The future of customer experience: predictions for 2030

The landscape of customer experience (CX) is on the brink of transformation, with bold predictions made by Jonathan Rosenberg of Five9, who has pinpointed three key forecasts about the evolution of CX by 2030. Rather than looking merely at the immediate future, Rosenberg’s insights delve into how automation and emerging technologies will redefine the role of customer interactions.

One critical prediction is the transformation of the traditional contact centre agent role into a new position known as the brand ambassador. The contact centre sector has long sought to implement automation to diminish reliance on live agents, which have been historically seen as a cost burden. Over the past two decades, various technology waves, including basic interactive voice response (IVR) systems and more advanced natural language processing tools, have failed to significantly reduce the number of human agents. However, Rosenberg indicates that the advent of Generative AI (GenAI) marks the beginning of a new era. This technology can competently manage complex conversations, thereby leading to a decrease in the demand for traditional agents while simultaneously creating opportunities for brand ambassadors.

“GenAI will enable new, proactive lead-generation – and this innovation will bring with it a new set of jobs for people to process those leads,” Rosenberg noted. Instead of being viewed as a cost centre, these ambassador roles will focus on increasing online sales and customer retention, utilising GenAI to filter and engage with real-time customer leads sourced from online transactions. This shift will allow brands to enhance their customer engagement, with brand ambassadors employing empathy, storytelling, and conversational skills to close sales.

In his second prediction, Rosenberg highlights the impending competition among various tech vendors vying for dominance in AI-enabled CX platforms. While many players, including startups and established customer relationship management systems, are eager to carve out a niche, it is the Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) vendors that are predicted to capture the most significant market share. This assertion rests on three main arguments: the rebirth of voice in a multichannel context, the critical nature of conversational data, and the necessity for seamless integration across various systems.

The impending shift towards a more multichannel approach reflects the ability of GenAI to facilitate interactions across voice, video, and text formats. Well-positioned CCaaS vendors are uniquely suited to lead this market as they have historically excelled in voice communication and are now adapting to incorporate additional channels. Furthermore, Rosenberg asserts that a coherent access to conversation history will allow these platforms to enhance customer experience, providing personalised interactions akin to having a dedicated representative.

Rosenberg’s third prediction involves a notable reversal in consumer preferences towards chatbots and automated assistance. Historically viewed with scepticism, chatbots are now expected to evolve into intelligent conversational agents capable of performing tasks traditionally managed by live agents, significantly enhancing the customer experience. “With GenAI and agentic systems, we can deliver a system that feels like the experience of yesterday – a conversation with an expert that can do the work for you,” he explained. This rekindled approach to customer service will not only expedite interactions but also present a personalised touch, effectively creating an experience that consumers may prefer over human interactions.

While these developments are set to unfold over the next several years, the acceleration in technology and the changing perspectives of both businesses and consumers promise a reimagined contact centre landscape. As brands begin to realise the potential of CCaaS solutions and the opportunities afforded by GenAI, the transformation towards a new generation of customer interaction is well underway. This evolution may eventually yield significant advantages for businesses, aligning their operational practices with the demands of the modern consumer.

Source: Noah Wire Services