When we hear the term “good old days,” we imagine the simpler times before smartphones or social media, when consumerism was constrained due to the limited choices of goods and services on offer.
During that period, when the options were limited and preferences were predictable, the economic system was structured accordingly. It was a market economy where the functional value of goods was essential and the exact same product or service could easily be offered to a large group of people.
In the last few years chatbots have emerged as a must-have complementary element of an operator’s customer service centre or call centre — and in some cases, they are even replacing more traditional methods of customer support.
Certainly, chatbots can be applied in various ways within an operator’s customer service and marketing operations so as to help improve the efficiency and timeliness of resolving customer support queries, as well as marketing and selling new products and services. These virtual digital assistants are already able to relieve the burden on employees by directly addressing some of the more rudimentary questions that customers may ask. At the same time, natural language processing, machine learning and other AI techniques are constantly adding new functions and capabilities.
Digital transformation is gaining momentum in Africa and the Middle East (MEA), becoming an imperative for businesses in every industry as they seek to build a sustainable future. Within the context of this huge shift, artificial intelligence — still a relatively nascent area in the region — is now firmly in the spotlight, with companies busily experimenting with AI to helping to improve efficiency and reduce costs, among other aspects.
As we discussed in our previous blog, it was hard to avoid the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As happens with all new technologies, AI has certainly become the victim of hype, with companies of all shapes and sizes, and from all types of industries, trumpeting the launch of AI-based products or services.
For telcos, AI is certainly a priority, and has become a must-have element of a number of different operational and marketing tasks — especially with regard to how they manage customer services and support. Many AI-based services have already been launched, and new and innovative services continue to emerge as telcos see the benefits of integrated AI in different aspects of their business operations.
CSPs use social media and sub-brands to improve customer centricity. Customer centricity emphasizes long term interactive relationships by focusing on satisfaction, engagement and service for all CSPs.
Getting closer to customers and engaging with them in more innovative ways is a primary objective for all CSPs, especially in mature markets with intense competition and those with high percentages of millennials. A key part of this is engaging through more channels and specifically through social media and sub-brands.
There’s no doubt that we are now living in an increasingly high-octane world in which waiting for anything has become an anathema. Feeling hungry? There’s now Uber Eats and Deliveroo at your service. Want an airline ticket? You can book one in five minutes online. Need to make a bank transfer? It’s done before you can say “can I set up a standing order please?”