What does CX need to keep up with the true modern consumer?

Since the internet has consolidated itself as the main channel of communication and sales, it has become almost a mantra in the market the phrase: “the current consumer is connected”. Although still true, the sentence today is quite simplistic.The consumer is not only connected, he is more informed, demanding and less tolerant of failures.

Forbes data reveals that nearly 60% of customers would pay more for better service. Still, less than half (45%) are satisfied with current interactions, and 39% accept failures just to avoid bureaucratic or ineffective experiences. The numbers show a contradiction: while expectations grow, brands still do not seem to keep pace with changes.

With this, AI emerges as a key piece to reduce this distance.Statista projections indicate that the AI market should move US$ 827 billion by the end of the decade, driven mainly by the ability to process large-scale data and customize interactions. However, the return will not be immediate. Again based on the numbers, Forrester survey shows that only 49% of companies expect ROI in up to three years; for 44%, the deadline comes to five years. It is a game of patience and long-term vision.

The advancement of generative and autonomous solutions extends this potential

With multi-agent systems, AI can respond to demands, anticipate needs, make real-time decisions and interact in a personalized way with each customer. This changes the role of service, from reactive function to an active value-generating center.

Only technology, however, will not be enough. McKinsey points out that, even today, 86% of companies keep fragmented data between platforms, which prevents integrated journeys. This model goes directly against the sense of the contemporary market, where experience is an essential factor for retention and growth. 

Leadership in CX therefore needs to evolve beyond process management. An analytical mindset is needed, capable of interpreting data in real time and making informed decisions.This includes understanding the ethical implications of using AI, establishing data governance, and promoting interoperability between systems. 

There is also a strategic dimension to change. Service, historically seen as a cost center, is repositioned as a value engine. The movement requires metrics that go far beyond response time or cost per interaction, encompassing the impact on loyalty, the average ticket and the customer lifetime value, aspects that AI, if well implemented, can consistently leverage.

While autonomous agents offer agility, scale, and a new possibility from data; people ensure empathy and contextual judgment, brands that can balance all this from well-orchestrated, adaptive leadership will be the few to be able to satisfy the true modern consumer. 

*Executive with global experience, working in markets in Latin America and the United States, Simone Bervig has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, branding and technology, and collects passages by technology multinationals such as SAP, Citrix and SAS. She is a columnist at MIT Tech Review, a member of Angel Investor Club and a mentor at AngelUs Network. Currently she is Marketing Director of MakeOne Group.