This post originally appeared on the Louisiana Technology Park blog.
Artificial intelligence and automation are poised to reshape how businesses interact with customers in the coming years as technologies mature and consumer demand for faster and more conversational service increases.
“Like it or not, AI is becoming way more sophisticated and able to interact with us in ways that we deem acceptable — and it will continue to do so at a lot faster pace than we’ve ever seen before,” says Noah Boudreaux, the executive vice president of data center sales and operations at EATEL Business.
During a recent Tech Park Academy event at the Louisiana Technology Park, Boudreaux gave an overview of the state of AI and how it offers new possibilities for business and the customer experience. Here’s a look at some of what he shared.
CHANGING CUSTOMER DEMANDS
Boudreaux, who has led several technology firms in the Baton Rouge area, says customer experience strategies are shifting to meet changing consumer needs — namely that they expect much more when it comes to consistency and speed. “It’s almost assumed you’ll be fast in getting back with customers today,” he says.
At the same time, customer service interactions are rapidly becoming more conversational, with consumers increasingly bypassing traditional support channels like phone, email or web forms and choosing messaging platforms that offer more immediate digital feedback.
“People are expecting to use their mobile devices and interact almost instantaneously to get a response if they’re having a support issue, if they’ve made an order or if their service is progressing,” he says.