3 Ways AI Can Help Increase Customer Engagement

Not that long ago, the term “artificial intelligence” likely got you thinking about sci-fi movies featuring oddly humanized computers that were determined to take over the Earth.

Nowadays, artificial intelligence, or AI, has become a common concept that's being embraced in a number of industries. One of the chief ways AI helps businesses succeed is in its ability to transform the customer experience into one that's more positive.

To help understand how AI can help your business take customer engagement efforts to the next level, consider the following examples:

AI Offers Personalized Messages to Engage Consumers

According to Forbes, consumers now expect sales offers to be tailored specifically to them and are no longer likely to be swayed by generic email marketing blitzes. That doesn't mean these efforts are all for naught. But, by and large, and despite a company's best intentions, consumers will likely see right through your mass messaging and instantly be turned off.

Thanks to AI and machine learning, it's now possible for businesses to sort through a wide array of data to more definitively determine what matters to consumers. With this information, companies can deliver more personalized messaging tailored to specific customers' needs and wants.

For instance, an algorithm can keep tabs on an individual's website browsing data to glean information like how long they stayed on the site, which blogs they read and what items they purchased. By determining a customer’s interests, AI can then help craft emails that are much more personal and engaging.

AI Can Predict a Caller’s Intent

You've likely called a customer support line and been met with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to direct you on how to proceed. Thanks to AI, companies can take their interactive voice response systems to the next level, which, in turn, will improve the overall customer service experience.

For instance, most IVR systems are created to provide a personalized customer experience while being as efficient as possible. These innovative IVR software solutions include the ability to predict a caller’s intent based on recent transactions, as well as adapt to each caller’s experience level.

These impressive features ultimately help customers who call up a company for assistance feel like they're not merely being helped by an impersonal robotic voice, but rather are getting a personalized experience based on their past and present needs.

AI Can Enhance the Shopping Experience

Of course, AI has plenty more skills and capabilities under its belt. In particular, an AI-powered visual search engine can improve and enhance consumers' overall shopping experience. Although visual search has been around for some time, the combination of advancements in AI and an increase in mobile commerce has made it work even better.

An example of this amazing AI in action is available through Neiman Marcus, in which the major U.S. retailer offers an app called Snap.Find.Shop that lets users snap photos of clothing and accessories they like and ultimately want to purchase.

The app will then search through the store’s inventory and display similar items. Not only is this app being downloaded and used more than ever, but Neiman Marcus is also experiencing a “significant increase” in customer engagement.

What’s Next with AI? Only Time Will Tell

Thanks to AI, business owners can truly get to know their customers, which, in turn, can increase engagement and future sales. Although this technology has come a long way, it will be interesting to see how AI continues to influence and improve the customer experience in retail and other types of industries.