Curated from Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion — Here’s what matters right now:
In the age of artificial intelligence, speed and automation are the key pillars of any system, yet they are no longer enough. Today’s customer demands both digital efficiency and emotional intelligence. They expect support that aligns with their needs in real time but also reflects a sense of humanity and care. Customer experience (CX) leaders need to realign their vision with the changing dynamics of customer behavior. The challenge is no longer whether to implement automation, but how to design intelligent experiences that drive meaningful engagement. Seamless interactions are now expected everywhere, and personalization is not a differentiator - it is a must. The customer has changed. Has your CX architecture evolved with them? Consumer expectations have rapidly outpaced the capabilities of many legacy systems. Our recent report has found that 60 per cent of customers now prioritize minimal wait times, and 59 per cent say their preferred channels shift depending on context. Customers interact across multiple touchpoints and are increasingly guided by emotion. They want convenience for routine tasks, but in moments of stress or urgency, they turn to human support. So much so, that 50 per cent of customers will abandon a brand entirely after just one negative interaction. That makes CX not just a service function, it is a business-critical risk factor. Human Connection Remains Irreplaceable Empathy cannot be automated. It is what transforms a customer support interaction from transactional to experiential. Today, customers specifically prioritize human connection over response speed, particularly in complex or emotionally charged scenarios. No artificial intelligence (AI) model, no matter how advanced, can replicate the emotional nuance of a live agent in those critical moments. Voice support remains dominant for a reason. It is not only familiar but also effective, especially when digital channels fall short. It continues to be the preferred channel across demographics, particularly for Baby Boomers and Gen X. That preference spikes when the issue is sensitive, urgent or high value. AI can enhance, but not replace, the human layer. The report found that 72 per cent of consumers are open to AI-driven interactions, but only when escalation to a human is easily available. This signals a need for thoughtful orchestration, not a wholesale automation agenda. Trust remains the core barrier to adoption. While AI capabilities are evolving rapidly, public trust is still catching up. As with digital banking, full adoption will take time, and likely a generational shift. Let users self-select into chatbot interactions when convenient. But make the path to human assistance frictionless and visible. Only a symbiotic relationship between machine intelligence and human empathy can produce the kind of experience that sustains long-term loyalty. Personalization Is the New Loyalty Driver Customers expect to be known, understood and remembered. In an age of data u
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Original reporting: Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion