AI and Customer Experience: Taking the turn without missing the road

Faced with major technological advancements, some leap forward… while others cling to the past. The internet, mobile technology, digitalization—each of these turns has been missed by some, sometimes with dramatic consequences. Today, AI is the next unavoidable shift. It is transforming marketing, customer relationships and commerce. But like any innovation, AI comes with pitfalls. How can we navigate without taking the wrong path?

For those who still doubt that a revolution is underway - or who hesitate to experiment with AI - let’s recall a few historical failures:

• Blockbuster, which dismissed streaming as a passing fad, only to be completely overtaken by Netflix.

• Nokia, convinced that a phone should only be used for calls, was surpassed by the iPhone and its app ecosystem.

• Social media skeptics, certain it was just a student craze, missed the boat entirely.

With AI, beyond the hype, significant changes are emerging in customer experience—and last week’s articles were full of examples.

AI shifts the focus from products to customer experience

In Journal du Net, the article “Augmented Customer Experience: The New Currency of Trust in Banking” argues that the battle between traditional banks and neobanks is no longer about products or rates, but about customer experience.

“Trust is now built on the ability to deliver a frictionless experience, where customers feel understood and supported at every step. The banks that succeed will be those that turn data into actionable insights, without ever sacrificing transparency.”

This is excellent news! Let’s hope banks—and other sectors—follow this path.

AI for inclusion

One of AI’s greatest strengths is its ability to make services accessible to all. Walmart is a prime example (Newsweek, 09/19/2025):

“We want every customer to feel at home on our platform, regardless of language or location. AI allows us to shift from mass logic to community logic, where every customer feels unique.”

How Walmart is making e-commerce more inclusive:

• Instant translation: Browsing and shopping in your native language.

• Contextual recommendations: Suggestions based on cultural or religious factors.

• Accessibility: Voice recognition for visually impaired customers and interfaces adapted for seniors.

Beware of risks and use cases

When automation goes too far

AI is not a magic solution. Several companies that bet on fully automating their contact centers have had to backtrack.

A recent example is Klarna, which laid off 700 employees after replacing part of its customer service with AI—only to rehire to compensate for declining service quality.

Do not overlook simple automations

Before diving into AI, many businesses still have basics to improve, such as:

• Digitizing processes, especially for request management (e.g., smart forms, digital signatures, reducing emails).

• Optimizing CRM for a 360° view of the customer and high-quality data (a recent CallMiner study found that 62% of companies struggle to leverage their CX data).

• Structuring knowledge bases and fostering collaborative work.

Some rule-based automations don’t even require AI—far from it!

Essential safeguards in the age of AI agents

With the rise of autonomous AI agents (which decide and act), risks are increasing.

Here are four golden rules to implement from the start:

1. Establish governance for AI adoption within your organization and define a strategy.

2. Start small: Test AI internally before impacting customers.

3. Test, test, test: Ensure AI implementation truly helps you achieve your goals.

4. Keep humans in the loop: Include human oversight and escalation to employees for complex cases.

Conclusion: Be curious, but cautious

Ignoring AI could be as strategic a mistake as dismissing the internet in the 1990s. But rushing in without safeguards is equally dangerous.

The question isn’t whether to be for or against AI, but how to organize ourselves to learn to work with it - and measure its impact objectively.

Do you have an AI/CX project? Let’s talk!

Is there a specific CX topic you’d like to see covered in a future article? Let me know!