Zendesk releases its annual Customer Experience (CX) Trends Report, the findings of which signal a rapid transition towards intelligent CX. Indian businesses are realising the potential of generative AI with 81% of CX leaders in the country saying their teams are under significant pressure to leverage generative AI in CX.
In this era, the shift to AI-driven service will create a big divide between companies who use AI to create the best customer experiences and those that miss the mark on implementing, or worse, don’t embrace AI at all. Businesses with the ability to bridge this AI divide will completely transform CX, delivering personalisation at scale and elevating service quality while reducing costs. In India, 85% of CX leaders are increasing their investment in generative AI for CX within the next year.
“We’re on the verge of the most significant inflection point we’ve ever seen in CX with the latest advances in AI, Businesses will need to rethink the structure of everything, from their tech stacks to their teams to how they deliver support. Companies that thrive will shift to a much more intelligent CX strategy, using AI to manage volume, lower costs, increase quality and ultimately improve customer satisfaction,” Adrian McDermott, chief technology officer, Zendesk, said.
In this move, Indian Customer Experience (CX) leaders are setting a new standard for the adoption of generative AI, with an impressive 83% already experimenting with or implementing the technology in their customer journey. This adoption rate surpasses other countries in the Asia Pacific region. The report highlights the substantial benefits of this technological shift, revealing that 91% of CX leaders in India using generative AI report positive return on investment (ROI), marking a significant milestone for the industry.
The report sheds light on key elements defining the era of intelligent CX, focusing on the evolution of chatbots into advanced digital agents. In India, 84% of CX leaders believe that chatbots can build stronger emotional connections with customers, as AI-driven chatbots now play pivotal roles in customer service and overall experience. The study shows that 89% of CX leaders in India acknowledge the increasing proficiency of bots in creating highly personalized customer journeys.
Live and immersive interactions are also redefining consumer experiences, with the rise of conversational commerce, live streaming, and voice interactions. Globally, more than half of the surveyed individuals anticipate a complete transformation in the way they interact with companies within two years. In India, 87% of customers expect chat agents to assist them comprehensively, spanning service, sales, and support.
Furthermore, the report emphasises the role of CX leaders as new drivers of data privacy, integrating security seamlessly into CX for protection and ease. While 90% of CX leaders in India see themselves as responsible for ensuring customer data safety, there remains a notable gap between business and customer perceptions of data protection measures. As CX leaders actively collaborate with external partners to enhance customer data privacy, there is a call for improved communication to bridge the trust gap between businesses and customers.
The future outlook for CX appears promising, with leaders preparing for a landmark year in 2024 by betting big on smart customer experiences, reflecting the industry’s commitment to embracing new technologies.