FeatureIt should be no surprise to anyone that video conferencing has undergone massive adoption growth over the past 18 months. A recent Consumer Survey on Video Conversations: Trends, Fails & Wins showed 56% of UAE consumers to have spent significantly more time on video calls over the last 18 months as lockdowns became a catalyst for change in business operations.
And many want and expect remote work and other uses of video conferencing to continue beyond the current crisis. For example, two thirds of UAE respondents now prefer a video call over an audio call for a professional meeting.
Some 43% say they are distracted during video calls and need AI to handle operational minutiae and keep them focused
Regional organisations face another by-product of the pandemic however – the need to differentiate. Pre-COVID strategies on differentiation concentrated mainly on the customer experience CX, but it is also now incumbent upon business stakeholders to consider the employee experience EX.
Once remote work proved itself, it gave rise to an implied globalisation of the labour market. Differentiation now means globally competing for the talent needed to innovate effectively.
And this brings us back to the quality of video conferencing. The use of technology tools to deliver positive experiences hinges on the tools’ abilities to go beyond their tin-label functionality and into value-adding territory.
We need to take a fresh look at video communications technology to understand the gaps between what customers and employees want to experience and what they are currently experiencing.
More than half 56% encounter difficulties taking notes or capturing follow-up items on their VC platforms
After all, it’s concerning that 31% of UAE consumers reported being unable to tell if the people with whom they were conferencing were fully engaged, and a third said they found it hard to be energised or motivated on video calls.
Consider a platform that leverages the power of AI to help enterprises deliver customer and employee video conferencing experiences that transcend anything that has come before. Such a platform would automate and optimise conversations themselves in real time. Business-to-customer communications would be covered from self-service to agent-assisted service right through to post-interaction analytics. And employee-to-employee collaboration would receive the same treatment, resulting in optimisation of time usage and engagement.
The AI needed to drive these outcomes already exists. In fact, ‘conversational automation’ platforms conveniently combine natural-language processing AI, robotic process automation RPA, intelligent decision-support, intelligent self-service, voice biometrics, and other advanced technologies into enterprise-grade SaaS solutions. These platforms can be deployed in contact centres, for B2C and B2B communication, or within an enterprise to deliver remote working and more.
Respondents also want AI to help them get more out of meetings
The need for conversational automation in the enhancement of video conversations is suggested by psychologist Professor Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Communication model, which tells us that 7% of communication is verbal, 38% is tone of voice emotion and empathy, and 55% is visual cues. So, without effective video conferencing, today’s enterprises – whether they are trying to optimise CX customer experience or EX employee experience – are missing out on more than half the communication gamut.
We live in a video-centric world, where our customers and employees tolerate, expect, and even demand AI integration in their platforms to optimise their experiences. According to the consumer survey, 85% of UAE respondents approve of the use of AI tools to improve their video conversation experiences and 39% believe AI could help them develop a deeper connection with others on a call.
About three in ten UAE workers multitask while meeting, 44% confess to doing so secretly
Almost half 43% are open to being provided with advice from an AI agent on how best to engage their fellow participants based on emotional cues, and for the platform to provide real-time references to correspondence or documents relevant to the communication. Once active, AI-powered video communications platforms will allow participants to collaborate, interact, enquire, and answer as effectively as if they were conducting their conversations in person.
It is not difficult to visualise value in such systems for teachers trying to better engage students, or for bank tellers trying to assist depositors or advise investors. And, of course, salespeople will benefit greatly from quality communication channels with advanced digital coaches guiding them to successful closes.
AI-powered video communications platforms will allow participants to collaborate, interact, enquire, answer effectively
In the general case, however, conversational automation must be a means to an end. We must use it to differentiate, but also to stay productive. Team leaders recognise that in remote- and hybrid-working environments, optimisation of employees’ time-usage is a top priority. About three in ten UAE workers multitask while meeting; 44% confess to doing so secretly, and 36% would like AI to help them multitask more surreptitiously.
Respondents also want AI to help them get more out of meetings. More than half 56% encounter difficulties taking notes or capturing follow-up items on their VC platforms, and 31% are in favour of AI support in acting on points being discussed. Some 43% say they are distracted during video calls and need AI to handle operational minutiae and keep them focused on their fellow participants.
Team leaders recognise that in remote- and hybrid-working environments, optimisation of employees’ time-usage is a top priority
As an industry, technology tools that have seen strong adoption over the years have undergone significant functional overhauls. The more popular something is, the more optimisation it receives over time. Video conferencing’s significant increase in popularity heralds a forthcoming boost to the experiences it provides.
Customers and employees can best be served by conversational automation platforms that slicken workflow and supercharge value. Its underlying technologies support such a large range of use cases that we can expect to see many adopters customise it for broad and niche industry applications. What comes next is a new communications revolution.
UAE consumers reported being unable to tell if people with whom they were conferencing were fully engaged, and a third said they found it hard to be motivated.
