Predictions: Ecommerce, Transformation and Experience //

Marketers understand that marketing technology can only be used when it is tested. Customers must be involved in the use case. As we look forward to all the breakthroughs that may be possible in 2019, we must not forget about our customers and how they will react to the shiny new toys we find under the Christmas tree.

The release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 was a major breakthrough for AI chatbots. It was a source for countless Tweetable back and forths, comic relief from the extremely unhinged decrees of Elon Musk, Twitter’s new ruler. ChatGPT would respond to content creators by generating creative prompts for the AI bot.

ChatGPT has a marketing purpose. ChatGPT’s current use case is to show how clever the bot can be and not how it can help customers discover your brand. It will likely be able to answer specific questions your customers have about your products and services, just like other conversational AI apps.

What will bots do for marketers in the next year? What other advances will be made in customer service for brands and retailers? Below are MarTech’s 2023 predictions.

AI to improve experience and operational efficiency

Companies will be able to use advanced analytics in 2023 to better make use of customer data, which is often powered by AI.

Helena Schwenk (VP, Chief Data and Analysis Officer at Exasol, an analytics database management software company), stated that “smarter, more progressive organizations will continue investing in advanced analytics and AI in order to connect with their customers, anticipate behavior, and identify problems and opportunities in real-time.”

This is where conversational AI can help. Marketers must continue to improve their customer understanding through analytics. Customers provide data through the actions they take, such as what links they click, how they purchase, and which emails they open. They also provide data through the messages they send to brands via email, social media and what they say to chatbots. Improved AI chat technology can provide greater insight into customers’ needs and can be used to enhance customer experience (CX).

Deepen your research: Let’s talk about this product

Eric Williamson, CallMiner’s CMO, stated that transcription accuracy for omnichannel customer and brand interactions will become a critical capability in 2023. “The best organizations will succeed in the next year if they understand the direct link between transcription accuracy, quality customer insights, and that by gaining greater intelligence they can drive even more CX value.”

Organizations looking to improve their operational efficiency will be able to use chat technology as it improves over time.

Schwenk stated that “the tough economic environment will require a greater focus upon operational efficiency, driven in part by automation.” We expect to see an increase in chatbots and conversational AI as customer service and support agents, automating repetitive, high-volume processes.

She said, “At a same time, trustworthiness will be more important with the increased use of AI.” Transparency and openness about the AI’s operation and application will be essential.

Marketers will continue to monitor AI chatbots, and other conversational technologies in the coming year. In 2023, increased competition and economic pressure will drive more automation in customer service and customer experience.

Retailers will adopt a blind approach to commerce

Jay Myers, cofounder and CEO of Bold Commerce, stated that in 2023 more retailers will adopt technology to power checkouts on all digital and physical channels. This allows them to reach shoppers where they are most engaged. We’ll also see retailers adopting a more headless approach to commerce to provide shopping experiences that go beyond what their traditional ecommerce platforms can offer.

It is not a good idea to flood customers with abandoned cart messages. Customers will only buy when they are ready. These messages can be confusing if they aren’t ready to buy. They don’t want the retailer to tell them what to do. Instead, they want to “buy right now”.

Deeper: Why marketers are switching to hybrid and headless CMS platforms

Next year, retailers should continue to convert all marketing channels into purchasing channels.

Rob Daynes, Cloudinary’s VP strategy and VP strategy, said that rich customer experiences are driven by the data collected and connected in a headless eCommerce system. It allows marketers to gain deep customer insight with less effort, and create immersive customer experiences that encourage conversions and sales.

He said, “As developers attempt to create these experiences fast and at scale without any downtime, we’ll see the move away from legacy technology and move towards headless architectures that will allow teams integrate new capabilities and features without jeopardizing user experience during development.”

Myers stated that brands will be able to offer customized digital shopping through channels that were not originally intended to facilitate completing purchases. Myers said that consumers would be able make purchases on Instagram while riding on their Peloton, or while they are on Instagram. This will not require them to go to an ecommerce website. Consumers will be able to purchase faster and more easily on all channels where they are already engaging with brands.

SMS marketers will need to either wait or unsubscribe

Bluecore’s VP of Marketing Sarah Cascone stated that shoppers want to be able to receive SMS messages by brands because they are quick, easy, and accessible. “The problem with brands is that they aren’t sending the right messages, and this is causing shoppers not to subscribe.”

While SMS has the potential to bring in big returns, there are risks as it is a personal channel that customers use.

“Shoppers are more sensitive to mass messaging when brands communicate with them on their most personal and sacred form of communication, their phone. We’ll see shoppers opting out of SMS messaging at a faster rate in 2023 and retailers experiencing a decrease in SMS revenue unless they choose to abandon batch-and-blast, heavy discounts, and promotions.

Omnichannel will make in-store experiences more accessible

There was a lot of demand for experiences in-store and in-person during pandemic lockdowns. Retail stores were open to new ideas as the world began to recover. It was a lot about integrating in-store with mobile habits that had formed during long hours indoors.

HBO Max transformed a digital demo from their programming into a fully immersive in-store experience. Samsung transformed their New York flagship store into a portal for simulcasts. The next year will see in-store locations continue to outdo one another.

Alexios Blanos from M-Cube, UK’s business director for digital engagement said that “In-store Omnichannel” refers to all touchpoints (both physical and digital) where the brand can engage customers.” An omnichannel strategy allows for consistency across all touchpoints and can help to establish a brand identity throughout the customer journey.

He said, “These touchpoints actually begin from outside of the shop — from physical signs, building designs, window displays to social media channels and online shopping. Customers are greeted in-store with digital signage, mobile devices and tablet devices, a specially designed shop layout, product placement, interaction with staff, interactive screens, and checkouts. Retail spaces are becoming more multi-sensory and interactive. Brands use VR technology, soundscapes, social media posting areas, and VR technology to make shopping more enjoyable.

These experiences can also be personalized for each individual customer using AI.

Josh Campo, Razorfish CEO, stated that “in 2022, the pendulum swung back as consumers returned many of their long-missed physically experiences.” “In 2023, brands’ physical manifestations will still be important. But those who prioritize making these moments feel intentional and continuous will succeed.”

Deeper: Razorfish’s Cristina Lawrence shares the vision of her agency on how to get brands connected into Web3

Augmented reality personalization

Brands will use AI to personalize across channels in the next year. This includes personalizing AR experiences.

Pradip Lal is the ecommerce lead at Cloudinary. “AR is key for driving personalized experiences,” he said. “Seeing the product in its intended environment helps customers visualize the end result and drives engagement.”

It’s one thing for a 3D visualization of a product to be engaging. It’s even better if the product or category is one that the consumer has expressed interest in before.

Lal stated that consumers can view product images in high-definition and watch videos instantly. Consumers can also experience a lifelike experience with tools like 360-degree spin sets and 3D. This allows them to get closer to the brand and product.

He said, “Consumers demand a consistent high-quality experience regardless of location or device.” It is crucial to build customer loyalty by being able to deliver immersive product-based experiences on any device or platform.

The post 2023 Predictions : Experience, Ecommerce, and Transformation was first published on MarTech.