Businesses discuss role of generative AI in customer engagement

Businesses have been advised to adopt new technologies, such as Generative AI, to boost their customer experience.

These new technologies, when effectively applied in the customer experience space, will greatly improve meaningful interactions that eventually drive real value for both businesses and customers.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Metro Edge Technologies, the West Africa premier partner for Exotel, Kingsley Bennett, made the call at an Executive Roundtable for industry leaders to delve into the transformative potential of Generative AI in revolutionising customer engagement.

It was hosted by Exotel, a leading provider of cloud communication solutions, in partnership with Metro Edge Technologies, an indigenous IT firm providing simple, innovative and cost-effective technology solutions to enterprises and SMEs.

The closed-door event, which was held on the theme: “Create Value Beyond the Hype: The Role of Generative AI in Customer Engagement”, brought together about 30 C-level executives from some of Ghana’s top organisations, including Fidelity Bank Ghana, Ecobank Ghana, UMB, Guaranty Trust Bank Ghana, OmniBSIC Bank, Consolidated Bank Ghana, MTN, CalBank Ghana, ExpressPay, GLICO Group, First National Bank Ghana, Old Mutual Ghana, ADB and Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), among others.

Participants also explored how businesses in Ghana could harness the Generative AI technology to move beyond scripted interactions, offering customers personalised, natural, and engaging experiences that foster deeper connections.

The roundtable also fostered peer-to-peer learning and collaboration among industry leaders, creating a blueprint for organisations in Ghana to power contextual customer conversations through innovation. 

Improved engagement

Mr Bennett said Generative AI was useful in a cross-section of industries where it had been deployed in personalised marketing, enhanced customer support and content creation, among others.

“The data tells us Generative AI has led to improved engagement, increased interactions and provided accurate, invaluable customer insight, which hitherto will have been difficult to come by.

“It is, therefore, imperative for businesses who are focused on cost efficiency, scalability, enhanced creativity and a desire to understand the needs of their customers to explore solutions that are steeped in Generative AI,” Mr Bennet said.

Paradigm shift

Addressing the forum, the Africa Sales Director at Exotel, Vishal Miglani, said generative AI represented a paradigm shift in customer engagement and businesses that operated without it risked losing out.

“Generative AI represents a paradigm shift in customer engagement. It’s not just about technology; it’s about creating meaningful interactions that drive real value for businesses and customers alike.

He said it was essential for customer care practitioners to take cognisance of the changing phases of the industry and take measures to stay up to date with the various evolutions. We know how simple, yet complicated the customer is and how the customer’s needs have changed over time.

“Generative AI will make our work as CX experts a lot easier and meaningful as far as we adopt the appropriate AI tools for our work,” Mr Miglani said.