Focus on the customer, based on a relationship approach centered on courteous service in stores and loyalty programs. If this is still the proposal of many companies, it's time to change. The consumer's purchasing behavior has evolved. Digitalization has transformed retail for years, but now artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally redefining consumption, automating and personalizing purchasing decisions, often invisibly.
And this change is just beginning. According to McKinsey consulting, by 2030, 70% of purchasing decisions could be made without human intervention. This means seamless journeys, voice shopping, 24-hour service without queues, and increasingly demanding consumers. Additionally, 42% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from brands that offer personalized recommendations.
"Being customer-centric today requires more than just listening to the consumer. It is necessary to understand how technology influences their choices and to make ethical decisions about how to use it. Transparency, empathy, and digital responsibility must go hand in hand with innovation," says Andrea Rios, omnichannel specialist, founder of Orcas, and guest professor at Fundação Getúlio Vargas's MBA.
According to the specialist and CEO of Orcas, it is also possible to rely on AI in different sectors and purposes, such as organizing complete trips, from flights and hotels to tours. Furthermore, it can already be used to offer financial services based on the user's history. Not to mention the routine grocery or pharmacy shopping, where the algorithm almost "guesses" the customer's shopping list.
Therefore, Andrea cites 3 changes that AI has brought to the consumer purchasing journey:
- Automated preferences curation
The trend is increasingly that the entire purchase journey is guided by AI. "In the discovery phase, AI acts as a preference curator, suggesting products even before the customer expresses a need. The example of TikTok, Amazon, and many other platforms that use algorithms to anticipate desires proves this," explains Andrea Rios.
- Smart comparison and dynamic pricing
In the consideration phase, virtual assistants and AI synthesize reviews and compare products, while dynamic pricing systems adjust values in real time, creating highly personalized experiences. The purchase, in turn, is completed by chatbots, with smart checkouts and minimal human interaction.
- Fast and effective customer service in after-sales
In after-sales, these solutions solve problems, prevent cancellations, and keep the consumer engaged. In the market, AI is already a reality; the Indian company Meesho, for example, already uses generative AI for customer service. With over 160 million users, the platform implemented a voicebot that responds in English and Hindi and resolves 95% of inquiries. Technology has reduced call center costs by 75%, providing greater efficiency for the company and faster service for the consumer.
"Faced with the increasing control of AI throughout the entire journey, many ethical questions arise. Who truly makes the decisions? The consumer or the AI, serving interests that are not always clear? How to leverage the benefits this transformation offers while maintaining transparency and ethics with the customer?" questions the specialist.
The answer lies in how companies choose to use AI. From a support tool, it becomes an essential strategic pillar. "Those who know how to combine data intelligence, digital empathy, and ethical automation will have a huge competitive advantage. More than efficiency, the challenge is to create delightful experiences without losing the human touch to attract and retain increasingly demanding consumers, driven by data and influenced by systems they don't always understand. Brands that act with intelligence and sensitivity will lead the way," he concludes.
