Survey: 64% of consumers think AI will improve customer experience
Consumers are bullish when it comes to artificial intelligence improving their shopping experience.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers surveyed believe AI will improve the quality and speed of customer experience over the next two to three years, according to a new report from AI-powered global cloud firm Genesys.
Personalization and a “seamless” omnichannel experience are key components of customer experience. Nearly eight-in-10 (77%) of consumers surveyed are more likely to recommend a brand that consistently provides personalized service, and nearly three-quarters say they’d buy more from brands that do. Nearly 50% of consumers surveyed want customer experience agents to have access to their data to improve personalization, with nearly 70% reporting they get irritated or frustrated when they don’t.
[READ MORE: Survey: Retailers to continue investing in personalization, AI tools]
Ninety-seven percent of consumers surveyed prioritize seamless omnichannel experiences (e.g., communicating across social channels, chat, phone, etc.), and they expect the ability to transition effortlessly between channels without having to repeat themselves. However, only 16% of customer experience leaders surveyed say their organizations provide fully integrated omnichannel experiences, despite 86% of leaders surveyed recognizing the importance of this.
Stakes are high when it comes to customer experience. More than half (53%) of consumers surveyed said they will abandon a favorite brand after experiencing as few as two poor interactions. Nearly a third (30%) of those surveyed admitted that they stopped doing business with a company in the last year after a bad experience. Forty-one percent of customer experience leaders surveyed cited keeping pace with consumers’ rising expectations as their greatest challenge.
“Consumers are encouraged by the role AI can play in giving them better customer experiences,” said David Norrie, senior VP at Genesys. “As organizations continue investing in automation and AI to boost efficiency, they can’t risk missing the bigger picture: Customers want companies to solve their problems quickly and with empathy. This report underscores the opportunity for organizations to use AI to improve their customer relationships through better understanding their customers and to provide faster, more memorable experiences regardless of the channel.”
Genesys worked with an independent research firm to survey 5,157 consumers and 1,181 customer experience decision makers in more than 16 countries. The survey was conducted in September and October of 2024.
