These days, digital transformation proliferates in the form of voice bots, self-service kiosks, algorithm-driven ads, and hollow AI gimmicks. And yet, while they can all improve efficiency and brand experience when done well, they often detract from the emotional core of the customer experience. This is when all-important customer advocacy for your brand risks getting derailed.
One challenge is how the efficacy of these ostensible improvements is measured. If you’re just going by the numbers in terms of operational or profitability metrics, you risk substituting short-term efficiencies for long-term brand loyalty. In other words, technology can crowd out the humanity at the heart of your customer experience.
So, the question to ask whenever you are developing new digital strategies is: “How does this serve our brand story?” This question and the answer(s) to it can help reframe technological improvements from cost-cutting measures to ways that genuinely inspire advocacy among your customers.
“Authentic Innovation”
Let’s talk about a different kind of AI: what I like to call “Authentic Innovation.” I define this as the alignment of every tech or operational change with a brand’s purpose and emotional equities. This ensures that your improvements don’t just look good on paper, but reinforce why your customers fell in love with your brand to begin with. Some questions to ask yourself:
- Is it purpose-driven? Does it deliver on core brand promises, such as community or craft?
- Is it front-line ready? Was it developed in collaboration with real customers and the staff servicing them?
- Is it emotionally intelligent? Does it strike a balance between automation and efficiency, and human warmth?
For example, consider a mid-tier family restaurant chain using AI initiatives. When authenticity is baked into it, AI can go from a point solution to brand-building moments. So, instead of utilizing a generic upsell pop-up, the brand can use AI to throw back to a dessert the customer last had while celebrating their birthday at the restaurant. This delivers nostalgia in real-time and strengthens the established brand bond.
Tech-First Thinking – Risky, not Rewarding
Many AI pilot technologies are developed in a silo by technologists, not front-line staff, and certainly not guests. That divide can produce overly automated customer experiences as well as algorithms that make decisions on things like scheduling, which can impact brand interaction. It can also create marketing initiatives intended to deepen the customer experience, but that end up with the wrong tone, which customers may experience as aggressive rather than surprising and delightful. Tools built for speed can underperform when developed in a “lab” vs. the real world.
Generational Relevance
Each generational customer segment arrives with very specific needs, demands, and preferences. Here’s where thoughtful AI implementation is critical. Your brand must cultivate personalized approaches for each generation that will lead to lasting customer loyalty. For instance, did you know that 26% of Gen Z are looking to interact with brands that deliver memorable experiences (the highest of any demo)? Or that 48% of millennials expect a social media DM to be answered within 24 hours? And 86% of boomers prefer speaking to a human in person or on the phone versus interacting with automated systems.
Strategic brand managers leverage these types of insights to ensure that the generational preferences of their customers are being met. And, business-minded agency partners translate these insights into customer-first experiences, prioritizing relevance over the allure of the latest, flashiest tech.
Actionable Steps
Here are a few actionable steps to get you to effective, authentic innovation:
- Review all existing technology deployments to ensure they reflect your company’s cultural values and brand identity.
- Create a comprehensive map linking each customer and employee technology touchpoint to your core brand pillars.
- Identify instances where operational efficiency may be undermining authentic human connection and brand experience.
- Integrate brand alignment questions into your existing feedback mechanisms across all technology touchpoints.
- Measure soft metrics (sentiment, advocacy) alongside the hard.
Zac Painter is partner and chief growth officer at The Cargo Agency. He has over 20 years of experience on both the agency and client sides, working with some of America’s most recognized brands like Verizon, Sears Automotive Center, BASF, Denny’s, and Dunkin’ to innovate, grow, and achieve their business goals.
