Latest news with #JaapArriens
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Can AI With A Human Touch Help Restore Confidence In Customer Service?
A simple question, but one for the ages: What makes great customer service? From my experience – and borne out by our research over a number of years - customers value empathy, reassurance that their needs are understood, and confidence that appropriate action is being taken. Quite simply, they want a personal response and genuine care. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) should, in theory, help businesses provide more efficient service, supporting and freeing up employees to create better and more personal interactions. AI offers new capabilities to respond faster, personalize communication, understand connections, and spot systemic issues earlier. Yet, despite these possibilities, customer satisfaction remains stubbornly low. According to the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), a twice-yearly study of nearly 60,000 customers, satisfaction is at its lowest point in a decade, costing businesses billions every month in lost productivity and damaged customer loyalty. AI of course has huge potential to improve things. However, to fully harness its potential, we need to first understand why customer satisfaction has fallen and what the real concerns of customers are. We know that trust is becoming increasingly critical for consumers, and that there is a strong correlation between trust and customer service – our research shows that higher levels of service drive higher levels of trust. Despite growing adoption, I'm often asked: do customers really trust AI? There are many factors keeping consumers skeptical about AI in customer service, and perhaps more so about the organisations deploying it. Some examples here are frustrating chatbot experiences, a loss of control over interactions, question marks around how data and information is being used by organisations – or indeed just a genuine preference for human reassurance around complex queries and difficult situations. However, there are reasons to be enthusiastic about AI, if it's implemented correctly. Alongside improving customer interactions when implemented well, much of AI's impact comes from enhancing the customer service journey from behind the scenes. Use cases include analyzing large data sets to predict issues, providing real-time prompts to agents handling complex cases, and helping plan and allocate resources more effectively during peak times. Customer-facing AI adoption may continue to face some resistance, but its potential to improve service design and delivery – particularly for commonplace transactional interactions – offers hope for improving customer satisfaction in the future. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images AI tools used in customer-facing roles can process vast amounts of information much faster than a person. For example, IBM reports that chatbots can answer nearly four-fifths of routine questions, providing quicker and more detailed responses than a human could. Air India is one example demonstrating AI's effectiveness, with nearly 97% of inbound customer queries now handled by AI, saving time and millions of dollars. AI also helps monitor interactions, analyze persistent problems, and offer real-time insights that can improve both short-term staff deployment and long-term company strategies. On top of this, it is enabling personalized customer experiences, such as faster check-ins or tailored onboarding programs. These are all great examples of how a strategic investment in AI can complement existing service strategies to the benefit of both customers and the organisation's bottom line. When you consider that the UKCSI shows that service failures continue to cost UK businesses £7.3bn per month, there is a lot to be learned from successful process improvements – however they are achieved. Recent research by a team from Harvard and The Hebrew University found that up to 50% of participants would wait for extended periods for a human response over an AI response. Furthermore, when participants believed they were interacting with a human, they read the answers as more empathetic, even when they were actually generated by AI. So, there is something in the fact that we do as human beings trust a human response more than an automated one. As our human response to these AI generated messages demonstrates, AI service tools have evolved beyond limited and robotic messages. AI can detect emotions, pick up on social cues, and respond with the appropriate tone. It can also deliver fluent responses in multiple languages - vital for industries like travel and hospitality. Ultimately however, AI becoming more human raises ethical questions that business leaders need to answer. Uncertainty around the future implications of AI is forcing leaders need to make difficult decisions that may test their moral judgement. The right choices will protect their companies' long-term reputation with customers and employees and ensure sustainable future growth. Technology is changing by the moment and offers immense potential in unlocking knowledge and data but can be cripplingly expensive when firms don't get it right – in fact, just recently we saw UK retailer Marks & Spencer face a £300m loss because due to a large-scale cyber-attack. And indeed, when we look at the £7bn a month estimated cost of service failings I mentioned above, some of this is undoubtedly caused by an over-reliance on AI-powered solutions. Technology is not a panacea. The key to serving customers well – and ensuring they stay loyal, spend more, and recommend you to others – lies in understanding their journeys and touch points. It's not a question of either/or when it comes to technology and the human interface, what matters is the context and intent behind each customer interaction. How you make your customers feel, and whether you build or erode trust in your brand though your interactions, is what counts. As customers we are seeking reassurance that the basics will be right. We are also looking for those magic moments that spark genuine delight and get us recounting our experience to others – which in turn builds up the crucial brand affinity, trust, and reputation that truly differentiates your organisation.
