Yes, you're waiting for yours...

Well as I was reminded earlier by another ex colleague, I'm waiting too...!

Perhaps one of the most interesting quotes from @Elonmusk is one we should dwell on... It certainly shows the Agile-mindset. It also focuses on saving money and time, and improving quality fundamentally. It also means that priorities are better applied to creating Value...

The best part is no part / the best process is no process

When you look at the obsession for adding chat and improving chat on websites, I've never wholly understood the desire for annoying irrataions whilst trying to quickly get something done.... What? I hear you exclaim! Yes I want a customer to be responded to quickly - that's why they call you...But it's precisely why I don't like press 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 for the other etc. That is how to have an answer-service provide a customer with an appetite to leave you after, if they're lucky, only 20 minutes of waiting. Quickly.

Chat is a side order of the same, particularly with a bot. Even with a perfect AI lead helper it won't be successful....after all the customer had to engage the chat, just as they had to call you.

I do see AI as very useful in the future for the voice call response, not needing press 7 for this, 8 for that and 9 for a bit of the other, but instead providing an interaction to service the customers request as if a helpful colleague...

So why make these comments? Well today chat is a poor substitute for doing the right thing, having a quality journey to deliver what the customer wants. And it's not a fix to offer poor telephone support either. We all know the drill, when an answer phone message starts by saying that the telephone operators need to be respected and not sworn at...you know it maybe time to leave that particular service provider if you can.....

So what is the right thing? Think of the customer....

Put them central, ensure the main routes to product and service work and are seamless - Great UX, In the mind of the customer. And when it goes wrong, answer the phone (until an intelligent robot can obviously). Chat is in the same area as this new robot...

Chat is appropriate to warn customers your service sucks obviously, but for updated workflows and processes (with removed unneeded parts as per Elon), you shouldn't need to have chat there anyhow...its not a part of the desired journey and needs removing (if only for the good part!)

If you want to think of the customer, breathe life into your journeys, and work in their mindset, I'm happy to help...

It instantly will sell more products and services...and make your customers happier with your brand...