exceptional customer service. We’ll explore the benefits of incorporating assessments into the hiring and talent management process, emphasizing how they eliminate biases, optimize decision-making, and ensure a more objective evaluation of candidates. By utilizing assessments, organizations can make informed decisions and select candidates with the desired competencies, setting the stage for a high-performing customer service team.

The PMaps Customer Service Assessment:

Introducing the Customer Service Assessment, we’ll showcase how this innovative solution from PMaps enables organizations to evaluate candidates’ customer service competencies effectively. We’ll highlight its customizable nature, allowing organizations to tailor assessments to their specific requirements. Additionally, we’ll discuss how the assessment goes beyond traditional approaches by incorporating real-life simulations to evaluate candidates’ problem-solving and communication skills. Through the assessment’s language-agnostic approach, organizations can assess candidates from diverse linguistic backgrounds, fostering inclusivity and diversity within their customer service teams.

Elevating Global Customer Interactions with eVA – Voice and Accent Assessment:

Shifting focus to global customer interactions, we’ll introduce eVA – Voice and Accent Assessment as a cutting-edge solution from PMaps. This assessment evaluates candidates’ pronunciation, accent, and communication skills, ensuring effective and clear communication with customers worldwide.

We’ll discuss how organizations can leverage eVA to enhance their global customer interactions, optimize customer satisfaction, and drive business success. Emphasizing its unique “Solutioning” section, which measures candidates’ comprehension, problem-solving, and communication skills, we’ll highlight how eVA sets itself apart from competitors and provides a holistic evaluation of candidates’ language proficiency.

Conclusion

In conclusion, exceptional customer service is not a luxury but a necessity in today’s business environment. By harnessing the power of assessments, organizations can identify and develop the competencies required for customer service excellence. With PMaps Solutions, including the Customer Service Assessment and eVA – Voice and Accent Assessment, organizations gain access to cutting-edge tools that unlock the full potential of their talent.

Organizations can elevate their customer service capabilities by selecting candidates with the right competencies, fostering positive customer experiences, and achieving remarkable business outcomes. To learn more about PMaps Solutions and how they can transform your customer service capabilities, explore our website and discover the solutions that will revolutionize your approach to customer service.

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The Emerging Technology group at Walmart is pioneering the use of conversational AI to revolutionize the retail industry. After working on conversational AI for over 2.5 years, the team has achieved remarkable results. The team employs conversational AI to make every Walmart location and division around the world “speak retail” and rapidly enhance the shopping experience for customers and employees. In this article, we’ll look at how Walmart’s Emerging Tech team is using conversational artificial intelligence to shake up the retail industry.

With $622 billion in revenue in FY2023 and $152.3 billion in Q1 FY2024, Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. The business has been putting faith in cutting-edge technologies like conversational AI to help customers more easily locate and purchase the goods they need. Helping departments all over Walmart build their own conversational experiences at scale, the Emerging Tech group has been crucial.

Helping customers while they shop, automating customer service, and boosting employee output are just some of the ways Walmart is putting conversational AI to work. The company’s customer service automation, which includes its use of conversational AI, has proven highly successful. With the help of conversational AI, customer service representatives spend less time on the phone with clients, and 66 million assisted contacts have been made possible. Over a million employees at Walmart are also participating in the company’s conversational experiences with its 50 million customers.

Walmart’s mission is to use conversational AI to make every Walmart location and department “speak retail,” thereby enhancing the shopping experience for customers and employees globally at unprecedented scale and speed. Using the insights gained by the company in the areas of natural language understanding and processing, as well as large language models, the Emerging Tech team enables teams across the company to create their own conversational experiences at scale.

In order to better serve their customers, the team has been using their retail expertise and data to experiment quickly and learn from their mistakes. The retail industry is being revolutionized by Walmart’s methodical approach to bringing greater scale, speed, and AI-driven insight across multiple channels. The fact that Walmart’s conversational AI platform can be deployed in foreign countries rapidly and without the need for extensive language programming or expertise is fascinating.

Walmart’s efforts to create a scalable platform have allowed the company to expand its use of conversational AI beyond the United States, with teams in countries like Chile able to begin using the platform after only a few weeks of onboarding. Having spent so much time perfecting its conversational AI and modifying its technologies to better serve its customers, Walmart has been able to scale its conversational experiences on a global scale.

Due to its standardized, scalable, and fast-to-deploy platform, the Emerging Tech team was able to onboard the Walmart Chile operations in a matter of weeks, adapting the platform to the specific needs of the country. The Chilean team developed more than 60 unique flows, leading to a 20% increase in customer satisfaction. One of the benefits of Walmart’s approach to conversational AI is the company’s agility and willingness to try new things quickly.

Ask Sam is a conversational artificial intelligence tool developed by Walmart’s Emerging Tech team to increase the efficiency of store employees in areas such as customer service and scheduling. Over two million employees at Walmart are now utilizing the app, and the results have been positive for productivity.

To find the location of an item in the store, for example, a customer could use the Ask Sam feature, which is accessible on all of Walmart’s mobile apps, to pose a question to an employee. But they also use it for themselves, to figure out what they have to do, when they have to do it, and other details about their productivity. The Emerging Technology group at Walmart believes there is great potential in enabling these conversational experiences across the entire company.

