Understanding the behavior and character of customers, it is much easier to offer a useful product to them: artificial intelligence is helping to examine consumers, according to Andriy Burlutskyi, Strategic Marketing Director at SMART business. The specialist also shared information about the integration of AI into Ukrainian companies and its impact on society.      

Interviewer: AI Conference Kyiv (AI)
Respondent: Andriy Burlutskyi (A.B.)

AI: How does artificial intelligence develop business (increases revenue, causes robust competition)? 

A.B.: Artificial intelligence allows companies to transform the industry they are engaged in and create innovations. Certainly, it has a positive impact on business growth and enables fair competition. We can see this based on the results of projects in all countries that have our clients or SMART business offices: from Germany to Azerbaijan and from the Netherlands to Ukraine.      

The emergence and development of AI have resulted in the competition paradigm change. Technologies have become as available as companies can easily produce a high-quality product. Therefore, it is the brand and the way of how companies communicate with clients that come to the fore now. AI encourages the company development, allows to allocate available customer data, make consumer experience unique.      

We aim to provide businesses with necessary tools so that companies can shift from the analogue condition to the digital one, modify their activity, and gain the desired outcome. Namely,  

• create new methods of operations and customer attraction; 
• integrate technologies and digital elements into products and services; 
• optimize business processes and data-driven decision making; 
• provide employees with smart tools so that they perform their work within digital business and economy.  

AI: How has the marketing sector changed after the adoption of AI solutions? 

A.B.: Companies that have integrated AI into their operations can better realize buying reasons and customer behavior, for instance, the attrition. Machine learning algorithms are able to analyze data bulks and give accurate recommendations on each client. It helps the marketing team to understand what to recommend, when, and through which communication channel.     

It is much easier to offer a high-quality and useful product when you know the behavior and character of your client. At the same time, consumers obtain a relevant product without wasting extra time on searching for goods on the Internet.  

AI: How extensively are Ukrainian companies adopting AI? What challenges are they facing? 

A.B.: The most common challenge is the absence of data and its sources. One should have properly structured data in order to benefit from AI solutions. During data digitalization, companies have an access to the huge amount of information, but not all of them can manage it properly. In such conditions, companies should apply intelligent CRM and ERP systems that automate the data management process as well as use data scientists’ services to enhance the outcome efficiency.      

The second problem is the understanding of technologies and your ultimate goal. It is not enough just to integrate AI into operations: you should realize how these technologies could positively affect company’s business processes. That is why we attend such events as AI Conference Kyiv: in order to reveal the potential, features, and case studies of application.   

The final issue is personnel’s concerns about technologies. We have repeatedly heard that old believers are skeptic about innovations or afraid of being replaced by robots. However, I can say from experience that this problem vanishes as soon as staff members see the efficiency of solutions and positive results. Then, they understand that technologies are intended to simplify operations rather than steal jobs.     

I believe that it is too soon to apply artificial intelligence wherever, but too late not to use it at all. I would like to bring this message to businesses.   

AI: How does the integration of AI technologies affect final consumers? Do clients recognize artificial intelligence or it has not yet reached the level of direct interaction?  

A.B.: Absolutely, the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning is altering consumer experience. Frequently, consumers feel positive changes in brand communication just in the first months after the integration.  

For example, addition of the client geographic location factor and sending of geo push notifications lead to the WOW effect. Walking past the store, people receive a name SMS with the relevant offer. It seems like a trifle, but this aspect has a strong impact on customer loyalty to the brand or products.          

Surely, chatbots have not yet reached the level of human speech, but in certain cases, clients can recognize artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, with technologies advancing, this difference will be invisible to the naked eye in the near time. Chatbots have already involved into digital assistants able to recognize speech and take certain actions, including calling, buying, answering, or ordering.    

AI: You are a permanent participant of various specialized events. What is their role in the development of new technologies? 

A.B.: The great role! Due to the increasing amount of similar conferences, business representatives, young specialists, and developers are become aware of AI capacity. Speakers show solutions that have moved beyond tests. It develops the Ukrainian IT community: human consciousness and the level of tasks they cope with are growing.    

Not only are more and more companies interested in AI, but they also have started adopting technologies to solve business objectives: from retail representatives to manufacturing facilities. Machine learning algorithms help to optimize stock management, predict the demand and efficiency of advertising campaigns.      

AI: Continuing the topic of events: you will speak at AI Conference Kyiv. What will you tell attendees?  

A.B.: I will tell the conference about AI marketing injections: how to control customer experience using data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies, how to conduct the market segmentation in terms of behavioral patterns with AI solutions, how artificial intelligence determines what should be changed in customer relationship.      

I will introduce the possibilities and efficiency of these technologies based on SMART business solutions and client case studies. 

Artificial intelligence is becoming the foundation of everything we do. The company provides such services as development, integration, and support of ERP and CRM systems. It has been a member of the closed community aimed at AI industry growth, Microsoft AI Inner Circle, for the second year.

Our current expertise includes intelligent BPMSs as well as systems based on predictive analytics and artificial intelligence. These aspects will be interesting to everyone.   

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