AI Redefines The Customer Experience

Judgment Day Is Here For CXDreamstime S 63838419 300x200, The DiJulius Group
Skynet was a fictional artificial intelligent system that was in the Terminator movies back in early 1980’s. Once Skynet became self-aware, it saw humanity as a threat to its existence and decided to trigger the nuclear holocaust Judgment Day.
What is AI?

Today artificial intelligence (AI) is very real and progressing rapidly and while many like to envision a future of robots replacing a significant number of human jobs, it is time to understand AI and the incredible benefits it is having on the Customer Experience. AI is advanced technology able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages, by processing large amounts of data and recognizing patterns in the data. Examples of mainstream AI range from how Amazon serves up personalized product recommendations, Facebook automatically tags photos, SIRI, the IPhone facial recognition, Alexa, your car’s driving audio assistant, and self-driving cars.

Are Hotel Concierges Endangered?Dreamstime S 92496336 300x200, The DiJulius Group

The hotel industry is adding smart speakers in guest rooms. Marriott Hotels is testing both Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Echo to determine which works more effectively in helping guests turn on lights, close drapes, control the temperature, change television channels, and order room service. The Wynn Las Vegas plans to equip all 4,748 of their hotel rooms with Amazon Echos. Chatbots and virtual concierges powered by AI are becoming viable customer service channels. They provide a convenient customer experience for task-related services and can deliver responses in real time. Hotels that provide a different level of service, including those that do not have human concierges, use Technology like Go Moment. It uses artificial intelligence to answer guests’ questions, all by text. It can send guests a hotel’s Wi-Fi password, order drinks or towels to be sent to their room, or help them check out electronically.

The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas has an AI concierge named Rose. Hotel guests are introduced to Rose at registration, by receiving her card along with their key, and are encouraged to ask her for anything they need during their stays. She can provide guests with information about local attractions, help make restaurant reservations, find event tickets, and can provide self-guided tours. Bank of America unveiled Erica, their new AI chatbot. Available in the bank’s mobile app, Erica can work with voice and text commands. Erica can scan accounts and analyze financial activity to provide advice that can help customers make smarter decisions. Capital One has Eno, a chatbot program that works through SMS messaging. Customers can text a variety of different commands to Eno to check things like the balance on their accounts, see available credit, track recent transactions, and pay bills.

Personalized Service 24/7

Theme parks like Disney and cruise lines like Carnival are adopting wearable technology that allows employees to know you wherever you go on their property. The technology allows the server to know guests’ names, their dining, preferences, and their room. Similar technology in the near future will allow retailers & restaurants to know who you are the moment you walk through the door.

Improving The Brick & Mortar Experience

Amazon Go is a grocery store that has vanquished the traditional checkout process. Utilizing a smartphone app along with sensors that track items as they are removed from or replaced on store shelves, the retailer knows precisely what’s in each customer’s cart. As shoppers exit, their purchases are instantly charged to their Amazon Prime account.

Is AI Making Kids Rude?

Today kids are growing up with Alexa and Siri. Due to this younger generation barking out commands and getting immediate responses dozens of times a day, some say it is reducing their manners when they interact with actual humans. I personally would like to see where chatbots only perform requested services when “Please” and “Thank you” are used.

Recommended Video Clip To Share With Your Team

Watch this 2-minute video of me sharing why Customers are the last place you want to go to when building your future Customer Experience. Don’t ask the customer what they want, give them something they can’t live without.

Rally Your TeamESshot 290x300, The DiJulius Group

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About The Author

John DiJulius

John R. DiJulius is a best-selling author, consultant, keynote speaker and President of The DiJulius Group, the leading Customer experience consulting firm in the nation. He blogs on Customer experience trends and best practices.