By 2030, 69% of decisions during customer interactions will be made by smart technologies.

Cristina Blanaru All News, Business, Events, Marketing

Marketing Insiders Group brings to the forefront challenges and solutions of the European customer experience industry in the age of robots – at the 19th “Customer Care Conference & Expo” edition, between 15-16 May 2024, at Biavati Events, Bucharest.

With the acceleration of digitization and the AI revolution, the business world is rewriting its operational and cultural rules. Continuous adaptation through dynamic learning tools, technological innovations, strategic foresight thinking, and people-centered organizational structures have become imperative for the survival and evolution of companies, regardless of the field of activity.

About 90% of businesses say customer interaction performance is the top priority on their strategic agenda, beyond price, product, and traditional marketing.
We are witnessing the emergence of a new era of customer experience defined by hi-tech transformation, a holistic and ultra-personalized approach to customer experiences with brands, and the integration of self-service solutions.

Despite the expansion speed of artificial intelligence, the modernization of the European contact center industry is still at an embryonic level, only 11% of call centers in Europe have implemented Cloud solutions in the business Era of Generative AI. Beyond innovation, more than 64% of contact centers rate the overall customer experience at an average or below-average level. Companies must rapidly align strategic visions with technological reality and customer behavior transformations, and find agile operational routes for this transition period that brings both opportunities and challenges.

Here’s what the customer experience market looks like now, in a few numbers that the´Marketing Insiders Group  CX consultants highlight:

  • 70% of customers expect any support agent they speak with to know the full context of previous interactions.
  • Companies aim for 90% of calls to be answered within 15 seconds, above the current standard of 80%.
  • 48% of consumers believe they should receive special treatment because they are loyal customers.
  • 58% of contact centers have increased training and development budgets for CX teams in the past year, becoming a priority, especially in the era of robots and hybrid operational structures that require new work assignments, creative thinking, and emotional intelligence.
  • 59% of customers prefer brands that respond to demands and complaints through social media channels; even more, such digital interactions are estimated to be six times cheaper than call center interactions.
  • 80% of organizations expect brands to compete primarily through CX results, and 72% of executives predict that AI will be the most important business advantage in the future.

Sources: Futurum Research in partnership with SAS – “Experience 2030” study, Puzzle – “State of Contact Centers 2024” study in which 750 industry leaders from Europe were interviewed, PwC, Forbes, CX Index, Zendesk, Gartner, Statista, Call Center Helper, Accenture, Invoca.

While AI is taking over countless tasks and increasing the speed of work in the customer relations sector and beyond, it demands new skills from subject matter specialists, new professional roles, and new ways of thinking – revolutionizing the workforce and success criteria in the customer care community. With these premises, Marketing Insiders Group organizes the 19th “Customer Care Conference & Expo” edition – with the general theme “Technology with Purpose. Service with Heart“. The business conference will take place on May 15 and 16, 2024 at Biavati Events Bucharest.

On the second conference day, after a series of presentations and free debates with top speakers, Marketing Insiders Group will celebrate the performance and passion of genuine professionals in the field through the 16th edition of the “Romanian Contact Center Awards” Gala. The gala is an emotional moment that recognizes the efforts and vision of the people behind some of the most beloved local and international brands – despite all the post-pandemic socioeconomic turmoil and the accelerated digitization process that redefined the CX arena.

The conference will address the three primary CX areas (people, business, technology) – all in a dynamic and interactive setting, debating the most important topics of the moment, such as:

  • unification of customer service, marketing, and digital communication strategies;
  • the “algorithm of empathy” – maximizing feedback tools, monitoring, and measuring customer feelings and emotions, through personalized approaches with a focus on loyalty;
  • cross-training and multi-skill programs to increase agents’ agility;
  • operational optimization directions for business growth in an ultra-competitive and unstable global context;
  • the impact of AI on employee experience, from induction, and training, to continuous development, resilience, and mental health;
  • omnichannel infrastructures, state-of-the-art innovations, and self-service solutions for easier and diversified customer access to the needed information and services;
  • the role of a sustainability culture for customer and employee retention, etc.

Madalina Vilau, multidisciplinary CX consultant, Managing Partner of Marketing Insiders Group: 

““More than 70% of leaders believe that getting to the next level of operational efficiency requires the entire business structure to grow around customer experiences; the product price and quality, or the inventiveness of the marketing campaigns remain important, but no longer play leading roles, as CX takes center stage. In the era of physical distancing and remote or hybrid working, the distance between departments should be smaller and smaller. The integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence solves many technical challenges, creating time and space for creative strategies, foresight, L&D programs, and customer centricity so businesses can focus even more on people – customers, employees, and partners.”

As in previous editions, the conference will have an unconventional format, with creative workshops and unique moments for the participants. This year’s speakers include business leaders and specialists who inspire positive change in business and in life, such as: Diana Stafie – Foresight Strategist and Founder of Future Station, Sorin Ropotan – Organizational and Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist, Eleni Poulimenea – Senior Solutions Consultant at Genesys (South East Europe and Israel), Alexandra Ilie – Head of Advisory Contact Center at ING Bank Romania, Edmona Popa – Business Consultant, Dan Mazilu – CEO and Founder of Mediatel Data, Andrei Florean – Customer Success Manager at Dendrio, Violeta Roșu – General Manager and Founder of Blue Point, Alin Roșca – CEO and Founder of RepsMate, Adrian Mîndreanu – Customer Experience and Product Manager at Mediatel Data, Alina Pencu – Customer Care Manager (South East Europe) at Schneider Electric, Daniela Pavlovici – Coach, Mindfulness Teacher and Facilitator, Mădălina Vilău – Business Consultant and Managing Partner of Marketing Insiders Group, Radu Cârlig – Co-founder of Wellnessentially, Armina Dobrica – Coach and Founder of Rookeyz, Florin Mitran – Physiotherapist and Founder of Fiziosport Therapy, Daniel Deaconu – Founder of The Simplifier.

Having a vast multidisciplinary training experience and a recognized passion for maximizing human potential and motivation, the “Customer Care Conference & Expo” 2024 Moderator will be the charismatic Aryana Popescu – General Manager and Consultant at Interpersonal Connections.

With loyalty and consistency year after year, Mediatel Data is the main sponsor of the 19th edition of the “Customer Care Conference & Expo”, as Platinum Partner.

Dan Mazilu, pioneer of the contact center technology sector and international business leader, Founder and CEO of Mediatel Data: 

“We believe in interactions that bring value to customers’ lives and in technologies that help contact center teams achieve unprecedented, exceptional results. With this philosophy of action, for over 28 years we have been bringing people closer through technological innovations that are continuously evolving, and simplify everything. We are honored to support the local customer service community, which is precisely why we invest in strategic education and business networking platforms that shape the future of CX in Romania – such as the Customer Care Conference & Expo.”

The business conference benefits from the support of multiple STRATEGIC Partners: Mystery Shopping Agency, Future Station, Design Thinkers Academy, Portal HR, Customer Experience Forum, Contact Center Magazine, Conference Arena, as well as from the promotion of influential MEDIA Partners: protv.ro and VOYO. “Customer Care Conference & Expo” 2024 attracted the interest and involvement of a wide network of Supporting Partners– Blue Point, Reps Mate, Genesys, Intrarom, and Spitch, as well as Wellbeing Partners – Wellnessentially, Fiziosport Therapy, and Rookeyz.