Closing the gap

Closing the gap
Creating intelligent experiences requires technical and non-technical talent, data-driven decision making, and a customer- focused mindset that is led from the top.
Intelligent customer experiences draw on data analytics and experimentation to pinpoint moments in the customer journey that compel customers to take action and inspire their loyalty. Creating these experiences depends not just on advanced technology but also people with the skill sets required to put it to use.
This includes engineers, of course, but many more capabilities are needed to create a truly intelligent experience. It requires user experience designers, product managers, data analysts and governance experts to ensure that the technology has a meaningful impact on the customer, that it serves the commercial aims of the business, and that it is applied cost effectively and on a repeatable basis.
Even before the pandemic, competition for digital skills was high. But the widespread shift to digital channels during lockdowns and the ‘great resignation’ of 2021, in which workers sought more rewarding opportunities en masse, brought it to fever pitch. This effect is far from over: in June 2022, the number of tech jobs advertised by US employers was 60% higher than it was a year previously, while analyst company Gartner expects this ‘critical’ shortage of IT skills to continue into 2023.
To deliver customer experiences that distinguish them from their competitors, businesses need a pipeline of talent for the various roles that are involved in their creation. And, to make the most out of this in-demand talent, they must foster a culture that empowers staff to serve their customers and establish working practices that bring teams together to deliver intelligent experiences.