Guide to Customer Care Tech

Technology has changed the world that we live in– there’s no disputing it. Businesses have taken advantage of advances in technology in a multitude of ways, usually as a way to increase productivity or decrease operating costs. Consumer technology has made its way to the forefront of technical applications due to it’s incredible potential to transform business. However, due to its visibility to consumers, when applications are low quality, consumers quickly take notice. This has led to some mistrust among consumers and businesses alike toward automation. But, when done correctly, technology implementations can be the reason that businesses continue to thrive for years to come.

Consumer technology is any technology that is built to be used by the general public. It’s ubiquitous nature requires its functions to be accessible to anyone, without any prior knowledge of the system. This differs from commercial and enterprise technology which may require training in order to operate. Think of it like this– you shouldn’t have to teach consumers how to contact your business. It should be straightforward and natural. 

There are many different types of consumer technology. From digital payment platforms to customer service automated lines, consumer technology can be integrated across the entire customer journey to increase productivity and decrease operating costs. 

Beyond expanding the number of customers that can be assisted, technology can also improve business processes for brands. With more streamlined processes, businesses can save money and improve customer experience. For this to be possible, technology must be integrated holistically into the business ecosystem. 

It’s easy to see when technology is NOT integrated into the business ecosystem– or when technology is outdated. Have you ever had an overly robotic interaction with a brand? Or it’s taken a long time and several transfers within a brand to solve a seemingly simple question? When brands do not have a holistic approach to technology, it will feel disjointed and robotic.

AI, or artificial intelligence, has been the single greatest advancement in technology. AI technology allows applications to continually improve, which allows them to be used in settings like customer experience which are constantly changing. Think about communication– from slang, to accents, to jargon, there are always new words and phrases that need to be learned. Without AI, automation technology would fall flat, resulting in frustrated experiences for customers. With AI (and some tuning and training from humans), automation technology can be effortlessly used by customers for transformative experiences.