While the retail landscape has evolved considerably over the decades, consumer desires have remained relatively consistent. We want great, speedy service with a smile. Innovations in the sector have helped to increase the speed and quality of the service we receive – but at what cost? An activity that was once innately social – you walk into a store, chat to the shopkeeper and maybe greet other shoppers – has become something we can do without ever interacting with another human being. Between online shopping, AI chatbots and click and collect lockers, the social side of shopping has been lost. So, while customers do expect great service, with 80% of consumers citing speed, convenience, knowledgeable help and friendly service as the most important parts of customer experience, they are also somewhat fatigued with the faceless, emotionless processes that enable this.
In our recent webinar on how to exceed customer expectations using AI-enabled digital avatars, our audience stated that their two biggest customer experience challenges today are infusing a human touch into digital interactions and building trust and emotional connection. It may seem counterintuitive but combining artificial intelligence with 3D holography is a revolutionary way to address these challenges without compromising on the other customer expectations mentioned earlier; speed, convenience and knowledgeable help. We live online. Our work, leisure time and social interactions are increasingly taking place through screens. We are starved of empathetic, engaging human interactions. And so, any situation that can provide these is instantly preferable to the standard. AI-enabled avatars are life-sized, humanlike beings rendered in full 3D whose movements and facial expressions are as close to real humans as is currently possible. Thanks to AI integration, they are able to serve customers with accurate information in real-time, simulating a competent, warm and – importantly – empathetic human conversation. True, this is still a digital interaction, but the way we experience 3D content is vastly different to 2D screens. 3D content feels more immersive, more real. Of course, there is no true replacement for human-to-human interaction, but these digital avatars could be a hugely impactful upgrade from screen-based support such as AI chatbots.
While brands recognise the potential benefit of AI companions, many are concerned about whether consumers are ready. Our webinar audience voted customer acceptance and engagement as the biggest challenge to implementing a 3D avatar solution. But the research shows that customers are more than ready! Research has found that human-like digital avatars evoke similar levels of empathy as actual humans, and AI-powered avatars can increase customer engagement by 25%. According to Gartner, 70% of consumers are happy to engage with digital avatars if they can provide a personalised service. And, as far as AI and data protection go, 60% of consumers give retailers the okay to use AI as long as their privacy is protected. Customers are ready to step into the future of customer experience. The question is, are you?
The time is now for forward thinking brands to invest in AI-powered holography for exceptional customer experience. With over 100 retail leaders joining our webinar, it’s clear that the appetite is there but more guidance is needed. Plug and play solutions like HYPERVSN’s Digital Avatar allow businesses to implement this technology without the huge financial, training and technological investments required to start such a project from scratch, saving precious time in the race to differentiate. To learn more about how a digital avatar could revolutionise your customer experience, watch a replay of our webinar with guest speaker Annette Franz, CEO and Founder of CX Journey Inc.
