Musings on Enterprise Connect 2018: Making Sense of Technology Disruption

Each year at Enterprise Connect, I hear at least one unexpected theme arising from conversations with customer experience (CX) leaders. This year, there was the usual excitement about new technologies being introduced at the event. However, I was struck by how many people are struggling to make sense of these advancements. While technologies developed for the sake of technology grab attention, businesses increasingly are looking for clear direction on how they can leverage these innovations to drive meaningful outcomes.

Separating the Hype from Real Value

Many vendors claim to have disruptive innovations that will revolutionize the customer experience. Yet, true technology disruption only happens when it can be used to achieve measurable results and satisfy customers. There’s a big difference between showing a demo of a new solution at an event and actually applying emerging technology to deliver tangible results like increased revenue and productivity, improved NPS or decreased churn.

Driving Outcomes with Disruptive Innovations

At Genesys, we see disruption as far more than just a buzz word to gain attention. Instead, it’s about designing innovations, no matter how impossible they may seem initially, that tackle real-world business challenges and deliver the best possible customer experiences. For example, that means helping businesses address customer needs without forcing them to repeat their name, birthday and the reason for their call or chat over and over again as they’re passed from agent to agent. And, it means giving organizations the tools their agents need to do their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible.

Artificial intelligence (AI) was the hot topic at this year’s Enterprise Connect, but there’s plenty of uncertainty about how it can be used now, as well as its potential for the future. At Genesys, we’re no strangers to helping businesses select the right emerging technologies to steer through new CX challenges. In our 28-year history, we’ve done just that with other waves of CX innovation like IVR, chat, SMS and social media, to name but a few. This time, it’s AI – the next phase of automation – and we’ve already been helping businesses use it for quite some time.

Today, we have a fresh approach to AI. It’s called Blended AI: augmenting automation with the human touch to create exciting yet convenient experiences. Kate, the personification of Genesys AI, is already enabling businesses to serve their customers that way while improving agent productivity. The benefits of AI play out in other areas as well.

Take routing, for example, which is also undergoing a giant leap forward. Moving from queue-based to skill-based routing has become a prerequisite to provide the differentiated experience that today’s customers demand. We are taking routing to the next level by incorporating AI and machine learning to provide real-time analytics and predictively match every customer with the best resource for the most optimal outcome.

We’re excited about what happens when machine learning is combined with human ingenuity – and how much better the experience gets over time. Leveraging bots to handle common issues, for example, frees up live agents to deal with complex challenges that are best served with a human touch. Now, imagine a scenario in which previously untapped CRM and omnichannel data, along with machine learning, are used to pair the customer with the agent most qualified to address his or her need. That’s truly impactful – and a glimpse of things to come from Genesys!

The Way Forward

I left Enterprise Connect with a keen awareness for the work Genesys has ahead of us. Ours is an industry that’s always in flux. And, as the omnichannel customer experience leader, we have a responsibility to help businesses successfully navigate the rapid customer experience innovation happening now. We do that by constantly listening to our customers and delivering innovative solutions to anticipate and address their pain points.

For instance, we didn’t launch Kate because Siri and Alexa needed a friend. Or because AI is cool. It is cool. But our real inspiration behind Kate – and everything we do – is identifying the potential impact new technology can bring. And then showing businesses how to use it so they can deliver customers experiences that favorably impact the bottom line.

This is our ongoing focus – to teach businesses how to apply new innovations that allow them to meet their customers where they are today while helping them anticipate and plan for the next wave of change that is sure to come. And while we think about this every single day, we celebrate it in a big way once a year during CX18, our annual conference that gathers together the strongest ecosystem of solutions, customers, partners and technology to illuminate the future of customer experience. Join us at CX18 taking place May 1-4 in Nashville, Tennessee to explore how the best brands differentiate in their markets through a series of perfectly connected moments with their customers.