Latest news with #ZigSerafin
Bloomberg
09-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Qualtrics on AI Agents in Experience Management: Tech Disruptors
'What we're finding is that greater customer experience is particularly critical when you have more uncertainty in any particular market' explains Qualtrics CEO Zig Serafin to Bloomberg Intelligence senior technology analyst Anurag Rana, 'What's interesting is if you hone in on understating what drives your customer behavior, that usually brings more stability to uncertainty.' In this episode of Tech Disruptors, Serafin and Rana sit down to discuss Qualtrics' history in customer experience (CX), autonomous AI agents in CX, and the data that underpins its AI use cases.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Agentic AI And Building Connections With Customers
We are social beings and, as such, our connections are important to us. Moreover, our connections to other people get stronger when they show up in the moments that matter to us. The same is true for brands. When they show up in the moments that matter to us, they can make us feel understood, heard, and respected. Getting that right can, in turn, drive increased loyalty. That was one of the big themes of Qualtrics CEO Zig Serafin's opening keynote address at the company's X4 event in Salt Lake City recently. AI Agents getty However, Serafin also believes that many brands have a problem. He believes that brands often spend too much time managing and optimizing transactions, and that by not immediately acting on insights and the feedback that customers share with them, particularly in crucial moments, they are holding back their efforts to deliver great customer experiences. Moreover, in doing so they also risk missing the big picture: the opportunity 'to create real human connection.' Qualtrics' announcement of their new Experience Agents™, a series of highly specialized AI agents that utilize agentic AI, aims to remedy that. After his keynote, Serafin explained to me that, up until now, the Qualtrics platform has been used to create powerful insights and diagnose problems, helping companies listen to their customers, understand what actions to take, and know which direction to go in the market. However, with the launch of their Experience Agents, brands will be able to go further and autonomously take action on those insights in real time. To bring this to life, Serafin likened their Experience Agents to having the best company representative you can think of show up on demand, in the moments that matter, to both customers and employees, and be able to take action and resolve the issue. One of the most interesting ways that they are applying their new agentic capabilities, particularly when it comes to building connections with customers and acting in the moments that matter, is what they have done within their core surveying product. Their new conversational feedback capability allows them to adapt survey questions in real time based on customer responses, particularly if the responses are incomplete or partial, and then, based on that insight, take action to help resolve the customer's problem. For example, imagine you are a sports fan and during a recent game, the food service was particularly slow. You share your frustration in a feedback survey. But, rather than waiting to have someone follow up later, an Experience Agent responds in real time and within the survey to learn more about the problem. It then acts to resolve the issue by providing a personalized offer of two complimentary passes to the Club Lounge at the next home game for the inconvenience. According to Brad Anderson, President of Products, UX, and Engineering at Qualtrics, this allows their customers to not only add seven percentage points to their survey completion rate but also enrich the quality of data that they collect by around 40% as a result of their adaptive approach. That is not insignificant, especially when you consider that the average response rate to a customer feedback request is sub 10%, with some organisations operating with a completion rate in the 3-4% range. Think about that for a minute. Think about how much more data and actionable feedback you would get with a 7% uplift in your survey response rates, and what if that data also improved in quality and actionable insight by 40%. The problem with all of this, however, is that people are sharing less and less direct feedback with companies. In fact, Qualtrics' own research suggests that customers are increasingly sharing less direct feedback via surveys, social media, or reviews on third-party ratings sites after good or bad experiences. So, why put in the effort into surveys? Well, for two reasons. Firstly, most companies still use surveys. According to Forrester's data, 96% of all CX programs still use surveys. Secondly, and most importantly, customers often only complete surveys if they have had either a really great or a really bad experience. So, it matters that they are still willing to share their perspective and can do so directly, particularly when something goes wrong. Moreover, the ability to act on that feedback empathetically and in real time is a capability that will help brands build better connections with their customers. That, as Serafin points out, is where the big opportunity lies for those wanting to deliver great customer experiences.
