When CX and EX collide: technology strategies for a new era of working

The shift from using offices to hybrid working has changed how we define “working” and also how we think about the customer experience and employee experience (CX and EX).

Before the rise in hybrid working, these experiences were split: there was the office-based employee experience and the (usually) contact-center-based customer experience. But although customers would connect with employees through contact centers, contact center agents were not always seen as office employees.

Today, these different worlds have collided, and it’s the best thing that could have happened.

Our 2023 Global Customer Experience Report (read the report here) notes that, in the context of CX, EX has emerged as the top C-suite priority, with the spotlight mainly on technologies that enable and empower employees and raise efficiency levels. So, the better the employee experience, the better the customer experience.

Connecting the home and office

Many employers want employees to come back into the office more often.

Employees aren’t convinced.

This means companies face the challenge of making their workspaces more appealing and productive. That doesn’t mean creating a homely office environment; rather it’s all about making it easier for employees to do their work when they’re in the office and to build connections with colleagues. Let’s be honest, some brainstorm sessions or complex interactions give the best results when done face to face, sitting next to each other. This improves employee satisfaction.

Intelligent workspaces are one possible solution. Using advanced technology like facial recognition to eliminate key cards and give access to systems creates a wow factor.

At the same time, it’s important that smart offices and integrated meetings rooms keep colleagues working from home in mind. No matter how comfortable and interactive the meeting room in the office is, if an employee working from home can’t see and hear their colleagues clearly, they’ll lose focus and won’t be part of the conversation. For hybrid work to work, organizations must consider all employees, not just those working from the office.

Gearing up to use generative AI

Employees want tools to help them perform better, and organizations recognize the potential of AI to enhance CX and EX. Our report shows the top outcomes of AI are increased efficiency and speed, improved personalization, and greater customer retention.

In a complex environment, integrating many tools into one platform makes it easier for the employee to use those tools and service their customers. AI can remove some of the stress of searching for the right information and the right tool, and AI productivity tools can automate basic tasks that are necessary but not really productive. Take meetings. How often are you stuck with no minutes of the meeting or a record of action points after discussions? Well, now an AI copilot can systematically do that for you, reducing the amount of frustration in your life and improving the quality of your work.

AI is a powerful tool, but you must use it right. AI is like a Formula 1 racecar: if you don’t learn how to drive it and you don’t finetune it before you hit the accelerator, you’re going to speed into a wall.

Data must be managed well and properly classified to ensure that generative AI doesn’t access confidential information. Defining, classifying and setting the scope of what AI can access is essential and should best be attempted with an experienced partner like NTT DATA.

AI and the Rubik’s Cube of omnichannel communication

Hybrid working is bringing together people at the office, but our report shows that only 43% of employees who interact with customers directly are currently based in the office full-time, while the remaining 57% work remotely, either full-time (30%) or as part of a hybrid working arrangement (27%). With fewer people making phone calls, communication has become more complex.

For employees, the world of messaging tools has become overpopulated. Searching for answers through all the channels they have access to reduces productivity. At the same time, customers want instant answers to their questions, through their preferred channel: voice, email, chat, WhatsApp, browsing on the website, you name it.

Now add the extra dimension of AI to handle some of that customer traffic as self-service. If the AI cannot help the customer, there has to be a mechanism to get them through to a human agent. The agent must also know what questions the customer has already asked and what answers they received, so the customer has a seamless interaction when switching from chatbots to human agents.

The problem keeping our clients awake at night is this: how do you get AI to give accurate answers? And who are you going to put behind the machine to answer the customer’s question if the AI doesn’t have the answer? Passionate people with experience are in short supply.

Tools must be set up the right way, give easy access to the right information and have the learning capability to improve constantly. I think AI will assist customers and employees, but I don’t think it will ever fully replace the employee.

The human touch remains essential

Caring for employees is crucial, given the challenges of a heavier workload and blurred work–life balance. Remote work’s nuances, like answering emails at odd hours, underscore the need for responsible integration of AI tools. Embracing AI not only enhances employee performance but also streamlines tasks, yielding superior outcomes.

I embrace the link between customer and employee experience. Happy employees take good care of your customers.

Read more about NTT DATA’s Digital Collaboration services and get a copy of their 2023 Global Costumer Experience Report.