Business will fully utilize technological capabilities – including AI, when it 100% commits to cloud computing

The fascination with artificial intelligence continues at its peak. This technology offers numerous opportunities for companies, but it also presents certain challenges. These include the increased pressure to provide technical resources, thus requiring an increase in data center efficiency. By 2027, global spending on cloud solutions will reach $258.5 billion, according to predictions by market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) from December 2023.

Dynamic Development of the Cloud and Associated Challenges

According to the IDC’s Worldwide Sovereign Cloud Market Forecast for 2022-2027, total spending on various cloud solutions in this period will reach a cumulative annual growth rate of 26.6 percent. This demonstrates the dynamic growth and development of cloud computing. Based on IDC’s research, the main factors driving user activity across various industries are primarily the increasingly extensive use of cloud computing, the need to increase cybersecurity levels, and the need to process data from various sources and visualize it transparently.

“The adoption of cloud solutions allows companies to fully utilize their data resources. This also involves the need to implement appropriate security measures and tactics to protect organizations from hackers and cybercriminals,” explained Mikołaj Zaleski, a senior manager responsible for the CX area at NTT DATA.

As confirmed by the IDC report, the presence in the cloud currently presents a significant challenge for all industries, not only regulated sectors.

Nearly 100 percent of companies are interested in generative artificial intelligence – there’s no AI without data and… a cloud

Research conducted by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by NTT DATA, found that 96 percent of respondents confirmed that their organization is taking steps to improve their ability to adopt and use GenAI capabilities. This indicates that businesses understand the benefits of artificial intelligence. However, over half of company representatives (55 percent) also notice that their organizations are not yet at the level necessary for IT departments to support and scale the use of AI technology across the company.

“The Forrester study commissioned by NTT DATA also shows that 80 percent of business representatives believe that collaboration with external service providers can help their companies scale generative artificial intelligence more effectively. The solution is to move company resources to the cloud. The experience and position of an integrator who always chooses the most favorable solutions for companies play a crucial role here, often mixing possibilities offered by entities such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform,” explains Mikołaj Zaleski.

The cooperation of different parties helps realize the strategic goals of companies. Sixty-one percent of respondents who took part in the Forrester Consulting survey see that such cooperation speeds up the product’s launch into the market, and 59 percent notice a productivity increase in software delivery.

In 86 percent of companies, the level of EX is still low

“Technology is, of course, something that accelerates business development, allowing companies to reach an even higher level. However, the role of feedback, i.e., the analysis of unstructured data from the unsolicited voice of the customer, should not be forgotten. And we definitely need to verify the impact of customer emotions on the whole customer journey, especially at the post-purchase stages,” explains Justyna Jakubczyk, a consultant, Customer Experience strategist, and owner of CX House.

The crucial relationship between CX, EX, and profitability translates into a growing need for a coherent strategy, according to the global report on Customer Experience 2023 titled “The role of artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and employee experience in shaping the future of customer service.”

Over 90 percent of participants in the above-mentioned NTT DATA study consider that improving CX and EX will have a direct impact on their net profit. Almost all represented organizations (96 percent) claim that CX and EX strategies need to be closely coordinated, which will have the greatest possible impact on enterprise development.

“Right now, the highest priorities are EX and the human factor. Although data from our survey is very optimistic at first glance, it turns out to be not so great. The expectations at this stage are rather wishful, as 86 percent of respondents state that EX is at a low level in their companies. This, in turn, adversely affects customer service,” informs Mikołaj Zaleski.

CX practitioners met for the 7th time – Emotions and Data are the Leading Motives

On March 20, 2024, over 50 practitioners of Customer Experience met in Warsaw to discuss, among other things, customer retention, post-purchase experiences, and how to utilize AI, data from systems, and customer and business indicators.

Justyna Jakubczyk from CX House introduced a case study to the participants showing how attending to the last stage of customer service brought over a million zlotys in revenue to the company in 3 months. This pertained to a B2B business model and clients from the SME sector. Efficiency in this case was connected with applying the peak-end rule scientifically developed by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman.

“In the customer’s contact with the brand, the first impression plays a crucial role. It builds expectations for the future. While the longer the relationship with the customer, the more significant the peaks are – moments when the customer experiences strong positive or negative emotional states. And of course the end moments – like the end of a customer inquiry, a chat conversation, handling a complaint, or the end of a contract,” Justyna Jakubczyk explained.

In the peak-end rule, two things matter: First, the “freshness of memory” and second, the “result,” understood as an answer to the question of whether we got what we intended.

Both peaks and “ends” stay in the customer’s memory for a long time and determine their purchasing decisions. Therefore, it’s important what a particular company does with these crucial moments – whether it knows which moments are critical on the customer’s path and whether it reacts appropriately to them.

Mikołaj Zaleski took the floor after Jakubczyk’s presentation. He started by breaking down the percentages of representatives by sectors. Most came from the finance, medical, and logistics sectors, though there were participants from the public sector, FMCG, and industry.

“The cross-section of CX meeting participants alone shows a high level of awareness among representatives of critical sectors, such as finance, medicine, or the public sector, regarding the role of customer experiences, driven by tech development, as well as the necessary skills to secure data,” Zaleski explained.

The NTT DATA expert shared data about Polish banks moving their contact centers to the cloud. Aiming for effective transition, it’s necessary from the beginning to structure data. Then, once in the cloud, it can be used to draw conclusions from customer behavior.

“The cloud is an essential component for business growth. For contact center providers and others, maintaining on-premise solutions isn’t profitable. You have to make peace with the cloud,” concluded Zaleski.

The event ended with a panel discussion involving participants. Many Customer Experience practitioners and representatives of various sizes of business in Poland shared their experiences about Customer Experience and the use of the cloud and AI implementation in their companies.