Associated Press
19-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Qualtrics Report: Executives are Hesitant to Lead in AI Transformation, Putting Up to $1.3 Trillion at Risk
AI creates estimated $860 billion opportunity in customer experience; market leaders prioritize improving customer experience and could extend their lead with AI Industries expected to see the biggest gains are business and professional services, consumer retail, and retail banking QUALTRICS X4, SALT LAKE CITY, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from Qualtrics reveals a majority of senior executives are reluctant to lead their industry in AI adoption - a reality that could see many organizations miss out on their share of a trillion dollar opportunity while early adopters get rewarded with exponential gains. Findings from the Qualtrics report reveal organizations across a range of industries stand to gain an estimated $860 billion in annual revenue and cost savings - a figure which could rise to $1.3 trillion - by using AI to improve the experiences they deliver to customers. While three-quarters (72%) of executives say AI will significantly change how they approach customer experience over the next three years, few executives are willing to lead the charge. Only 15% of executives aspire to be at the forefront of how AI changes the business landscape. Organizations investing in customer experience are already gaining market share that could prove significant. Market leaders1 are more than twice as likely to have made improving experiences a greater priority over the past three years compared with their peers. These leaders can further separate themselves by adopting and integrating AI in how they deliver customer experiences today. Organizations that don't risk falling further behind. 'Companies that deliver great experiences build deeper relationships with their customers, and AI is transforming these interactions, going beyond measuring experiences to closing the loop with customers in the moment to make every connection count,' said Qualtrics CEO Zig Serafin. 'Qualtrics AI is already helping organizations respond and deliver personalized, proactive and empathetic experiences that increase loyalty, boost employee engagement, and drive greater business insights and opportunities.' Using AI to improve customer experience is a multi-billion dollar opportunity for every industry The $860 billion value from powering customer experience with AI comes from three primary areas. Increased productivity, such as by automating routine tasks, contributes an estimated $420 billion, accelerated topline growth adds $260 billion, and streamlined processes, such as automatically solving customer issues, save organizations $180 billion annually. At an industry level, the largest gains are in business and professional services ($150 billion), consumer retail and retail banking (both $100 billion), commercial insurance ($70 billion), and small business banking, clinical care, and hotels (all $60 billion). Beyond business value, executives expect AI to directly enhance customer experiences. They anticipate it will have the greatest impact on improving product quality and delivery (45%), enhancing customer support (44%), personalizing experiences and enabling more empathy in engagements (both 39%). Effectively implementing AI requires a cross-organizational approach with centralized leadership Almost half of executives (42%) expect to see a significant measurable impact within two years from using AI to improve experiences. An additional 42% expect to see impact in three to five years. For executives wanting to accelerate their AI efforts, the key to a successful rollout is having an organization-wide strategy under centralized leadership, rather than running disparate programs. However, while 89% of executives report having at least one AI initiative underway, just 12% of executives have this strategy. Market leaders stand out again in this respect: they are 2.3 times more likely to take this path compared with more stagnant companies. Key actions to realize the value of AI in customer experience To overcome this challenge, the report identifies seven key actions organizations must take. Set AI ambition and value strategy to decide where to invest in AI. Establish risk and ethics guidelines for responsible and compliant AI use. Create the technology and data foundation to evolve and grow with AI technology. Design AI organization and governance team to oversee company-wide implementation. Launch high-impact priority use cases to build momentum for expanded implementation. Develop the talent strategy with employee training. Lead the cultural shift of embracing AI as a core enabler of customer experience. The full report is available at including case studies and a framework for the necessary capabilities to implement AI-enabled customer experience. Download it here. Qualtrics wishes to thank the organizations whose input and analysis helped inform this report, including McKinsey & Company. Qualtrics redefines the future of Experience Management with Experience Agents This week, Qualtrics announced Experience Agents: highly specialized AI agents that autonomously deliver exceptional customer and employee experiences at scale across every channel and interaction. Experience Agents will interact directly with customers and employees to deliver personalized, proactive and empathetic interactions that increase loyalty, boost employee engagement, and drive business insights and opportunities. They scale across every channel and touchpoint, respond in-the-moment to fix or improve experiences, and track market trends to pursue strategic opportunities. Qualtrics also announced new capabilities in the XM® for Customer Experience suite that allow businesses to bring together structured and unstructured feedback across every channel to create a complete view of their customer experience; get instant access to customer feedback, competitor insights, and industry benchmarks to take quick and targeted action; and equip frontline teams with real-time insights, support, and recommendations to improve experiences in the moment. These new capabilities give organizations the omnichannel insights they need to win in the era of agentic AI. Methodology The executive data for this report comes from a global executive study conducted by Qualtrics XM Institute in the fourth quarter of 2024. Using an online survey, XM Institute collected data from 1,501 executives from companies with 1,000 or more employees. The surveyed executives who work at companies headquartered in either Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK, or the US (300/country). Respondents were screened to include positions VP-level and above. AI opportunity estimates are based on McKinsey research on AI experience to value. About Qualtrics Qualtrics is trusted by thousands of the world's best organizations to power exceptional customer and employee experiences that build deep human connections, increase customer loyalty, boost employee engagement, and drive business success. Our advanced AI and specialized Experience Agents allow businesses and governments to proactively interact with customers and employees in personalized ways across every channel and touchpoint, respond in-the-moment to fix or improve experiences, and stay across the latest market trends and opportunities.