The Emerging Tech team at Walmart employs many different technologies to address retail issues. They’ve created things like voice assistance and Text to Shop, where customers can tell stores what they want by sending a text message with a list of items. Because of this, they are able to complete their shopping with minimal effort.

The group uses NLP tools, such as large language models, to help other groups within the company build their own conversational experiences. In order to better serve their customers, the team has been using their retail expertise and data to experiment quickly and learn from their mistakes.

Desiree Gosby, vice president of emerging tech at Walmart, said that when asked about the difficulties of operationalizing large language models, Walmart is not alone. We’re working through a few things to ensure that “we’re creating a trustworthy experience, if you will,” as part of what we do. Gosby also mentioned that the Emerging Tech team is working on cost management and addressing issues like hallucination.

In conclusion, the Emerging Tech team at Walmart is leading a retail revolution with conversational AI. In order to better serve their customers, the team has been using their retail expertise and data to experiment quickly and learn from their mistakes. The retail industry is being revolutionized by Walmart’s methodical approach to bringing greater scale, speed, and AI-driven insight across multiple channels. As a result of the group’s efforts, Walmart can now use conversational AI on a global scale, allowing it to expand its use of the technology beyond the United States. The Emerging Technology group at Walmart believes there is great potential in enabling these conversational experiences across the entire company.

First reported on VentureBeat

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How is Walmart utilizing conversational AI to revolutionize the retail industry?

Walmart’s Emerging Tech team has been working on conversational AI for over 2.5 years to enhance the shopping experience for customers and employees. They aim to make every Walmart location and division “speak retail” by employing conversational AI. The team focuses on automating customer service, boosting employee productivity, and providing assistance to customers while they shop.

Q2: What are the benefits of using conversational AI at Walmart?

Conversational AI has proven highly successful in automating customer service at Walmart. Customer service representatives spend less time on the phone with clients, and over 66 million assisted contacts have been made possible. Additionally, more than a million Walmart employees engage with conversational experiences, leading to improved customer satisfaction. Conversational AI helps Walmart improve customer service, enhance employee productivity, and streamline the shopping experience.

Q3: How does Walmart’s conversational AI platform work?

Walmart’s Emerging Tech team leverages natural language understanding and processing, as well as large language models, to enable teams across the company to create their own conversational experiences at scale. The platform allows for rapid deployment and can be used in different countries without extensive language programming or expertise. Walmart’s scalable approach to conversational AI facilitates global expansion and customization to meet specific country needs.

Q4: What are some examples of Walmart’s use of conversational AI?

Walmart has developed Ask Sam, a conversational AI tool that increases the efficiency of store employees in areas like customer service and scheduling. Over two million employees use the app, resulting in improved productivity. Walmart also employs voice assistance and Text to Shop features, allowing customers to easily locate items and complete their shopping with minimal effort.

Q5: How does Walmart’s Emerging Tech team experiment and learn from their mistakes?

The Emerging Tech team at Walmart uses its retail expertise and data to experiment quickly and iterate on their conversational AI initiatives. They employ various technologies and NLP tools, such as large language models, to build conversational experiences and address retail challenges. Walmart’s approach allows them to adapt, learn, and refine their strategies to better serve customers and enhance the retail experience.

Q6: What challenges does Walmart face in operationalizing large language models?

According to Desiree Gosby, the vice president of emerging tech at Walmart, the company is working through challenges to ensure a trustworthy experience when operationalizing large language models. They are addressing issues like cost management and handling concerns such as hallucination. Walmart is committed to creating a reliable and efficient conversational AI experience for their customers.

Q7: How has Walmart’s conversational AI impacted their global operations?

Walmart’s scalable conversational AI platform has enabled them to expand its use beyond the United States. The Emerging Tech team successfully onboarded Walmart Chile operations in just a few weeks, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction. Walmart’s agility and willingness to try new approaches quickly have contributed to their ability to provide conversational experiences globally and adapt to specific country needs.

Q8: What is Walmart’s vision for conversational AI within the company?

Walmart aims to enable conversational experiences across its entire company, making every location and department “speak retail.” They believe in the potential of conversational AI to enhance the shopping experience for customers and employees at an unprecedented scale and speed. By leveraging their expertise, data, and retail insights, Walmart’s Emerging Tech team strives to transform the retail industry through the strategic implementation of conversational AI.

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Businesses must invest in marketing to create awareness, attract customers, and drive sales, ensuring their growth and success and creating a robust and effective marketing strategy, breaking down the silos and encouraging a multi-departmental, multidisciplinary approach is critical. Collaboration is essential, and nowhere more so than the collaboration between marketing and customer experience (CX).

These two departments can create a unified approach that enhances customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty through proper alignment. Integrating SEO, social media, and content marketing into this collaboration can lead to tremendous success. But what makes the intersection of these disciplines so fruitful? Consider just a few of the reasons why it’s essential to have marketing and CX personnel working in close harmony.

7 Reasons for Marketing and CX to Collaborate

1) Collaboration between these two departments can yield comprehensive customer insights.

A team-based approach allows marketing and CX teams to share valuable customer insights, working together from the same data points and buyer personas. CX gathers direct feedback and intel from customers, providing valuable information on their preferences, pain points, and expectations. This information is essential for marketing to develop targeted campaigns that resonate with the audience and deliver a personalized experience.

