Despite the digital revolution, customers still crave something profoundly human: empathy, understanding and connection. As AI becomes more embedded in customer service the challenge is not only technological – it’s emotional.
Anne-Marie Pretorius, MD of Bizmod, says: “Businesses must now ask: how do we humanise AI to truly serve the customer?”
Customers expect a fast, seamless service, across all channels. They are wanting minimal wait times, empathetic problem resolution and hyper-personalised customisation. “Yet despite significant investments in technology, the customer experience (CX) often falls short of these expectations,” says Pretorius.
“Seeing the CX as the core of customer centricity, long-term business success and elevating its executive level focus, is a key mind shift required by management.”
She adds that only when CX is viewed as more than just a cost centre can businesses begin to implement the right technologies – including AI – to deliver exceptional service.
While AI dominates the tech landscape, Pretorius cautions against getting lost in the hype. “At its core AI is still a sophisticated algorithm. It is not a conscious being. The responsibility for outcomes still lies with the user,” she says.
Companies must view AI as an enhancement to the CX landscape – not a replacement for human interaction or a tool for reducing headcount.
Pretorius advocates for a hybrid approach: let machines and humans do what they do best. AI excels predictive analytics and repetitive tasks – like searching for payment histories, resetting passwords and answering FAQs. Humans on the other hand, thrive in complex, emotionally nuanced situations – such as handling bereavement claims, de-escalating an irate customer, or interpreting sarcasm.
Ethical governance is critical. The Turing Institute recommends that AI projects adhere to four key principles:
- Fairness –mechanisms to measure and mitigate bias.
- Accountability – clear oversight and auditability.
- Sustainability –awareness of AI’s real-world impact.
- Transparency – the ability to explain AI decisions in plain language.
For Pretorius transparency is paramount. “Customers deserve to know why a decision was made and that it was made fairly
“Most research shows that customers overwhelmingly prefer human connection,” she concludes. “The ultimate advance in CX is not replacing people with AI but empowering them with AI co-pilots to handle more intricate, meaningful interactions.”