Associated Press
17-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Qualtrics to Introduce Experience Agents at X4 Conference, Redefining the Future of Experience Management
Qualtrics AI agents will step directly into customer surveys, online product reviews and website visits to resolve every point of friction, anticipate needs, and proactively serve every customer and employee at unprecedented scale Experience Agents are just one of the innovations that will be unveiled at Qualtrics X4 March 18-20 in Salt Lake City QUALTRICS X4, SALT LAKE CITY, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualtrics, the leader and creator of the experience management category, today unveiled Experience Agents™: highly specialized AI agents that autonomously deliver exceptional customer and employee experiences at scale across every channel and interaction. Unlike transactional AI agents that promise efficiency, Experience Agents are designed to interact directly with customers and employees. They are rooted in the unique ability of Qualtrics® to understand the human experience. Experience Agents will interact directly with customers and employees in personalized, proactive and empathetic ways that increase loyalty, boost employee engagement, and drive greater business insights and opportunities. The specialized agents scale across every channel and touchpoint, respond in-the-moment to fix or improve experiences, and track market trends to pursue strategic opportunities. With Experience Agents, companies no longer have to wait to take action from feedback from surveys, call center chats, online reviews, and online interactions. Agents can step right into the customer interaction and resolve the issue in the moment in ways tailored to individual preferences and needs. For example, a sports fan might leave feedback that the food service was slow at a recent game. Rather than follow up later, an Experience Agent will respond in real time within the survey to learn more about the problem, and resolve the issue with an on-brand response personalized to the fan. In the future, Qualtrics expects Experience Agents to engage not only in moments of friction, but proactively based on previous interactions with customers and employees, brand expertise, and industry context. They will be able to anticipate needs and proactively engage with customers and employees to continually elevate the experience. 'The best organizations in the world trust Qualtrics AI today to make every connection count, and Experience Agents represent a radical shift in what's possible from an Experience Management platform,' said Qualtrics CEO Zig Serafin. 'Only Qualtrics has the deep human understanding and industry-specific expertise to power a true agentic experience across billions of touch points, on every channel, and in every moment that matters.' 'Qualtrics continues to show its innovative leadership with the introduction of Experience Agents to not only further improve customer experiences, but to make paradigm shifts in the way businesses can operate in the world where Customer Experience continues to be a priority,' said Lou Reinemann, Research Director, Voice of the Customer and Customer Success, IDC. 'Partnering with Qualtrics is allowing us to provide personalized, meaningful responses to our clients' concerns at scale in an efficient and consistent way,' said Ilana Boyum, Vice President, Voice of the Customer and Customer Insights, Fiserv 'Proactive intervention is key to connecting our patients with care and bolstering their engagement. By leveraging Qualtrics Agentic AI, we can anticipate patient needs, remove barriers to access, and create more seamless experiences; it's what ensures better access, better experiences, and ultimately, better outcomes for our patients,' said Maggie Gentry, Director, Experience Analytics, Community Health Network. 'Leading the way in healthcare innovation means embracing the most advanced tools available. Collaborating with Qualtrics will enable us to deploy agentic AI to better understand and respond to the needs of our patients, reinforcing our commitment to setting new standards in care excellence,' said David Entwistle, President and Chief Executive Officer, Stanford Health. Experience Agents on show at Qualtrics X4 2025 Qualtrics will introduce its new Experience Agents at the Qualtrics X4® 2025 Experience Management Summit, which kicks off in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. The annual event brings together thousands of C-suite executives, thought leaders, and Experience Management professionals to hear how the world's leading brands are delivering business success by elevating the customer and employee experience. This year's X4 will feature keynote conversations with Donna Morris, Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer at Walmart Inc; Bill McDermott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ServiceNow; Rob Swain, Chief Operations Officer at KFC; and Tonya Webster, Chief Customer Experience Officer for New York state; as well as influential music producer Rick Rubin, Hall of Fame Marketing Executive Bozoma Saint John, and renowned business leader Danny Meyer. The three-day event includes more than 100 sessions from businesses including Hilton, adidas, Ford, Verizon, Google, LinkedIn, New Balance, Workday, Indeed, Roblox, Shake Shack and more. More than 20+ Qualtrics Partners will be at X4 2025 to showcase how attendees can drive value from their experience management programs, including Diamond Partners Bain, commonFont, and EY. Qualtrics, the leader and creator of the experience management category, is a cloud-native software platform that empowers organizations to deliver exceptional experiences and build deep relationships with their customers and employees. With insights from Qualtrics, organizations can identify and resolve the greatest friction points in their business, retain and engage top talent, and bring the right products and services to market. Nearly 20,000 organizations around the world use Qualtrics' advanced AI to listen, understand, and take action. Qualtrics uses its vast universe of experience data to form the largest database of human sentiment in the world. Qualtrics is co-headquartered in Provo, Utah and Seattle. To learn more, please visit