Imagine a company that makes vacuum cleaners. Customers tend to like the product, but one consistent complaint is that they find it too challenging to change out the attachments. If CX passes this complaint to marketing, the marketing team may create video tutorials to support a better customer experience or even market improvements to the application detachment process.

2) Collaboration ensures consistent messaging across channels.

Additionally, collaboration between these two departments ensures consistent messaging across different touchpoints.

CX provides valuable insights into customer touchpoints and journey stages, allowing marketers to tailor their messaging accordingly. This alignment results in a seamless customer experience, enhancing brand perception and increasing customer trust and loyalty.

To put it even more simply, a collaborative approach ensures that customers hear the same language and receive the same information from their initial research stage through the product purchase. This consistency can be a powerful way to enforce the brand’s integrity.

3) A collaborative approach enhances customer engagement.

Collaborative efforts between marketing and CX enable the delivery of personalized and relevant content to customers. Marketers can optimize content by leveraging SEO, social media, and marketing to meet customer needs and preferences. This facilitates higher levels of engagement, as the content resonates with their interests and addresses their pain points. This generates more conversions and turns more customers into brand advocates.

4) When marketing and CX work together, it facilitates customer satisfaction.

The CX department is ultimately focused on keeping customers satisfied. Surprisingly, marketing can be a huge help here, primarily when the two departments work together.

Here’s why: Integrating SEO, social media marketing, and content marketing within a collaborative strategy enables the creation of valuable and informative content. This content attracts and engages customers and addresses their queries, concerns, and challenges.

Marketing and CX can significantly improve customer satisfaction by providing helpful and relevant information. This kind of teamwork helps customers feel like their needs are met before and after purchasing the product.

5) This collaborative approach can yield higher search engine visibility.

SEO plays a vital role in increasing a brand’s online visibility. By incorporating SEO practices into content creation and distribution, marketers can optimize content to rank higher in search engine results. This helps attract organic traffic, increases brand exposure, and drives potential customers to engage with the brand.

So where does CX come into play? Again, CX can provide insight into the kinds of topics, questions, or pain points that customers want to see addressed. That makes content development more targeted, specific, and relevant, essential for solid SEO.

6) It amplifies brand awareness.

Social media marketing acts as a catalyst for brand awareness. By leveraging social media platforms, marketers can reach a broader audience, engage with customers, and promote brand visibility.

When marketing and CX collaborate, they can craft social media strategies that align with overall marketing goals, resulting in a consistent and impactful brand presence across social channels. Also note that a well-developed social media presence can provide customer support, which helps CX achieve some of its goals.

7) A collaborative approach ensures targeted messaging.

Content marketing allows marketers to deliver targeted and relevant messages to specific customer segments. By understanding customer preferences and pain points through CX insights, marketing can effectively create valuable content that addresses these needs. This approach improves engagement, builds trust, and positions the brand as an authority in the industry.

Additionally, laser-targeted messaging can help marketing teams allocate their resources more effectively. Precise targeting allows marketers to ensure that they are only paying to promote their message to the right consumers, the people most likely to move forward with a purchase or conversion. This is especially important regarding PPC and display advertising, which can grow costly without effective targeting. The data furnished by CX can be an essential component of this targeting.

For the Best Marketing Strategy, Collaboration is Crucial

The bottom line: A harmonious and integrative approach between marketing and CX is essential for a more effective marketing strategy. A genuinely holistic, collaborative approach maximizes the impact of marketing efforts and drives business growth. At the same time, when CX and marketing professionals collaborate, it can help employees feel more seen and supported at each step of their consumer journey.

But what can you do if your marketing and CX teams are siloed or if you don’t know how to align their strategic visions? One option is to work with a marketing consultant who can provide some parameters to facilitate greater collaboration. This may be an essential first step toward a more integrative and impactful marketing approach. Find a digital marketing consultant who can provide a big-picture approach that unites each department around a shared set of goals and objectives.

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How Can TQM Empower Employees?

In the present day, there are a myriad of challenges that developing enterprises have to contend with in the pursuit of success, not least of which is the ever-changing needs of the modern consumer. Recent years have brought about a tangible shift in customer preferences, as consumers are placing more importance on experiences with brands than ever before.

In such a climate, companies that boast the best product or service are not guaranteed to win over their competition as they once might have been. Rather, to accommodate modern consumers, businesses must create a cohesive and wholly-gratifying modern customer experience for their consumers. That means achieving excellence company-wide and empowering employees to maximize your organization’s value.

This is where Total Quality Management (TQM) can be a genuine game-changer for your business. 

What is a TQM?

Total Quality Management is a management approach that embodies a holistic view of business success. With TQM, a business strives to achieve an exceptional level of performance in every facet of its operations, on both a macro and micro scale and aims to reach its goals organically by optimizing processes.

At the heart of the TQM philosophy is a strong concept of quality. Those who embrace this approach view quality as something intrinsic rather than superficial. As such, TQM adopters do not seek to create or even achieve quality but rather to embody it and make it a core part of their companies’ identities.

Due to its scope, TQM encompasses a wide variety of principles that serve to foster excellence at a company, from manufacturing and product testing to marketing, sales, and customer service. By putting measures in place to encourage continuous improvement in every area, companies can improve efficiency and achieve greater ROI on their efforts.

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What can TQM do for a business?

TQM can bring a variety of significant benefits to an ambitious, developing enterprise. 

