Brands often see premium CX and low prices as a trade-off. However, consumers expect both. A Five9 report shows 72% value support quality while 45% are motivated by deals. The key is to see them as complementary expectations that build loyalty, not an either/or choice.
Consumers are no longer a monolith; they simultaneously seek deals, reduce spending, or pay a premium for specific items. Single-path strategies will fail. Retailers must adopt scenario-based planning to cater to these diverse and often conflicting behaviors when planning inventory, pricing, and messaging.
Building loyalty with AI isn't about the technology, but the trust it engenders. Consumers, especially younger generations, will abandon AI after one bad experience. Providing a transparent and easy option to connect with a human is critical for adoption and preventing long-term brand damage.
Instead of focusing solely on CSAT or transaction completion, a more powerful KPI for AI effectiveness is repeat usage. When customers voluntarily return to the same AI-powered channel (e.g., a chatbot) to solve a problem, it signals the experience was so effective it became their preferred method.
Current AI interactions often feel disjointed—an abandoned cart triggers a separate email later. The future of CX will use AI to create a seamless, continuous engagement that persists across sessions and channels, making the journey feel like a single, uninterrupted conversation rather than a series of divorced steps.
Citing CX expert Gene Bliss, the guest advises against perfecting every touchpoint. Instead, leaders must identify the few critical moments in the customer journey where failure is "game over" for the relationship. It's more effective to perfect these moments while accepting mediocrity in less critical areas.