Unlocking customer insights to drive sales and improve service levels with data and AI
In today’s data-centric world, businesses are sitting on a treasure trove of often-untapped customer data, writes Premlin Pillay, CEO of Tesserai, a division of Mettus. This invaluable data, stored across various platforms such as CRM systems, customer service databases and billing systems, presents significant opportunities for businesses to glean insights into customer behaviours, preferences and requirements. However, the obstacle in getting to these insights is effectively accessing and integrating this data to create a holistic understanding of customers.
Sales professionals frequently encounter obstacles in data access and integration, due to a lack of necessary skills and tools, as well as the fragmentation of the information across multiple systems. This hinders their ability to gain an in-depth, consolidated view of the customer, which limits their capacity to deliver personalised service and effectively meet customer needs
By harnessing data and employing analytical tools, sales teams can avoid these challenges. The analytical tools extract, integrate and transform data from various sources into a single, user-friendly dashboard, equipping salespeople with the essential information required for meaningful customer engagement. With this comprehensive perspective, they can better inform customers about the status of their inquiries, discuss usage, and recommend service and product enhancements.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools further enhance this process by analysing customer behaviours and forecasting buying trends. Advanced machine learning algorithms analyse extensive data sets to uncover patterns and trends, allowing organisations to anticipate customer needs and preferences.
These predictive capabilities empower sales teams to customise their sales approach and present relevant products and services at the right time. Additionally, AI-generated insights can reveal cross-selling opportunities by identifying complementary items that customers may very well consider.
Generative AI takes customer service to an entirely new level by facilitating personalised and context-sensitive interactions. By analysing the customer’s history and preferences, Gen AI can offer real-time, natural language responses, making conversations more relevant and engaging.
As an example, when a customer reaches out for support, Gen AI agents can suggest responses based on the customer’s past interactions and current questions, thereby boosting the efficiency and success of service delivery and ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction.
The strategic integration of data, analytics and AI equips businesses to deepen their understanding of customers and refine sales and service functions. By transforming fragmented data into actionable insights, companies can empower sales teams to build stronger customer connections, increase sales and enhance service quality, which are all key elements for sustainable growth and success in a competitive market.
In conclusion, harnessing data and AI empowers sales teams with in-depth insights to create personalised customer interactions, and enables AI-driven predictive capabilities to anticipate customer needs. Tesserai assists organisations to do exactly that. Through the integration of human expertise, advanced technology, and specialised data, the Mettus organisation ensures internal data proficiency, allowing businesses to manage risks and enhance performance.
