Conversational commerce and conversational AI for the telecommunications industry in 2022
Accelerated investment in digitalisation has led corresponding investments in telecommunications infrastructure, which has enabled better consumer connectivity and accelerated transition of companies into industry 4.0. Telecommunication carriers are certainly best positioned for this transition and they are also driving it by introducing the most advanced technology solutions for conversational commerce and AI.
Increased competition has led telecommunications companies to fight each other to provide the best offers through promotional campaigns and affordable, unlimited plans. E-commerce has created new opportunities for the telco industry by allowing customers to easily choose from a multitude of comparable offers online. Recent data from LivePerson shows that customer journeys in this industry have largely shifted online or to digital channels, which are more convenient and time-efficient compared to visiting a physical store. Consequently, carriers need to provide instant added value to their website visitors through engaging solutions driven by conversational technology.
Telco sector in 2021
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4 in 5 telco executives are re-evaluating their automation initiatives (EY)
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Telcos investment in AI technologies increased 24% year-over-year (McKinsey)
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Average daily broadband consumption has increased 3GB per user (KPMG)
Conversational commerce solutions provide effective support and drive sales
Conversational commerce solutions help telecommunications companies improve their responsiveness and encourage live interactions with customers to increase the possibility of remote conversion. In practice, this means combining automated communication tools with a customer by using a chatbot, SMS, email or IVR in combination with agent support via phone or even live video.
By using comprehensive integrated conversational solutions telco companies can raise their customer communication to the next level.
Most frequently, conversational solutions serve as a tool to support customers, although they have become increasingly focused on marketing support and sales promotion in recent years. In the age of the fully connected consumer for whom information is one click away, it is crucial to capture the customer's attention immediately at the beginning of the purchase path or research phase and avoid missed online sales opportunities (conversion).
Conversational artificial intelligence creates added value for carriers in 2022
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3x increase in sales with proactive messaging
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Reduced labor cost per interaction by 50%
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Up to 25 point boost in CSAT scores
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90%+ first contact resolution, reducing repeat inquiries
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Messaging agent absentee rates cut in half vs voice
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90%+ automation rates on key intents
The most important thing about conversational commerce and conversational artificial intelligence in the telecommunications industry is that it helps agents and marketers be more customer-focused and allows them to track customers' buying journey through customer intent identification and automated communication. For example, technology presents the offer, answers the most common questions, solves key challenges and agilely provides solutions here and now at any point of contact and through various communication channels (SMS, chat tools, IVR, email, etc.). It puts the customer's needs at the centre of their marketing process, encourages decision-making, encourages purchase, and fosters brand loyalty.
A1 Slovenia improves call centre operations and supports online sales
In addition to e-commerce, A1 Slovenija decided to integrate conversational commerce into its Customer Support Service, which communicates through various digital communication channels in one place. The result is shorter queues on telephone lines, simplified work for call centre agents, faster and standardized responses to recurring customer challenges and, above all, higher quality and standardized call centre processes. The know-how gained from using conversational commerce solutions has now been transferred from call centres to the online sales segment as the A1 chatbot demonstrated to be an excellent salesperson and consultant.
