Are you a business that’s standing by your phone, waiting for customers to call? It’s less likely to happen than ever before. When customers make appointments, most book online. When they want to learn more about a product, they go to the website rather than talk to a salesperson first. The user experience has completely evolved in the last 15 years, and business owners must upgrade to new technology as a result.
Curious about what the future of managing user experience looks like? Here are five technologies you should consider bringing to your business this year.
1. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence used to be shrugged off as a sci-fi concept. However, the future is finally here! And AI may just become the standard for how users interact with websites and businesses.
Traditionally, your customers have to search high and low across your website and FAQ section. But with an AI-powered neural search framework, they won’t need to. A neural search framework uses natural language processing to make searching for answers easier than ever.
2. Emotion Analytics
The emotions of a customer are paramount in determining their satisfaction with a brand. So if a company wants any chance at loyal customers, they need to ensure people leave interactions with their business feeling happy. But how do you gauge happiness?
Now with NLP software that can detect human tone, inflection, and meaning, it’s easier than ever for a company to judge how their customers feel. The software can also collect data to target keywords. This will help companies better understand where they can improve user experience.
3. Channel Integration
A customer messages a business on social media. The conversation is transferred to e-mail. They then have to get on the phone with a representative. And then perhaps they need to schedule a video call. Across all these platforms, the customer has to tell your story, again and again, leading to a frustrating and potentially alienating experience.
But by integrating channels through various techniques and software, customers can jump through fewer hoops to connect with an agent. Collected data and virtual agents can track a customer’s activity, leading to faster resolution, less time a customer spends on the phone, and improved user experience.
4. Voice Capabilities
With Siri traveling in pockets and Alexas installed in people’s homes, it’s more apparent than ever that people love using voice capabilities. And while we’re all becoming familiar with chatbots on a company page, these may soon become archaic compared to voice assistants.
Soon, voice assistants will represent the company through a user’s voice assistant. Whether it’s pre-recorded instructions or natural language processing AI, expect to hear your favorite brand soon reaching out across the digital airwaves to your voice assistant.
5. Video Chat
With video chat enabled on almost every device, people are becoming more familiar with their video chat features. And this technology could change the user experience forever.
There are two big benefits to using video chats:
- Users cut down on commuting by hosting virtual meetings that normally occur in person
- What would have been a simple phone call becomes far more personal and engaging with a visual component
Many users will even expect a video chat option because they crave personal interaction and direct communication.
Final Thoughts
The user experience has changed a great deal in the last decade, and there are only more changes to come. The worlds of business and technology are becoming one, as users are expecting faster services and more direct communication. Not upgrading with these changes could cost a business valuable customers who turn to competitors for a better user experience, so make sure you don’t get left behind!