Andy Traba Of NICE On 5 Ways To Create a Wow! Customer Experience

Continuous Measurement and Optimization: Continuously measure the effectiveness of your customer experience strategies and remain open to adjusting. Utilize both quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback to gauge success and identify areas for improvement. This optimization helps ensure that your customer experience strategies remain relevant and impactful.

As a part of our series about the five things a business should do to create a Wow! customer experience, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Traba.

Andy Traba is Vice President of Product Marketing at NICE, helping brands create experiences that flow. With nearly 20 years of experience in product management, data science and business operations, Traba has led startups and large enterprises in driving AI-powered innovation strategies and go-to-market initiatives.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

Thanks for having me! My journey into tech and customer experience started back in 2004 when I landed a job at Mattersight, a company that was at the forefront of Customer & Behavioral Analytics. Believe it or not, Mattersight was leveraging AI to analyze and interpret customer behavior, long before AI became as mainstream as it is today — even pre-buzzword. I grew with the company, adapting and expanding my roles as we evolved.

When Mattersight was acquired by NICE in 2018 — the leader in customer experience software — I got to continue my journey at a much larger scale. My creative ability to simplify complex technologies and processes led me to focus more on product marketing, where I could make an impact.

Working at NICE is amazing — the depth and breadth of our offerings keep me constantly engaged. There’s always a new challenge and always an opportunity to make a real difference in how businesses connect with their customers. It’s been an exciting journey, and I’m eager to see what the future holds!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

When I first dove into the world of customer experience and contact centers, I was immediately bombarded with a dizzying array of acronyms. The tech space loves its acronyms but keeping them straight was a comical struggle for me. ACD turned into ACDC and when in doubt I just put “aaS” as the last letters to everything.

These mix-ups, while initially frustrating, ultimately highlighted a key point about clear communication. They reinforced the importance of clarity in product marketing, driving home the need to strip away jargon and ensure that our messaging is not only accurate but also engaging and free of unnecessary complexity.

None of us can achieve success without help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Success is rarely a solo journey; many incredibly talented colleagues have shaped my path. Rather than one particular individual, I’ve absorbed traits from a range of leaders who have made a mark on my professional development.

From some, I learned the art of influence and effective communication. From others, the importance of swift, data-driven decisions, crucial in the tech industry. And yet others taught me to always keep an eye on the “big picture,” aligning daily actions with strategic goals.

Overall, lots of people have left their fingerprints on my career, each uniquely helping me get to where I am today. Kudos to each and every one of them!

Thank you for that. Let’s now pivot to the focus of our interview. This might be intuitive, but I think it’s helpful to specifically articulate it. In your words, can you share a few reasons why great customer service and great customer experience is essential for success in business?

In today’s business landscape, customer experience isn’t just part of the business, it IS the business. Customers increasingly demand more from businesses and their expectations continue to rise especially as the world becomes more digital. In the past, factors like low prices or product features might have sufficed, but now they’re considered basic requirements. The experience economy has shifted the competitive battleground towards providing outstanding customer experiences consistently across all channels.

Customer service plays a crucial role in meeting these elevated expectations. Businesses that excel in customer service are rewarded with customer loyalty and increased sales, while those that falter risk losing customers to competitors. With the ease of switching between brands, businesses must focus on delivering competent, trustworthy and satisfying customer experiences across all support channels to retain their customer base.

In essence, the significance of customer service today stems from the simple fact that customers expect to be supported at every step of their journey, making it a vital aspect of business success.

We have all had times either in a store, or online, when we’ve had a very poor experience as a customer or user. If the importance of a good customer experience is so intuitive, and apparent, where is the disconnect? How is it that so many organizations do not make this a priority?

The gap between customer expectations for support journeys and the priorities set by business leaders stems from critical disparities. An ongoing challenge is the rapid evolution of customer wants and needs. Businesses may believe they’ve reached a stable point in meeting these expectations, but in reality, consumer demands continue to accelerate, outpacing businesses’ ability to keep up.

One reason for rising consumer expectations is known as the “expectation transfer.” This is when a consumer takes the best experience they have with a brand and transfers that expectation to the entire industry. In other words, the best experience becomes the bar of success for everyone, making it very difficult for brands to meet consumer expectations.

Additionally, organizations are not fully understanding and giving customers what they are asking for. For instance, despite consumers’ clear preference for channels like chat and self-service options, many businesses are not investing adequately in these areas. NICE’s Digital-First Customer Experience Report revealed that while 52% of consumers prefer chat support, only 31% of businesses offer it. Similarly, only 11% of businesses prioritize making self-service smarter, despite 36% of consumers desiring this. This lack of alignment with customer preferences poses significant challenges in managing the volume and variety of interactions across digital channels.

To address these disparities, organizations must prioritize gaining deeper insights into customer behavior and understanding what customers require for a satisfying experience. This information should guide decisions on aligning technology investments with customer preferences, emphasizing improvements in areas that matter most to customers.

Do you think that more competition helps force organizations to improve the customer experience they offer? Are there other external pressures that can force an organization to improve the customer experience?

