Unveiling the Future of CX – The Balance Between AI and the Human Touch

The age of AI is here and now!

That’s exactly what Brianna Langley spoke about on our latest CX-WISE podcast when talking to Nathan Bennett, our host. A seasoned marketer with a decade of experience crafting compelling stories for brands, Brianna currently works as a marketing manager at Bailey International.

On the podcast, Brianna tackled hard-hitting subjects in the CX world, particularly how AI has become a core tenet in the field. She provided a deep dive into all thing's customer experience and AI. 

So let us jump right in! 

Decoding customer experience in the age of AI 

Customer experience goes beyond ensuring visitors have a good time on your site. It's about crafting the ideal buyer’s journey. This means optimizing every touchpoint and interaction with the brand to make the customer's life easier. 

Typically, customers prefer to resolve their issues on their own when they need to make a purchase, track an order or ask questions. They turn to FAQ sections, chatbots or other digital touchpoints before reaching out for help. 

However, when they do need assistance from a real person, it's the brand's responsibility to ensure that interaction is memorable for both the customer and the representative. 

Ensuring that the employee at the other end of the CX spectrum is also having a pleasant experience will in turn translate directly into a memorable customer experience.

Key research by Gartner finds that having engaged employees at an organization can translate directly into improved business performance and customer satisfaction.

One way or another, human touch has become more important in the age of AI. 

Unlocking personalization at scale – with AI 

In a saturated market, the only way to stay appealing or relevant in the eyes of the customers is by offering them a personalized experience. A recent report by McKinsey revealed that companies that get personalization right have 40% more revenue potential.  

Brianna mentions Amazon and Netflix as “the two greats” when it comes to personalization. “They were pioneers in this intersection of AI and customer experience,” says Brianna.  

The two OG brands have done an excellent job of honing their algorithms over time to be able to capture massive amounts of unique customer data.  The home pages of Netflix and Amazon do a remarkable job of capturing the pulse of their audiences really well.  

Brianna also quotes Sephora as being at the forefront of personalization. With virtual try-ons courtesy of VR, personalized product recommendations based on past purchases and chatbots to boost the online customer experience, the world-renowned beauty brand has pioneered the AI and beauty revolution. 

The age of ethical AI and its role in CX 

“With great power comes great responsibility.” 
 
If you’re a movie buff, you’d be familiar with the famous quote above. Ironically, this line seems to be tailor-made for AI and its rising prominence in the business world. 

As AI continues its march, the onus is on brands to regulate its usage with a standard set of guidelines, practices and ways to safeguard customer data. 

Being honest and upfront about data usage and privacy policies is a fantastic way for brands to build a culture of trust and confidence with customers. Especially in an environment fraught with data manipulation and leaks. 

A 2023 salesforce study shows that around 51% of consumers today are open to the use of AI in their customer journey.  

This figure used to be 65% not very long ago. 

Companies have an opportunity to close this gap by implementing ethical guidelines and making their use of AI more transparent. After all, why wouldn't you trust an organization that is upfront with you from the get-go?  
 
“Something I expect to see more of is publicized AI principles. Transparent, readily available information about a company’s guidelines on AI, how they’re using it and why they’re using it,” says Brianna.  

The head vs. heart brand loyalty 

According to Brianna, brands need to tap into their psyche, their core values and their human side to achieve true customer loyalty. She quotes Patagonia as an example of how a brand can truly go beyond selling a product to becoming a household name associated with a particular lifestyle.  

Patagonia’s mission of recycling old jackets and spreading a message of sustainability has truly resonated with customers who share the same values. Patagonia is now synonymous with environmental consciousness and sustainability!  

Similarly, Red Bull has become synonymous with extreme sports and adventure. Through strategic sponsorships, marketing campaigns and events, the brand has aligned itself with adrenaline lovers and thrill seekers.

This creates what Brianna describes as heart loyalty. While head loyalty refers to a purchase driven by necessity, heart loyalty implies a purchase made by a consumer because they relate deeply to the brand’s core message and values.  

“If you can tap into that gut instinct, and get access to that within your customers, you have them forever,” says Brianna. 

Heart loyalty dictates how a particular brand-customer relationship will play out in the long run and is therefore an important piece of the CX puzzle.

Conclusion

In a world where AI is the end game, and human to human interactions have taken a backseat in favor of convenience, personalized experiences with a good mix of empathy and kindness are what’s needed to win customers and retain them for life.  

Brianna reminds us that across industries, prioritizing people over processes isn't just good business — it's essential for fostering loyalty and building enduring relationships. 

Let these lessons inspire you to redefine customer experiences across all your customer-facing functions, blending innovation with the elusive but essential human touch.  

For a deeper dive into our conversation with Brianna Langley, listen to the full podcast and stay tuned for an interesting anecdote on what we can learn about CX from the waste management industry.