At the core of our approach is a customer-centric mindset that consistently places our customers and their success in the spotlight. This mindset becomes especially crucial when we’re integrating AI into our operations.
Think of AI as a new addition to our team—a valuable resource aimed at automating repetitive tasks and boosting efficiency. But it’s important to remember that AI is not human. This transformation creates a customer journey that’s both human and AI-driven, and we aim for it to be a seamless experience between these interactions.
That’s precisely why incorporating customer feedback into the entire customer journey is more important than ever. To emphasize its importance, let’s consider that we’ve started to have blind spots in our customer journey, as some touch points involve solely AI interactions. While I wouldn’t recommend this, I understand it’s a possibility.
If there are no humans present at some touch points along the way, at the very least, we could ask about it. We should ensure the overall experience remains smooth and doesn’t require our customers to repeat or explain information they’ve provided in previous interactions. This highlights the importance of asking for feedback overall.
The most traditional and popular ways to gather customer feedback include customer surveys, NPS scores, likes buttons, or questions added to bot conversations like “Did this help?” I’d like to draw our attention to something that is not a new concept but is particularly relevant in this new AI era, and I’d like us to explore it.
Online Community:
Online communities are like digital hangout spots where people who share common interests or goals come together to chat and help each other. These online communities offer various benefits, like sharing information, providing support, making connections, and collaborating on projects. They’re great for networking and building a sense of belonging with like-minded individuals. Companies often use them to gather customer feedback, provide customer support, and enhance brand loyalty. They’re a fantastic way to share knowledge and ideas while having a good time with others who are into the same stuff.
Why?
I understand that using online communities for customer feedback might not be the most straightforward concept, as it may raise concerns about potential negative feedback in a public space. However, I recommend it for a specific reason. If you want to demonstrate that you have a customer-centric approach, this is the ultimate way to do it.
Be confident enough to use this approach, regardless of the feedback it may generate. Be honest, accountable, responsible, and provide feedback in a timely manner. There are numerous positive reasons for doing this, both internally and externally, which I would like to elaborate on.
External Benefits:
Community Engagement: When customer feedback is shared within an online community, it encourages more community members to participate in discussions and provide their own feedback, creating a sense of involvement and engagement.
Crowdsourced Solutions: Public feedback can lead to crowdsourced solutions, with other community members offering their insights and suggestions to help address customer concerns. This collaborative problem-solving can result in innovative solutions.
Visibility and Trust: When customers see your commitment to addressing feedback in a public online space, it can enhance trust and credibility. Potential customers may be more inclined to trust a brand that openly discusses and addresses concerns.
Transparency: Publicly addressing feedback demonstrates transparency, showing that you are willing to openly discuss and resolve issues. This transparency can be a powerful factor in building trust with your audience.
Demonstrate Customer-Centricity: Publicly handling feedback highlights your customer-centric approach, which can set you apart from competitors and attract customers who value companies that prioritize customer satisfaction.
By using online communities for customer feedback, you harness the power of community engagement, crowdsourced solutions, and transparency, which are unique benefits compared to private feedback channels.
Internal Benefits:
Team Collaboration: Online communities foster collaboration among internal teams. Teams across departments, such as product development, marketing, and customer support, can collectively engage with customer feedback, leading to a more comprehensive understanding and better solutions.
Collective Learning: Public discussions in online communities provide opportunities for internal teams to collectively learn from customer feedback and gain insights that can inform various aspects of the business, from product improvements to marketing strategies.
Cultural Alignment: Publicly addressing feedback reinforces a culture of customer-centricity within your organization. This shared commitment can help align teams around a common goal of enhancing the customer experience.
Efficient Knowledge Sharing: Public discussions within online communities allow for efficient knowledge sharing across the organization. Teams can easily access and learn from the insights and suggestions provided by customers.
Motivated Workforce: When employees see their efforts in addressing customer feedback making a positive impact in a public online space, it can motivate and empower them to actively engage in the improvement process.
These internal benefits emphasize the value of using online communities to gather customer feedback in a public forum, where cross-team collaboration, collective learning, cultural alignment, efficient knowledge sharing, and employee motivation can thrive.

From me:
In the ever-evolving landscape of AI, embracing a customer-centric approach is not just a choice, but a necessity. It’s about acknowledging the role of AI as an essential part of our team, while also recognizing its differences from human counterparts.
As we continue to blend human and AI interactions, it’s crucial to maintain a seamless customer journey and ensure that customer feedback remains at the heart of our operations. We might encounter challenges along the way, such as moments when AI takes the lead in customer interactions, but we must address these with transparency, honesty, and a genuine commitment to improvement.
Now, let’s talk about the less traditional but highly effective method I belive in:
online communities.
These digital hangout spots offer a unique platform for engaging with our customers in an open and public space. While it may initially raise concerns about potential negative feedback, using online communities demonstrates our unwavering dedication to a customer-centric approach. It’s about being open, accountable, and responsive, regardless of the feedback we receive.
By doing so, we not only strengthen our internal processes but also build stronger relationships with our customers. It’s a chance to learn, grow, and adapt, keeping our focus firmly on their success.
Remember, our journey with AI is a continuous exploration of how technology can enhance our customer interactions. It’s a journey we undertake with an unwavering commitment to delivering the best possible experiences.
It’s my honor to lead this exciting path of AI and customer-centricity.