One of the primary benefits is operational efficiency. By creating an internal culture of continuous improvement, a company can iterate on its processes to optimize them over time. This eliminates resource wastage and revenue leakage, which improves the overall performance of the business.

Adopting TQM also encourages companies to embrace a data-driven approach to business. This promotes an analytical mentality and more intelligent, informed decision-making at the top level. By garnering actionable insights from data analysis and incorporating them into future planning, companies can devise more comprehensive business strategies that drive growth and yield greater ROI in the long term. 

Most importantly, TQM helps to produce a high level of customer satisfaction. Through the creation of an improvement culture and the continuous optimization of processes, it’s possible to exceed customer expectations on a routine basis. This result is immense consumer engagement, a positive brand perception, and increased revenue through repeat business and referrals. 

For those who embrace Total Quality Management, the customer is at the top of the totem pole, but is the employees who allow it to stand tall. For the principles of TQM to take root and yield dividends, there must be a high degree of employee involvement at every organizational level. For this reason, employee empowerment is considered one of the core tenets of TQM.

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How can TQM affect employees’ experience and productivity?

When implemented effectively, TQM can have a substantial effect on both the experience and productivity of employees. There are three primary reasons for this:

Firstly, TQM helps to create more effective training and development programs for employees. By consciously seeking out the latest training methods and most advanced onboarding technologies, companies can help employees to acquire new skills and achieve optimal proficiency in their roles. This makes them more efficient and increases employee satisfaction due to an elevated sense of competency.

Secondly, TQM creates a culture of innovation. In the pursuit of organization-wide excellence, a company can create an environment in which employees have the bandwidth to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving. This helps to create a more engaged and dynamic workforce that is continually evolving itself.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, TQM instills a sense of responsibility in employees. By creating a workplace that emphasizes excellence in every aspect, businesses place their evolution in the hands of their employees. This trust helps them to understand that their contributions have value, which boosts morale and performance, and encourage active participation in the improvement culture. The result is a more gratifying employee experience and higher levels of productivity. 

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Final thoughts

Total Quality Management has the potential to revolutionize a business’s output as well as how it evolves over time. By continuously striving to enrich the employee experience, companies can empower their staff and imbue them with a sense of responsibility that enables them to drive optimization organization-wide and bring ever-greater value to customers.

To sustain growth and success in the long term, employee empowerment is a must, and TQM is currently unrivaled in this regard. 

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Blockchain is a secured distributed ledger technology that stores data on thousands of servers. Blockchain visibility lets anyone on the network see everyone’s entries in real-time. The security protections are applied through cryptography and a network-wide consensus mechanism. It makes it difficult for one user to take control of the whole network.

When a set of data or transactions is added, that information becomes a “block.” Each block is time-stamped and cryptographically linked to the previous one to form the links of an additive or append-only “chain.” Hence the term “blockchain.”

Blockchain helps governments, businesses, and citizens share their documents, information, and valuable resources through government portals that are highly secured due to its cryptography and a network-wide consensus mechanism. The government and citizens’ data and resources within this Blockchain are encrypted and encoded.

Blockchain technology is characterized by its decentralization, transparency, and immutability. There is no single “blockchain technology” as such. Instead, there are variations on the basic theme, each with its specific characteristics determined by its environment and use case.

With those variations, Blockchain minimizes the chances of deception, improves lengthy procedures efficiently, ensures protection, and maintains accountability.

Market Applications — How Blockchain Works?

The primary mechanism of blockchain technology is; each block contains data, the hash of the block, and the hash of the previous block. The information that is stored inside a block depends on the type of Blockchain. The Bitcoin blockchain, for example, keeps the details about a transaction in here, such as the sender, receiver, and amount of coins.

A block also has a hash. It identifies a block and all of its contents, and it’s always unique, just as a fingerprint. Once a block is created, its hash is being calculated.

Changing something inside the block will cause the soup to change. The third element inside each block is the hash of the previous block. This approach effectively creates a chain of blocks, and it’s this technique that makes a blockchain so secure.

Apart from security-wise, blockchain technologies work at high speed and without failure due to their network mechanism. Meaning that Blockchain provides efficiency to its use case. Here are five basic principles under which this technology works and perform different functions.

1. Distributed Databases

Every person or user on the Blockchain has complete access and control over the databases, and everyone knows the history of their database. No other person or third party can intervene in these databases, and every user has a right to verify his transaction without the interference of a third party.

2. Peer-to-Peer Communication

Communication and exchange of words between peers are done directly without using a central node. Information is carried forwarded through a single node to all other nodes.

3. Transparency of Transactions

Any person who can access this system can quickly look into transactions and the attached value. For the encryption of these transactions, every user is given a 30plus alphanumeric address, which is unique and specific which identifies a transaction.

4. Irrevocable Transactions and Records

Once a user has made a transaction and databases and updated accounts, these records can’t be altered. Every record is associated with its specific transaction, and different algorithms and methods are installed to guarantee the recording of transactions in databases.

5. Computational Logic

A blockchain exists in a ledger nature that means transactions are designed in computational logics and secured programs. Users can also put up some specific algorithms that automatically trigger the nodes between transactions.

Market Application of Blockchain Technology

This technology and its use have been evolved in the financial sector, and its involvement in trading has also been increased. New technologies like Ethereum and Zcash have also been raised because Zcash provides higher safety and privacy than bitcoins.

