Vice President of Customer Experience at Athens Services.

Cristian Herrera is a strategic leader with extensive experience in building customer-centric cultures and programs. He has been in the field of customer experience for over 22 years where he managed call center operations. Currently, he holds the position of VP of customer experience at Athens Services, where he oversees call center operations, along with marketing, communications, and sales. Herrera’s proficiency in project management, financial analysis, CRM implementation, team development, leadership, and sales has led him to achieve several golden feathers in his crown. Herrera has a proven track record in service marketing and success management, along with years of experience in marketing fundamentals and consumer behavior.

Please share with our readers some of the trends and challenges that your customers are experiencing and how it is impacting the space.

Historically, the concept of customer experience (CX) has been seen as purely the responsibility of customer support. However, today, this couldn’t be more inaccurate. In the past, CX was determined by whether or not the support representative on the phone or any other gatekeeper of company protocol would help in amending a product-related issue, and it was strictly customer service-driven and incredibly reactive.

Customer service is just one part of the customer journey, while CX encompasses all the interactions between a brand and a customer. Today, most customer service roles are transforming into CX as customers seek a seamless support journey from the very beginning to the end. Focusing on the entire customer journey, from prospect to retention, CX ensures customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty to the organization

  Customer service is just one part of the customer journey, while CX encompasses all the interactions between a brand and a customer. Today, most customer service roles are transforming into CX as customers seek a seamless support journey from the very beginning to the end 

One of the biggest challenges of CX is that, as it focuses on the entire journey, it necessitates the testing of processes that do not function optimally. Being responsible for CX, our job is not only to identify these issues but also to find sustainable solutions that mitigate these current and upcoming issues. It is to ensure all the issues are being addressed with sustainable solutions, along with meeting clients’ expectations and fostering lasting bonds.

What are some of the technological trends that are expected to evolve in the next couple of years?

Chatbots, fueled by AI, are dramatically transforming businesses and are emerging as a viable customer service channel. Today, customers can hardly differentiate between interacting with a human and a computer due to chatbots, resulting in the delivery of exceptional CX tailored to their needs, indicating AI has come a long way in recognizing the content and context of customer requests and inquiries.

Oftentimes it is frustrating for customers when the chatbot solely depends on keywords to answer customers’ inquiries. While the computer recognizes keywords, it may not recognize the context in which they are being used. In other words, the computer often fails to understand natural language patterns, leading to customer frustration.

In the future, chatbots are unlikely to replace human interaction in call center roles, except for handling lower-level requests, questions, or complaints. Undoubtedly, Chatbots and AI are on their way to mainstream acceptance.

What would be your piece of advice to your fellow peers?

 Learn as much as you can, stay updated, and always be in line with the latest trends. Technology is not static; it is continuously evolving. As a result, it is necessary for us to be prepared and equipped to adapt to any changes in the industry landscape.