CNET
6 days ago
- General
- CNET
How to Enable Stolen Device Protection on Your iPhone in a Few Easy Steps
If someone takes your iPhone, you might panic. Replacing an iPhone could cost over a thousand dollars, which is not fun, but if the culprit knows your passcode, they could access your messages, photos and other sensitive information. Enabling a feature called Stolen Device Protection can help alleviate some of the stress you might feel if this ever happens to you. Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection when the company released iOS 17.3 in January 2024. The feature aims to protect your data if your phone is stolen or falls into nefarious hands. "Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as home or work, and helps protect your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone is ever stolen," Apple wrote online. Here's how to enable Stolen Device Protection and what to know about the new security feature. Read more: How to Make Your iPhone's Stolen Device Protection More Effective How to turn Stolen Device Protection on Here's how to enable this security feature: 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode -- you might have to enter your passcode. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. Tap the toggle next to Stolen Device Protection to enable the feature. Read more: How to Give Stolen Device Protection a Boost What to know about Stolen Device Protection Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security to your iPhone. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto/Getty Images As CNET's David Lumb reports, Stolen Device Protection requires you to enter your biometric information at least once to access some of your sensitive settings and information when you're not in a familiar location, like your home. Here are some of the things Apple said you'll need to enter your biometric information for in order to change or access when you're in an unfamiliar location: Using passwords or passkeys saved in your Keychain. Using payment methods saved in Safari that autofill. Turning off Lost Mode Erasing all content and settings on your iPhone. Applying for a new Apple Card. Viewing your Apple Card's virtual number. Taking certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in your Wallet, like initiating a transfer. Using your iPhone to set up a new device. The feature also uses a new mechanism called Security Delay when changing some settings. If you try to change these settings when away from a familiar location, Stolen Device Protection will require you to enter your biometric info twice: once initially and then again after an hour. According to Apple, if you arrive at a familiar location while waiting for the Security Delay to end, your device could prematurely end the delay. Here are some of the things Apple said are protected by Security Delay: Turning Stolen Device Protection off. Changing your Apple ID password. Signing out of your Apple ID. Updating your Apple ID account security settings, like adding or removing trusted devices. Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID information. Changing your iPhone passcode. Resetting all your iPhone's settings. Turning Find My off. You can also choose to always require Security Delay, even when you're in a familiar location. That way if your iPhone goes missing in the building you live in or another location your iPhone recognizes as a familiar, you'll still have this layer of protection. Here's how to always enable Security Delay. 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode -- you might have to enter your passcode. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. Tap the toggle next to Stolen Device Protection to enable the feature if you haven't. 5. Tap Always under Require Security Delay. You can still make purchases with Apple Pay if Stolen Device Protection is turned on. Budrul Chukrut/SOPA/LightRocket/Getty Images Because Stolen Device Protection only protects a handful of settings, you still have to take steps to protect your other information. For example, Apple notes that you can still use your iPhone passcode to make purchases with Apple Pay, so Stolen Device Protection won't totally protect your finances. While Stolen Device Protection is an optional feature and doesn't protect everything on your phone, Apple still recommends everyone turn it on. For more iOS news, here's all the features included in iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet and what we hope to see in iOS 19.
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Forbes
Never Use These 100 Websites With Google Chrome
You have been warned — check Chrome now. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto A serious new warning for Google Chrome users this week, with the release of a list of websites you must never use. There's a twist though. These websites hide behind major brands and trick you into installing dangerous malware. The tell is simple though — so while the list of websites is linked below, there's an easier way to stay safe. With Chrome users already facing a critical update warning, DomainTools found more than 100 websites [listed here on Github] 'masquerading as legitimate services, productivity tools, ad and media creation or analysis assistants, VPNs, Crypto, banking and more.' Each website includes a Get Chrome Extension or Add to Chrome button. DomainTools warns that while the extensions correspond to ones on Google's Chrome Web Store (CWS), these 'typically have a dual functionality, in which they generally appear to function as intended, but also connect to malicious servers to send user data, receive commands, and execute arbitrary code.' DomainTools has examples of fake DeepSeek, YouTube, Flight Radar, Calendly and VPN websites and extensions as lures. Extensions partially work, but are 'configured with excessive permissions to interact with every site the browser visits and retrieve and execute arbitrary code from a network of other actor controlled domains.' Dangerous extensions DomainTools Unsurprisingly, the hosting infrastructure is common across the campaign. While mimicking DeepSeek and YouTube is simple brand hijacking, fake VPN extensions as a means to attack Chrome users ie beyond ironic. These VPN extensions connect to a malicious backend client [to] listen for commands." When instructed, the extension 'uses to retrieve all browser cookies.' it can even inject scripts into open Chrome tabs to run its own malicious code. Website lure and malicious extension DomainTools DomainTools says these attacks have been more than a year in the making. 'This malicious actor has deployed over 100 fake websites and malicious Chrome extensions with dual functionalities. Analysis revealed these extensions can execute arbitrary code from attacker-controlled servers on all visited websites, enabling credential theft, session hijacking, ad injection, malicious redirects, traffic manipulation, and phishing via DOM manipulation. Some extensions were also observed attempting to steal all browser cookies, which may lead to account compromises.' While the Chrome Web Store 'has removed multiple of the actor's malicious extensions after malware identification,' DomainTools warns 'the time lag in detection and removal pose a threat to users seeking productivity tools and browser enhancements.' To stay safe, check carefully before installing extensions. While that means using official stores, it also means checking names and reviews carefully and ensuring developers behind those extensions have been verified. Such add-on software is a well-proven vulnerability with Chrome, and 'vigilance is key to avoiding these threats.' Most of the API domains identified by DomainTools as being part of this attack have a .TOP top level domain. Yet another warning to see .TOP as high risk at all times.
