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By Jeannie Walters
The future of customer experience is exciting in many regards, but what’s happening around low code/no code opportunities is downright fascinating.
I had the privilege of interviewing Umesh Sachdev, CEO of Uniphore, and Yochai Rozenblat, former CEO of Jacada, soon after the acquisition of Jacada was finalized. We talked about topics ranging from data to destiny.
Here are just a few of the insights and highlights from our discussion.
The Low Code/No Code Revolution is Here
The amazing possibilities of technology are about to become even more amazing. One of the biggest obstacles has been the disconnect between those who have the power of coding and those who have the knowledge of the situational needs.
Now, contact center leaders, customer experience leaders and those serving customers directly are empowered in ways we haven’t seen before. These leaders have a deep understanding of the real challenges their contact center agents and customers face. They understand the daily interactions that require too much searching for information or too much effort from the individuals involved.
Thanks to low code/no code technology, leaders can ask the technology to do what they need it to do–without relying on translating their needs through various layers. According to Umesh, we are now entering a new stage of “democratization” of automation.
Low code and no code technology allows non-developers to solve issues and create the right tools using a simple “drag-and-drop” approach. The possibilities around what challenges can be addressed are literally endless.
The Possibilities are Opportunities
There could be a half billion to a billion (yes, with a B!) new apps required to meet the demand of what’s happening. That’s the prediction Umesh made considering the opportunities ahead.
After all, it’s not just about the various general scenarios, like a customer calling for service. It’s about the specifics of each industry, each organization and each individual customer. These apps will assist agents to better serve customers by recognizing exactly who they are and where they are on the journey. They will also help customers get better outcomes with self-service options.
Contact Center Leaders are Embracing Change at Record Pace
Contact centers have the same goals and challenges around first call resolution and customer wait times as they always have. But there is a new set of challenges as well. The work-from-home (WFH) model is here to stay. The changes applied during the pandemic created completely new work environments.
As Yochai highlighted, a big challenge with this environment is recruiting, hiring and training agents–all from home. This was not prioritized in many organizations until the pandemic made it absolutely necessary.
With conversational AI, the needs of the agent are met in real-time. The right information is served up to the agent at the right moment when they need it. AI actually creates a more effective way to personalize and, somewhat ironically, humanize the experience for each customer. Agents can be there for them in better ways.
The Power of Combining Conversational AI and No Code/ Low Code Technology
The combined power of these tools is what this acquisition is all about. The people who are closest to delivering the customer experience now have what I referred to as a “new superpower” to design and deliver better experiences for all.
Umesh admitted to being a “dreamer”, and I tend to agree. His thoughtful approach to the customer journey is about considering what’s possible for the customer first, then using technology to deliver on that.
Now, it’s time to think about how technology can understand and reflect emotional cues, empathy and knowledge in more personalized ways. Next, we will need to train and educate customer service representatives to show up for customers in the best possible ways–with the support of technology that helps them do so in a way that is complete.
CEOs are People Too!
Part of the fun of this interview was hearing about the way destiny played a role in these two leaders connecting in the first place. (It started with a coffee meeting in Manhattan years ago.) We then got into some discussions about what’s not on their LinkedIn profile, who serves as their mentors, what we would automate if we could, and what movies and books have taught us about the possibilities of AI!
(If you need more incentive to watch, let’s just say Umesh was in a band that covered Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses and others!)
The Future is Bright
What most excites me personally is how customer experience is evolving and how combinations like conversational AI and low code technology are based on the customer journey. The technology is there to support what’s best for the customer and those who serve them–and not the other way around.
The customer experience journey we’ve all been on is about to speed up even more. And I for one can’t wait to see where it goes.
Thank you to Umesh and Yochai for a great discussion about what’s possible.