How I Spent My Summer Internship – Learning That I Expect an Excellent Customer Experience

The night before I started at Vee24, I endured my first-day jitters by distracting myself. I kicked my feet up, watched The Real Housewives on TV,  scrolled through Twitter on my phone and indulged in some retail therapy on my laptop. Surrounded by my digital crutches, I prepared to start my first day.

When I arrived at the office early Monday morning, I was launched into the fast-paced environment of the sales office. I began to familiarize myself with the Vee24 omnichannel platform, learning the language of the high-tech market and just what artificial intelligence is. The newness of the Vee24 acumen was both nerve-racking and exciting at the same time.

By my second day, I realized that it’s not all that unfamiliar to me. My biggest revelation was that the Vee24 product is actually what I expect as a consumer. It wasn’t an extra indulgence, but a fundamental aspect of any successful eCommerce company.

When I online shop, I expect an excellent customer experience. AI Chatbots that help me late at night are essential, while video chat that can create a concierge experience is needed when I’m buying luxury items. In the future, I see myself signing important financial documents using functions such as co-form fill with a trusted online advisor.

Millennials and future generations are thrilled by self-service options. Being able to get help anytime, anywhere is increasingly becoming a requirement for consumers. 63% of millennials actually prefer live chat over traditional contact channels like a time-consuming call.

Convenience is crucial to our increasingly digital world.

What I will take away from this internship is my increased focus on the digital transformations ahead in the future of retail, banking, and other industries. Gartner predicts that by 2021, 15% of customer service interactions will be resolved with AI; this is an increase of 400% from 2017. As the future of the customer experience continues to plow forward, I will watch to see which companies embrace the digital era.

Take it from someone who expects a customer experience that includes omnichannel capabilities: It is time to embrace digital transformation.