Business Mayor
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Mayor
BYD beats Tesla in European EV sales despite EU tariffs in 'watershed moment,' report says
Though the difference between the two brands' monthly sales totals is relatively small, the implications of BYD beating out Tesla 'are enormous,' says Felipe Munoz, global automotive analyst at JATO Dynamics. Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty Images Despite incurring a higher tariff rate than Tesla , Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD sold more pure battery electric vehicles in Europe for the first time ever last month — a 'watershed moment' for the region's car market, according to a report from JATO Dynamics. New car registrations data from the automotive intelligence firm shows that BYD's Europe volumes rose 359% in April from last year as the company continues its global expansion efforts. Over the same period, Tesla reported yet another monthly drop, with total volumes down 49%, JATO said. That follows protests against CEO Elon Musk and the company in the region. JATO's data comes from 28 European nations. BYD's success in the EU comes despite the economic bloc's imposition of punitive tariffs on battery EVs made in China last October. The EU attributed the move to unfair trade practices. The punitive tariffs appeared to be favorable to Tesla, assigning its made-in-China vehicles a 7.8% duty compared with BYD's 17%. Other Chinese EV makers were given tariffs as high as about 35%. The EU also has a standard 10% car import duty.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
EU accuses TikTok of violating digital rules over ads
TikTok The TikTok logo is seen on a mobile device in this photo illustration. Image: Jaap Arriens, NurPhoto via AFP The EU accused TikTok on Thursday of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform was not transparent enough about advertisements. The European Commission "found that TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of the advertisements, the users targeted by the ads, and who paid for the advertisements", it said in a statement. It is the first time Brussels has formally accused TikTok of breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU's landmark online content law. "In our preliminary view, TikTok is not complying with the DSA in key areas of its advertisement repository, preventing the full inspection of the risks brought about by its advertising and targeting systems," the EU's digital chief, Henna Virkkunen, said. TikTok said it was reviewing the commission's findings and remained "committed" to complying with the DSA. "We disagree with some of the commission's interpretations and note that guidance is being delivered via preliminary findings rather than clear, public guidelines," a TikTok spokesperson said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Under the DSA, the world's largest digital companies must establish an advertisement library that shows information about the adverts that run on their platforms. The EU hopes that any ads library is then easily accessible to researchers and civil society to detect scam adverts and hybrid threat campaigns. TikTok trends The DSA, which entered into effect last year, is part of the European Union's powerful armoury to rein in big tech, and gives the EU the power to hit companies with fines as high as six percent of their global annual revenues. TikTok is still under investigation in the same probe launched in February 2024 amid fears it may not be doing enough to address negative impacts on young people. A key worry is the so-called "rabbit hole" effect -- which occurs when users are fed related content based on an algorithm, in some cases leading to more dangerous content. The EU launched investigations last year into claims TikTok was used by Russia to sway the result of Romania's presidential election, and over its Lite spinoff app. The company backed down and permanently removed a feature in the Lite app in France and Spain in August after regulators warned it could be very addictive. EU states including Belgium and France also recently raised concerns with the EU over the "SkinnyTok" trend promoting extreme thinness on TikTok. TikTok has said it does not allow the display or promotion of dangerous behaviours related to eating habits and weight loss. The DSA has more stringent rules for the biggest platforms, and demands tech giants do more to counter the spread of illegal and harmful content as well as disinformation. The EU last year accused X, owned by US tech billionaire Elon Musk, of breaching the DSA over its blue checkmarks for certified accounts. And as part of a wide-ranging probe, the EU is looking into the spread of illegal content and the effectiveness of the platform's efforts to combat disinformation. AFP BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