On the other hand, Ethereum provides a highly secure and developed platform by providing a facility for the transformation of everything from energy markets to hedge funds and decentralized cloud services.

From the consumers’ perspective, companies such as Abra and Circle benefit from this technology because it provides low-cost across-the-border payments. Users of the Master card and Visa card are also using this technology due to its low-cost charges.

Under this technology, users don’t even know the involvement of distributed ledgers, and their businesses are benefited. Moreover, the central bank is also involved in exploring new opportunities to get assistance in monetary policy, lending, and taxation.

As far as the practical application of Blockchain is concerned, it goes beyond financial assets. Information related to goods, identity, digital rights, and credentials can also be stored and secured through distributed ledgers.

The Blockchain information and data are only confirmed when the original information is accurate and correct at first. A blockchain also provides costless verification to any person who is carrying and recording the information.

In a nutshell, this technology reduces intermediaries and minimizes the chances of fraud and irregularities.

Benefits of Blockchain Usage in the Public Sector

We can examine the benefits of blockchain usage in the public sector in three main areas.

1- COST:

At the moment, governments and businesses spend a lot of money and time to improve to manage their current systems. Therefore, they want to reduce costs and divert cash and time into creating something new and improving.

Blockchain removes the need for third parties or intermediaries to manage transactions and keep records using an automated network. There is less interaction needed when it comes to validating a transaction, further removing the need to spend money or time to do basic stuff like sending money abroad, which means that the cost of money and time will be reduced transactional, operational, and infrastructural.

With its system, global economic activities can benefit from Blockchain.

Suppose every asset’s value and ownership is securely recorded in a shared ledger that is entirely transparent and immutable. In that case, the corrupt practices that allowed institutions to hide their struggles will no longer be possible. Blockchain technology can enhance the transparency of capital flows, thereby helping to prevent future financial disasters.

The average bank spends £40 million a year on Know Your Customer (“KYC”) Compliance, according to a recent Thomson Reuters Survey, which also revealed that some banks spend up to £300 million annually on KYC compliance, Anti Money Laundering (“AML”) checks and Customer Due Diligence (“CDD”).

With the help of Blockchain, these organizations will know that the customer’s ID documents have been independently checked and verified, so they will not need to carry out their own KYC checks, reducing their administrative burdens and costs. As data stored on Blockchain is irreversible, it would provide a single source of truth, thereby minimizing duplication or error.

Also, commercial activities can benefit from blockchain systems. A good application and of this can be seen in insurances. In the Internet of Things, cars, electronic devices, or home appliances can have their insurance policies registered and administered by smart contracts in a blockchain network, automatically detecting damage first and then triggering the repair process, as well as claims and payments.

The advantages of cryptocurrencies and blockchain protocols stem from decentralization. Businesses and individuals have complete control of their transactions through blockchain technology and need not fear interference from central authorities, such as banks. Further, the more companies and individuals use blockchain technology, the stronger it becomes.

2- EFFICIENCY:

Blockchain solves the time-consuming process and automates them to maximize efficiency. It also eradicates human-based errors with the help of automation. Especially in the healthcare blockchain system, medical records are shared among a decentralized network of verified nodes.

Users, including doctors, nurses, and patients, can access files and add new data autonomously. Doctors and medical providers benefit from this solution by getting access to crucial medical data. This protocol improves data interoperability across different data points, thus enhancing the exchange of information and knowledge.

Blockchain will fasten the commercial activities noters, insurance services, businesses, real estate, and many more. By removing the mediator, it provides a faster process for all commercial activities.

For instance, property management processes will be more efficient with a unified system of ownership records and smart contracts that would automate tenant-landlord agreements.

Blockchain apps could also help companies manage and monitor their supply chains, increase efficiency and workforce requirement due to efficiency increase, and lead to competitive advantage for governments and companies.

3- TRUST:

Blockchain technology utilizes advanced security compared to other platforms or record-keeping systems. Any transactions that are ever recorded needs to be agreed upon according to the consensus method. Each transaction is encrypted and has a proper link to the old transaction using a hashing method.

Blockchain systems being the far more secure record-keeping system, will decrease the fraud rate dramatically. Tamper-evident and broadly accessible blockchain-based registries could provide much-needed transparency and disclosure.

This means that Blockchain is particularly suited to fight corruption in the registry of assets and track transactions procurement processes. Leveraging a shared and distributed ledgers database eliminates the need for intermediaries, cutting red tape and reducing discretion.

In Blockchain, where a person has only one identity in the whole network, individuals will be protected from identity theft. Its transparent and secure system will enhance the trust of the public in government and digital government portals.

Governments and all commercial activities, businesses, and people can benefit from blockchains’ more secure and transparent system. It will remove the need for trust from the notarization process. It also provides proof of existence, which is essential for the notary process.

The verification is 100% accurate, considering that the data once written within the Blockchain cannot be altered in any possible way.

“Blockchain-based land registries can provide a secure, decentralized, publicly verifiable, and immutable record system through which individuals can definitively prove their land rights.”

With Blockchain, it will become possible to tokenize actions. This means that properties can be rented out for a certain period using pre-defined code. At every stage of a product the information will be recorded and everyone has the information.

No one can change the information that has been entered; there is no “cutting corners or faking the information.” The framework is open and transparent which stops confusion and eliminates disputes.

It can also improve Cybersecurity with the use of decentralized storage solutions. There won’t be a single point of attack for hackers.

