Dell Technologies Realize magazine Issue 1 | Page 24

VOICES The Ultimate Differentiator Karen Quintos, Dell’s EVP and chief customer officer, reflects on how technology can enable a more customercentric approach to business. BY KAREN QUINTOS 22 The customer experience matters now more than ever. Today at Dell Technologies, customers expect more than industry-leading solutions and services. They also expect an industry-leading experience and relationship that helps accelerate their business. That’s why the customer relationship has quickly become the ultimate prize for companies both large and small. In today’s all-digital world, technology is the enabler for this exceptional experience and relationship. This is true beyond the tech industry. Forrester Research estimates that nearly 90 percent of enterprises are investing in tools and technology to improve their customer experience initiatives. So how do you put technology to work in improving the customer experience? Here’s a look at the potential we’re seeing for tech to drive a company’s ultimate differentiator. LEAD WITH INSIGHTS Contrary to what some may think, technology and “machines” will not make the customer experience impersonal or disconnected. Rather, a strong humanmachine partnership will result in stronger “human-human” relationships as companies lead with insights through a customer-first approach. The rapid emergence of predictive analytics, Internet of Things, machine learning, and artificial intelligence is allowing companies of all sizes to leverage customer data to understand customer behavior like never before, enabling a more personalized and proactive customer experience. This is key, as according to PwC, 75 percent of consumers say they want more human interaction in the future, not less. Technology can make that human interaction more personalized, productive, and value-driven.