The power of AI today: practical solutions for revolutionizing CX and transforming your team performance. - guest blog by Jonas Berggren

In the ever-evolving customer experience landscape, we have seen trends come and go. It is been a wild journey. First, we were all about Robotic Process Automation (RPA), then came the age of remote work during the pandemic, and suddenly, we were exploring customer interactions within the metaverse. But now, it is AI's time to shine, and every online post is ablaze with AI's potential to revolutionize CX – including this one.

Gartner likes to call this phenomenon the "hype cycle." It's when people talk about new technology without actually having hands-on experience with it. So, while I typically refrain from plugging Transcom products or expertise here, let's clear the air. This is not just another hastily assembled article crammed with SEO tags proclaiming that AI is about to transform CX.

In the last six months, my Transcom colleagues have successfully executed around 30 GenAI projects and over 300 previous tech solutions across 15 diverse industries. I know that our AI experience carries substantial weight when I contribute to this conversation. I am not here to talk about possibilities; I am here to show you where AI is already tackling CX challenges head-on.

AI wasn't born with the release of ChatGPT last November. It was just one of those nifty tools that grabbed everyone's attention and made the media sit up and take notice of AI's incredible task management capabilities. ChatGPT drew in a whopping 100 million users in its first two months – a remarkable feat for a tool most people didn't even realize they needed a year ago.

Some media coverage has predicted that "AI is coming for our jobs." Let's be clear, while the exact timeline for these changes remains uncertain, it's important to recognize that AI is indeed a transformative force. It's not here to replace human workers entirely but to complement and enhance our capabilities. AI has the power to streamline tasks, boost productivity, and change the way we work. As AI becomes more integrated into various industries, it's likely to alter our work behaviors and the nature of our roles. This transformation may lead to increased interactions, not only between humans and machines but also to the emergence of new tasks and roles that require unique human skills and expertise, ultimately making us more efficient and effective.

AI is a versatile instrument. It can be wielded to enhance the employee and customer experience, making employees more productive. In domains that require heavy data processing, AI's transformative potential is abundantly clear. But where, exactly, can we apply AI right now?

I propose three key applications for CX processes:

1. Translation: Europe's diversity brings a multilingual challenge for businesses. Do you force customers to use your home language or English for interactions? Imagine if your customer service systems could harness AI translation, allowing specialists to assist customers in numerous languages, voice, and text, seamlessly. This fosters business growth and elevates customer satisfaction. While some companies are just starting to explore AI translation, Transcom took the lead in February, unveiling our pioneering AI First real-time translation application.

2. Analytics: Gone are the days when quality control relied on team leaders sporadically checking calls. AI analytics now 'truly understand the context' of every call, dissecting conversation sentiments in real time. This goes beyond just 'listening' - it comprehends the nuanced meaning behind each conversation. Was the customer content or distressed? How did satisfaction evolve during the call? This advanced AI solution doesn't just provide data; it offers immediate coaching tips and guidance to agents, simulating different types of conversations. In essence, it becomes a real-time coach on every call, transforming the way we assess and improve customer interactions.

3. Conversation: The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for a customer service solution can be significantly impacted by smart conversational AI bots. These bots are no longer the stilted conversationalists of the past – AI has radically improved their communication skills, something customers can readily appreciate. VoiceAI, in particular, plays a pivotal role in this evolution. It enables customers to call their preferred brand, and with close to 100% routing accuracy and efficient voice self-service, it has a profound impact on TCO. This cutting-edge technology enhances customer experiences and streamlines service operations, all while managing costs effectively.

In today's market, it's true that the chatbot landscape is saturated, with thousands of providers to choose from. However, selecting the right solution isn't merely about finding the cheapest option. The key lies in identifying the provider who stands out from the crowd, offering unique features, superior performance, and a genuine understanding of your business needs.

AI tools are fast becoming commonplace. Have you already seen travelers using Google Buds in real-time conversations? A simple press and hold of an earbud, and voila, you are conversing in your own language. It's a game-changer. AI's warm welcome for customers is increasingly preferred over waiting on hold, irrespective of demographic groups.

The European Parliament has even published a guide to all the places where people are already interacting with AI, even if they don't realize it. This is a part of their education strategy around the need for the AI Act the EU is working on. Car navigation and impact detection, smart homes and cities, cybersecurity, and fighting online disinformation are all areas where the general public may not be aware they are engaging daily with AI.

AI is a swiftly advancing field, but let's not get swept up by the hype. Understanding what AI can do for your business today and anticipating its future evolution is invaluable in this rapidly changing landscape. So, dive into the AI wave, explore its possibilities, and let it be your ally in crafting extraordinary CX experiences