The competition amongst organizations to provide the best customer experience has never been higher. Thanks to digital and AI advancements, consumers expect their issues to be resolved swiftly and effortlessly and organizations that cannot deliver on this expectation risk losing loyal customers. Customer loyalty isn’t a guarantee anymore, organizations must continue to work to retain their customers with the best experiences possible. Because digital and AI technology has raised the bar so much for organizations, it’s forced organizations to rethink the way they operate and integrate AI into their workflows.

Other external pressures on organizations to improve customer experience include regulatory changes, industry standards, technological advancements and shifts in societal values. Additionally, social media and online reviews can amplify customer feedback, making it essential for companies to prioritize customer satisfaction to maintain their reputation and brand image.

Can you share with us a story from your experience about a customer who was able to “Wow” their customers with NICE technology?

Certainly! Republic Services recently shared a compelling story about their ability to “wow” their 14 million customers. By partnering with NICE, they embarked on a journey to measure, assess and enhance customer sentiment with CX AI and furthermore improve the consistency of their customer experience and reduce the number of negative experiences.

Utilizing NICE Enlighten’s CX AI, Republic Services deployed AI-enabled omnichannel speech and chat analytics, AI-enabled agent soft-skill behavioral analysis, data-driven quality management and sentiment measurement and analysis. Republic Services fueled the business with robust customer insights, improved customer sentiment scores, established and supported new QC and knowledge management capabilities, created a formal coaching program and enhanced agent performance and retention.

The results really were remarkable: within just three months post-go-live, Republic Services saw an increase of over 120% in the number of coached actions. Furthermore, their renewed dedication to prioritizing customer satisfaction enabled them to significantly reduce negative to extremely negative sentiment within approximately six months. Republic Services was able to cast a wide net to identify critical call types and furthermore evaluate and act in ways that have really moved the needle. This story emphasizes Republic Services’ commitment to delivering exceptional experiences and leveraging CX AI to exceed customer expectations.

Did that Wow! experience have any long-term ripple effects? Can you share the story?

After implementing NICE Enlighten, Republic Services experienced a range of positive outcomes that extended beyond the initial implementation phase.

Republic Services observed a 30% reduction in repeat calls, as well as decreases in average handle time and non-talk time, despite facing a 17% increase in seasonal call volume. These metrics further emphasize the efficiency gains achieved through AI-powered targeted coaching and real-time AI analysis of every interaction.

Moreover, Republic Services attributes these positive outcomes not only to improved agent coaching but also to the implementation of NICE Quality Management powered by NICE Enlighten. This enabled continuous, data-driven improvements across various business functions beyond frontline customer support, including social media, digital marketing, self-service, IT, sales and business analytics.

Overall, the partnership with NICE has not only facilitated immediate improvements in customer satisfaction but also fostered a culture of continuous improvement and efficiency within Republic Services, as evidenced by reduced attrition rates and enhanced employee experience.

Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should know to create a Wow! Customer Experience.

• Implement the Right Technology Platform: To create truly remarkable customer experiences, business leaders must ensure they have a platform that manages 100% of their customer interactions. It’s not just about collecting data; it’s about integrating all necessary elements — data, channels, applications — onto a single platform. This convergence is crucial for crafting those ‘Wow! Experiences.’ Moreover, to deliver these experiences at scale, the platform needs to be empowered by AI. But not just any AI — AI that’s specifically designed for customer experience. This purpose-built AI understands the nuances of customer interactions and can proactively enhance every touchpoint.
• Hyper-personalize Experiences: Hyper-personalization goes beyond traditional service approaches by leveraging detailed insights to tailor every interaction to the individual customer’s needs and preferences. This strategy uses real-time data and predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs before they even express them, enhancing engagement and satisfaction. Hyper-personalization is critical for elevating your customer service standard and differentiating your brand in the market.
• Seamless Customer Journeys: Minimizing friction and ensuring seamless transitions between service channels is crucial. Customers expect a cohesive experience across all touchpoints, and they shouldn’t have to repeat information as they switch from one channel to another. Implement systems that maintain context across interactions to provide a fluid and intuitive customer journey.
• Cultivate a Customer-Centric Culture: Technology is only part of the solution; the people behind it are just as important. Developing a customer-centric culture within your organization is vital. Empower your employees with the proper training and tools to view and handle interactions through the lens of the customer, ensuring they can actively contribute to enhancing the customer experience.
• Continuous Measurement and Optimization: Continuously measure the effectiveness of your customer experience strategies and remain open to adjusting. Utilize both quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback to gauge success and identify areas for improvement. This optimization helps ensure that your customer experience strategies remain relevant and impactful.

Are there a few things that can be done so that when a consumer has a Wow! experience, they promote their positive experience to others?

It’s NICE’s mission to enable organizations to deliver exceptional next-gen employee and customer experience. We want our customers to be able to form the best possible relationships with their customers. Consistently delivering exceptional service and acting on customer feedback for continuous improvement will compel customers to share their positive experiences and recommend engaging with the business in their daily conversations. Reinforcement through loyalty programs, showcasing success stories and encouraging advocacy further enhances customer relationships. Through these strategies, companies not only create Wow! experiences but also cultivate a network of satisfied customers who advocate for their brand, thereby attracting new clients in the process.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Please follow NICE on social media for the latest updates on our groundbreaking work.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!