And it even prevents piracy by tracking content rights distribution and identifying unauthorized content distribution channels through encryption and watermarking.

Conclusion

In conclusion, blockchain was first introduced as a research project in 1991, Blockchain saw many improvements and developments in two decades, with businesses worldwide speculating about what the technology is capable of and where it’s headed in the years to come.

Just as many proven technologies have been, most applications of Blockchain were financial at the beginning. With many practical applications for the technology already being implemented and explored, Blockchain finally makes a name for itself.

Blockchain stands to make business and government operations more accurate, efficient, secure, and cheap with fewer intermediaries. There remains a certain amount of resistance to Blockchain among some organizations. Technology indeed comes with both drawbacks and opportunities.

Despite these challenges, blockchains can make applications better and will begin to solve case-specific distributed systems problems.

7 Ways Blockchain Can Enhance App Development Experience

10 Ways to Skyrocket Business Growth Using Blockchain Technology

Interview: How Bitcoin Created a Decentralized Crypto-Currency

How Can Blockchain Help Secure IoT Data?

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Customer support is one of the most important aspects of running a small business. It can be the difference between a satisfied customer who keeps coming back and an unhappy customer who takes their business elsewhere.

Good customer support starts with providing excellent service throughout the customer’s journey, from the first point of contact to after they make a purchase. It’s also essential to have systems and processes in place to efficiently resolve any issues that may arise.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about small business customer support, including how to provide excellent service, handle customer complaints, and use customer feedback to improve your business. We’ll also share some top tips from small business owners who have mastered the art of customer support.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have all the tools and knowledge you need to provide excellent customer support for your small business.

Table of Contents

1. The Importance of Customer Service for Small Businesses
2. How to Provide Excellent Customer Service
3. Properly Handle Customer Complaints
4. Use Customer Feedback to Improve Your Business
5. 5 Tips from Small Business Owners Who Have Mastered Customer Support
6. Key Takeaways on Small Business Customer Support

The importance of customer service for small businesses

Customer service is the act of providing support to customers before, during, and after they make a purchase. It can include everything from answering customer questions to resolving issues and complaints.

Excellent customer service is essential for small businesses because it can help you build strong relationships with your customers, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, and improve your overall reputation. Furthermore, providing good customer support can also lead to more sales and referrals as satisfied customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend your business to others.

On the other hand, poor customer service can damage your relationships with customers, decrease satisfaction levels, and hurt your reputation. In some cases, it may even lead to customers taking their business elsewhere. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure you’re providing the best possible customer service at all times.

How to provide excellent customer service in simple steps

There are a few key things you can do to make sure you’re providing excellent customer support:

1. Be responsive: Customers should feel like their concerns are being heard and addressed promptly. Make sure you have systems in place so you can quickly respond to customer queries, whether by phone, email, or social media.

2. Be helpful: Your goal should be to resolve the customer’s issue or answer their question. To do this, you’ll need to have a good understanding of your products or services and be up to date on any changes or updates. You may also need to provide additional resources, such as links to helpful articles or FAQs.

3. Be friendly and polite: Customers should feel like they’re being treated well. This means using a friendly tone of voice, being patient, and avoiding any type of negative behavior.

4. Be professional: You should always maintain a high level of professionalism, even if the customer is angry or upset. This means staying calm, keeping your cool, and not taking anything personally.

5. Follow up: After you’ve resolved the issue, make sure to follow up with the customer to ensure they’re satisfied with the outcome. This is an excellent opportunity to thank them for their business and invite them to contact you again if they have any further questions or concerns.

Properly Handle Customer Complaints

No matter how good your customer service is, you’re bound to receive a few complaints from time to time. When this happens, it’s crucial to handle the situation correctly to maintain a good relationship with the customer and avoid damaging your reputation.

Here are a few tips for handling customer complaints:

1. Listen: The first step is to simply listen to the customer’s complaint. Don’t interrupt them or try to defend your business right away. Just let them vent and express their concerns. This is by far the most critical aspect of customer complaints, explained Marley’s Guide.

2. Apologize: Once you’ve heard the complaint, apologize for any inconvenience or frustration the customer has experienced. This shows that you’re taking their concerns seriously and that you’re sorry for any issues they’ve had.

3. Take action: Once you’ve listened to the complaint and apologized, it’s time to take action. This may involve refunding the customer, exchanging the product, or providing some other type of compensation. The goal is to make things right for the customer and leave them feeling satisfied.

4. Follow up: After you’ve taken care of the issue, make sure to follow up with the customer. This ensures that they’re happy with the resolution and lets them know that you’re still there to help if they have any further problems.

By following these tips, you can ensure that you’re providing excellent customer service and effectively handling any complaints that come your way.

Use Customer Feedback to Improve Your Business

In addition to handling customer complaints, it’s also important to seek out and listen to customer feedback. This feedback can be incredibly valuable for improving your business and ensuring that you’re providing the best possible service.

There are a few key things to keep in mind when using customer feedback:

1. First, be open to criticism: It can be difficult to hear negative feedback about your business, but it’s important to be available to criticism. This feedback can help you identify areas where you need to make improvements.

2. Seek out feedback: Don’t wait for customers to come to you with their feedback. Instead, take the initiative and reach out to them proactively. You can do this through surveys, social media, or simply by asking them in person.

