The pursuit of agility in customer service has become a priority in the Telecom sector. But contrary to what one might think, offering quick responses is not enough. The new race is for quality, and this primarily involves putting the customer at the center of decisions.
According to Marcos Guerra, CMO and CRO of Grupo Ótima Digital, true digital support must go beyond providing multiple contact channels. ‘Being available is not the same as serving well. What really matters is ensuring the customer is well served on the right channel, with the appropriate level of personalization. Only then can we resolve issues efficiently and build a relationship of trust,’ he says.
He argues that real-time service must consider the complexity of each request, dividing contact into two contexts: inbound, when the customer reaches out to the company, and outbound, when the company takes the initiative. Self-service works well for simple demands, like requesting a duplicate bill. However, more delicate issues, such as unrecognized bank transactions, require active and human listening.
Another factor to consider is consumer behavior outside business hours. ‘Today, a significant portion of interactions happen after 8 p.m. That’s when people have time to resolve the day’s pending matters. And this needs to be accounted for in the customer relationship strategy,’ he points out.
Sales bots and AI: progress requires balance
Conversational commerce, conducted through bots integrated into messaging apps, is also on the rise. According to the Panorama Mobile Time/Opinion Box – Bot Map survey, 72% of developers have already created sales bots, and 63% use sentiment analysis with artificial intelligence to assess user satisfaction in real time.
For Guerra, this scenario shows the growing maturity of the sector but also raises a warning: ‘Automation should simplify the journey, not complicate it. Sometimes the customer wants speed and to resolve everything with one click. But other times, they want to be heard. They want to talk, to vent. And the company that understands this gains an edge.’
The ideal support respects the customer’s moment, offers autonomy when it makes sense, and provides comfort when needed. The expert notes that real-time service isn’t just about being available—it’s about diagnosing the situation and acting with intelligence and empathy. And this depends not just on technology but also on decision-making. In Guerra’s view, the real race is directly tied to companies’ ability to put themselves in the customer’s shoes.
For Guerra, one of the barriers still hindering many businesses in their digital journey is the lack of a culture of testing and continuous learning. ‘Many people think they’ll nail the communication flow on the first try. But if you don’t analyze the data and understand the customer’s actual behavior, there’s no way to improve. Growth isn’t a method—it’s a mindset. Everything improves with repetition and adjustment.’
Guerra argues that every experience should be seen as an experiment, even to break stereotypes: ‘Who said the 50+ customer isn’t digital? You need to understand your audience better.’ The customer journey changes, and it’s essential to keep up with this change through data, testing, and strategic decisions.
He concludes with a challenge: ‘How much is your company willing to invest time in genuinely improving service every day? Because that’s the game.’
