GenAI Isn’t Impacting Service CX Dramatically - Yet (AWS Connect Horizons)

The family of AI technologies is impacting customer experiences today. AWS’ Connect offered many cross-industry case studies and proof of (efficiency - yes) better CX. Here’s how:

• Consumers are more likely to have access to service 24x7 in whatever language they speak. 

• Natural language interfaces are a step function improvement over the rule-based chatbots. 

• Chatbots don’t get tired or have bad days so a consumer always gets friendly. (This might have been my favorite “ah ha” moment. 

• Consumers get faster service because 1) they don’t have to wait for a human to free up and 2) platforms/solutions like Connect can determine intent and assess sentiment to drive effective resolutions. 

• The cost-effective ability to analyze all conversations leads to 1) earlier detection of system-wide issues and 2) continuous improvement of the experiences. 

• Coaching or assistance offered to agents allows them to uplevel their conversations. 

Bottom line? Customers sometimes get faster resolution. Companies are saving money from internal efficiencies. Their employee experiences are better.

Humans and great customer service agents do these things well. Keep in mind when we talk about the customer experience, it is the experience the consumer sees, hears, feels, etc. Coaching a machine to act like a human can look or feel the same to a customer. Their experience doesn’t change. 

Creating magical customer experiences faces challenges. Top of the  list for me: a vision based on what consumers need and not what the technology can do; data - all types; and automation of the fulfillment (e.g., scheduling the dentist appointment for me). Much of our world either isn’t digital or isn’t connected/integrated in ways that make it accessible. 

Topic Context: I am a customer experience analyst. Folks might wonder why I am so interested in contact centers. Contact centers are a harbinger of future consumer and employee experiences. Why? Natural language and LLM’s ability to create it, analyze it, etc. Natural language conversations are a core component of future consumer experiences. LLM’s depend on data. Service teams know their customers (and products) better than any other function. Therefore, they have the opportunity to leverage that context to serve them more effectively and perhaps even proactively. Finally, given that the nature of the experience is language, the tools can also support agents as well as their managers and broader team members (e.g., compliance, customer experience). 

Event Context: I had the privilege and the opportunity to attend AWS’ Connect Horizons event during the first few days of October. The event combined executives, customers, panels, demos, just a handful of slides, and Q&A to give a mixed-coverage group of analysts the opportunity to ask questions and learn. Pasquale DeMaio combined frequent candid, clear, and in-depth explanations along with a passionate vision of future services. He and his team (TS, CH) also brought senior sales/GTM leaders who offered a clear picture of the sales process and client outcomes. And kudos to TS who went above and beyond to care for each of us.