Two in five customers (43%) are concerned about the ethical use of AI, according to a report from a customer experience specialist. CX Network found.
29% of CX professionals report a positive impact on customer loyalty from their use of generative AI, but with customers improving their understanding of how AI works and how to use company data, 55 % of CX professionals agree that data privacy and security are becoming increasingly important to customers. As a result, customers are demanding stricter data privacy security and want greater transparency when companies implement AI.
The findings, which were highlighted in CX Network’s flagship report: “The Global State of CX 2024‘, which was released today, reports the latest trends in CX and customer behavior.
Compiled from survey responses from 282 CX practitioners, service managers, experience designers, analysts and consultants, the report covers CX trends, technology developments and customer behaviors from the past year.
The report reveals that automation is the top investment priority for customer experience in 2024, with 42% of professionals citing it as their top goal in 2024. Other spending priorities included understanding and analyzing data (38%) and chatbots and conversational AI virtual assistants (28%). %).
Although investment in AI technologies will be a necessity, 42% of professionals cited demonstrating ROI as the most common barrier to making these investments a reality. CX professionals will face pressure to prove the value of their spending plans, experts reveal.
Jaakko Lempinen, Customer Experience Manager for YLE Finland, said: “Transparency is crucial. Businesses need to be open about how AI technologies are used in their operations, particularly how data is collected, analyzed and used to improve customer experience. This involves clearly communicating the purposes of data collection and the benefits to the customer, ensuring an understanding of the value exchange.
“Organizations must actively involve their customers in the development of AI solutions through feedback loops, allowing them to voice their concerns and preferences. Engaging in a dialogue about AI and its role in customer experience helps demystify the technology for customers and builds a foundation of trust.
“Collaborating with regulators, industry groups and other stakeholders to shape the future of the ethical use of AI not only positions the organization as a leader in this field, but also helps ensure that the development of AI technologies benefits all stakeholders in the CX ecosystem. »
Anna Noakes Schulze, Head of Community Experience at The NTWK, said: “CX often adopts technology after other functions such as marketing, where cutting-edge technologies are needed to “grab the customer’s attention in new and inventive ways.” The mission of customer experience is to maintain and preserve customer relationships, which naturally lend themselves to more conventional, lower-risk approaches that have already proven their worth. These conservative tendencies work against experimentation with cutting-edge technologies, except in a few rare cases like generative AI where efficiency gains virtually guarantee a positive return on investment.
“If these technologies aren’t yet important to your customers, then pay attention to what the most forward-looking brands are doing and see what you can learn from their initiatives.”
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