3. Use the feedback: Once you’ve gathered customer feedback, it’s important actually to use it. This means taking the time to review the feedback and make changes based on what you’ve learned. Otherwise, the feedback is pointless.

4. Follow up: After making changes based on customer feedback, make sure to follow up and let your customers know. This shows them that you’re listening to their concerns and committed to making improvements.

4. Use the feedback: Once you’ve gathered customer feedback, it’s important to actually use it. This means taking the time to review the feedback and make changes based on what you’ve learned; otherwise, the feedback is pointless”, explained the mobile app development giants, Fueled (fueled dotcom).

Customer feedback is essential for any business that wants to improve and provide the best possible service. By following these tips, you can ensure that you’re using customer feedback effectively.

5 Tips from Small Business Owners Who Have Mastered Customer Support

1. Have a system in place: A primary key to providing excellent customer support has a system in place. This system should cover everything from how you handle customer complaints to how you proactively reach out for feedback. By having a system in place, you can ensure that you’re providing consistent and high-quality service.

2. Train your employees: Another vital tip is to train your employees on how to handle customer service issues properly. This training will ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows how to resolve any problems that come up effectively.

3. Be available: In today’s world, customers expect businesses to be available 24/7. This means having someone available to answer phone calls, respond to emails, and handle social media inquiries at all hours of the day. If you’re not available, your customers will take their business elsewhere.

4. Be responsive: In addition to being available, it’s also essential to be responsive. This means responding to customer inquiries on time and resolving any problems as quickly as possible. Customers appreciate responsive and efficient businesses, so ensure you’re meeting their expectations.

5. Show that you care: Finally, it’s essential to show your customers that you care about their experience with your business. This can be done in several ways, such as by sending follow-up emails. When customers feel like they’re valued, they’re more likely to continue doing business with you. By following these tips, you can ensure that you’re providing excellent customer support. By making your customers a priority, you’ll be able to build a strong and loyal customer base.

Summary

Customer service can be quite a difficult task, but it’s a necessary one. Customer service is essential for any business that wants to improve and provide the best possible service. By following these tips, you can ensure that you’re using customer feedback effectively.

Tips include having a system in place, training employees, being available and responsive, and showing that you care.

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Business startups from scratch can be overwhelming, but this ultimate guide breaks down the process into manageable steps. Get started on your entrepreneurial journey today.

Beginning a business can be an intriguing and compensating experience, yet it can likewise be overwhelming and overpowering. From starting a marketable strategy to getting financing and sending off your item or administration, many advances are engaged with beginning an effective business.

This ultimate guide will break down the process into manageable steps, helping you to navigate the world of entrepreneurship and get started on your business journey.

Business Startups from Scratch:

Conduct market research and analysis:

Before launching your business, it’s important to conduct thorough market research and analysis to ensure that there is a demand for your product or service. This includes distinguishing your interest group, figuring out their necessities and inclinations, and exploring your opposition.

Additionally, you have to stay up to date with the latest industry trends, emerging technologies, and consumer behavior. A SWOT analysis helps you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, allowing you to make informed business decisions.

By gathering this information, you can develop a better understanding of the market and make informed decisions about your business strategy. You can conduct market research through surveys, focus groups, and online research tools.

Develop a business idea and plan:

The first step in Business startups from scratch is to develop a business idea and plan. This involves identifying a need in the market, researching your target audience, and developing a unique value proposition for your product or service. Determine the most effective business model for your product or service, including pricing, distribution, and revenue streams. Evaluate a financial plan having your startup costs, revenue projections, and cash flow analysis.

Combine all of the above information into a comprehensive business plan that outlines your business idea. Once you have a solid business idea, you can begin to create a business plan that outlines your goals, strategies, and financial projections. Your business plan will serve as a roadmap for your entrepreneurial journey, helping you to stay focused and on track as you launch and grow your business.

Secure funding and create a budget:

Once you have a solid business plan in place, it’s time to secure funding and create a budget. Securing funding and creating a budget are both essential for any startup business plan. By carefully considering different funding sources and creating a detailed budget, you can increase the chances of success for your business startups.

It is important to regularly review and update both the funding and budget plans to ensure they remain relevant and effective in the dynamic business environment. There are many options for funding your business, including loans, grants, and investors. Consider your options carefully and choose the one that best fits your needs and goals.

Once you have secured funding, create a budget that outlines your expenses and revenue projections. This will help you stay on track financially and make informed decisions about your business operations. Remember to review and adjust your budget as needed regularly.

Register your business startups by choosing a suitable business structure:

Before officially launching your business, you must choose a legal structure and register your business with the appropriate government agencies. Registering your business is an important step in launching your venture. One of the key decisions you will need to make when registering is choosing a suitable business structure.

The most common business structures are sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation. Each structure has its advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to research and choose the one that best fits your business goals and needs.

Once you have chosen a structure, you must register your business startup with your state or local government and obtain any necessary licenses and permits. This will ensure that your business is operating legally and can protect you from potential legal issues in the future.

Business startups by establishing an online presence and building a strong brand:

Building a strong brand and establishing an online presence is crucial for any business startup, especially in today’s digital age. Your brand is what sets you apart from your competitors and helps customers recognize and remember your business. Start by creating a logo and choosing a color scheme representing your brand’s values and personality. Then, establish your online presence by creating a website and social media accounts.

