Case Studies: Brands Using AI to Enhance Customer Experience Responsibly
Use of AI by airlines takes off
Air travel is known for a couple things: being the fastest way to get around, and creating horror stories — missed connections, delays, lost luggage, and plenty more nightmare scenarios. Several major airlines have invested heavily in using AI to reduce this ever-present friction, and it seems to be paying off in customer satisfaction and trust. United Airlines is using AI to create customized messages that detail exactly why a flight isn’t on schedule and what to expect. Specific messages like these simply aren’t feasible for humans to create at the appropriate scale, but this technological solution manages it easily.
“Getting a specific reason for the delay made me feel like the airline had things under control”
Pretty solid endorsement, I’d say.
In addition, Alaska Airlines has been testing AI as a master route manager, calculating how to coordinate flights efficiently and taking into account all the variables that can cause slowdowns, like weather, closed airspace, and the flight paths of other planes. While this was only used for about 25% of Alaska’s flights in 2023, it amounted to 41,000 minutes of saved flight time. Time saved by the airline itself directly translates to time saved for customers as well, so these small efficiency tweaks powered by AI can bring us into a future where the thought of flying is less groan-inducing.
Investing with a theme
J.P. Morgan Chase has recently introduced IndexGPT, an AI-powered tool using OpenAI's GPT-4 model to create thematic investment baskets. The tool generates keywords for specific themes and uses natural language processing to identify relevant companies, allowing for a broader range of stock selections beyond obvious choices. The goal is to use AI’s exceptional pattern recognition and extrapolation to create a more effective and approachable method to investing in thematic keyword buckets.
AI analyzes the data and makes predictions to make the important lines go up 📈
This development is part of a broader trend of AI integration in the financial industry - other examples include Morgan Stanley's AI assistant for financial advisers and the use of AI in venture capital to analyze data on startups and find sound targets for VC-backing. J.P. Morgan Chase sees IndexGPT as just the first step in a long-term process of integrating AI across its products.
Targeting generative AI to assist workers and customers
Starbucks’ favorite retail sweetheart, Target, has begun testing a generative AI chatbot that aims to assist workers with how to handle some common tasks. The on-device assistant’s goal is to give workers “confidence to serve our guests,” said Target’s chief information officer, Brett Craig. As shopping online becomes ever more convenient, stores like Target are experimenting with new ways to make the in-person experience easier and more seamless.
Target is adding AI as another arrow in its quiver of tools to improve customer experience.
Craig was quick to dismiss any claims that these types of tools are to replace workers. He’s adamant that they are simply a way to improve employees’ ability to manage their work and be as helpful as possible for customers. They’re playing to the strengths of both humans and AI to create an experience that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
The many benefits of responsible AI use
As evidenced by these few examples, AI can really enhance the customer’s experience with your brand when used in a way that’s intuitive and sometimes a little creative. When it’s used to give your customers a smoother ride, AI’s benefits can include:
Enhanced customer satisfaction: Personalized recommendations and efficient service improve the overall customer experience.
Increased sales: Targeted marketing and personalized offers lead to higher conversion rates.
Cost savings: AI-driven customer service reduces the need for extensive (and expensive) human resources.
All this means that adding AI to your brand’s toolkit can create extra-strong relationships with your customers and make your business one they’ll remember and respect.