Ensure your website is user-friendly and includes important information about your business, such as your products or services, pricing, and contact information. Use social media to engage with your audience, share valuable content, and promote your brand.

Consistency is key when it comes to building your brand and establishing your online presence, so make sure your messaging and visuals are consistent across all platforms.

Conclusion:

Finally, Business startups from scratch can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor. With proper planning and execution, it is possible to turn a great idea into a successful venture. The ultimate guide for Business startups from scratch has provided a comprehensive roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The guide emphasized the importance of conducting thorough market research, creating a solid business plan, and identifying funding sources. It helps to establish a legal structure.

It also highlighted the significance of building a solid brand, developing a marketing strategy, and hiring the right team.

Continuous improvement in the business is possible through feedback and data analysis. At the same time, Business startups from Scratch are not a cup of tea. So, it is important to remember that failures and setbacks are part of the journey.

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During the pandemic, the ways we accessed and managed our money transformed. To be sure, in-person banking was dropping in popularity even before the start of the pandemic, while digital platforms were seeing a slow and steady rise: About 4 million users joined the digital banking world each year between 2017 and 2019, according to Statista.

Though their popularity was beginning to wane, brick-and-mortar branches were undoubtedly still very much a part of many consumers’ financial routines. When the pandemic hit, the balance of digital to traditional banking began a rapid shift. In 2020, 52% of bank customers went to branches to manage their money (or were branch-dependent), according to a J.D. Power survey. Only two years later, in 2022, more than 65% of U.S. bank customers were using digital banking services, per Bankrate.

The Challenges Digital Banking Poses to Consumers

With this evolution in omnichannel banking come unique obstacles and opportunities — especially for older adults. While more people in this age demographic are now using digital technology than ever before, a study by the Pew Research Center indicates that 25% of adults aged 65 or older don’t use the internet, 36% don’t have home broadband, and 39% don’t own smartphones. Moreover, MX’s 2022 report on digital and mobile banking trends states that only 39% of Baby Boomers use a mobile app to manage their financial accounts.

When this is considered, along with the 30% of American adults who struggle with technology and the economic barriers that prevent tech adoption, it becomes obvious that the digitization of banking presents challenges to many people.

Adoption & Implementation

All change requires some sort of effort and adjustment, no matter how big the benefits might be on the other side. The widespread adoption and promotion of digital banking is no exception, but it doesn’t affect everyone in the same way.

Older adults, for example, often have to overcome ageism in digital tech. Because new digital devices and services generally aren’t designed with their needs in mind, they may find digital banking to be counterintuitive, overcomplicated, or physically difficult to use.

More universally, there’s also the challenge of pleasing customers. Though consumers are using digital financial tools more than ever, their level of satisfaction with those services might have dropped, according to the J.D.

Power survey mentioned above, digital-only customers were logging lower satisfaction scores than those who visited their local branches or used a combination of digital and in-person banking. It seems that even the convenience of digital transactions can’t always match the benefits of an attentive and helpful human associate.

Building Trust

Without the human element, trust can be a major issue. Less than one-third of people surveyed by Accenture in 2020 said they trusted banks “a lot” to look after their financial well-being. That’s compared to 43% who said the same only two years ago, not to mention the growing distrust resulting from the recent failure of the Silicon Valley Bank on Friday, March 10.

However, the tide might be starting to turn for digital financial services. With the benefits of lower fees and increasingly lower barriers to access, it’s perhaps not surprising that 61% of traditional bank users reported being somewhat or highly likely to switch to an online-only bank soon, according to the same Bankrate research mentioned above.

How Can Banks Offer Excellent Experiences to All Customers Post-Pandemic?

The tangible experience of walking into a banking branch and interacting with a human being might seem a world away, but it remains the norm for many people. Members of older generations, particularly, might rely on that physical experience of attention and appreciation as they navigate their financial lives.

Here are a few effective ways to integrate human touches into excellent customer experience for consumers of all age groups:

1. Remember the benefits of human interaction.

People haven’t lost the basic need for in-person, face-to-face interaction. Building human interaction into your digital experiences helps customers adapt, learn, and trust. Whether that trust comes from a highly advanced, intuitive chatbot connecting customers to personalized messaging on your website or features that direct digital users toward real people who can help them solve their problems.

It is essential that all businesses today understand that attentive customer service is more important than ever.

2. Don’t let up on security.

Security challenges and risks litter digital banking’s future with obstacles. Increased use of mobile platforms and digital payments has upped the risk level regarding cybersecurity. Many customers now turning to digital banking are from older generations: less tech-savvy people who feel compelled to join younger generations online for fear of being left behind.

For these people, ramping up cybersecurity is even more critical. Anti-phishing methods and education (and the adoption of mandatory two-factor authentication) could help protect even more vulnerable users.

3. Prioritize accessibility.

Make your digital banking service as accessible as possible so that everyone can use it, no matter their digital knowledge. To that end, the University of Wisconsin-Madison recommends that websites provide captions, large font sizes, screen readers, screen magnification, and fast-loading web pages. You could also offer in-person instruction to customers who need additional help.

Sometimes it can feel as though finance’s digital transformation has happened too rapidly for customers’ expectations to catch up. Fortunately, that catch-up work is happening now. As customers from all generations come to grips with mobile and online banking and what they can offer, banking companies can ease the learning burden by delivering secure and excellent personalized banking experiences. Don’t wait to get started.

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