Why your brand needs “deep listening” and the technology you’ll need to do it

Customer expectations are higher than ever. When customers leave a comment or a review online they want the brand to acknowledge their concerns and respond – fast.

With 1 to 1000+ customer reviews and comments to respond to across an ever-increasing range of social and online channels, today’s overwhelmed multi-location brands are realizing the critical role reputation management technology plays in deeply listening and analyzing the customer chatter that matters most to their business.  

Research indicates that 90% of employees believe that if their business does not invest in technology to create better customer connections they will fall behind their more tech-savvy competitors. 

This is where reputation management tech that provides AI-powered deep listening comes into play. But, first things first. What the heck is “deep listening” and why is it so important? 

What is “deep listening”?

Technological deep listening isn’t that much different than the human concept of deep listening. With human communication, the person is hearing more than the words of the speaker but taps into the deeper meaning, unspoken needs, and feelings conveyed. AI essentially does the same, using a streamlined, automated, and intelligent approach to capturing, interpreting, and acting upon vast amounts of data, tapping into customer insights like never before. By looking at large amounts of unstructured data, or data not stored in a structured database format (ie. reviews, social media comments), AI effectively turns information that’s difficult to interpret, into well-organized, digestible, structured data. 

80% of the world’s data is unstructured. Thanks to AI, multi-location brands now have the ability to be part of the 20% that glean actionable insights by actively listening to customers, and not just hearing what’s said within the garbled noise of unstructured data.

Moving from old-school to new-school

Businesses can struggle with the transition from relying on traditional structured data strategies, such as relational databases and data warehouses, to big data strategies. Of course, there is also an expense in acquiring new technology and a learning curve before being able to fully adopt and trust what reputation management platforms bring to the table.

To truly understand customer sentiment and derive actionable insights, businesses must tap into the raw, honest feedback expressed on various platforms, especially social media and review channels. This shift from merely ‘hearing’ to genuinely ‘listening’ demands not only the right technology but also a change in mindset.

Chatmeter’s all-in-one platform provides a holistic, 360-degree view of customer feedback for multi-location brands. For businesses with sprawling networks and numerous locations, maintaining consistent brand messaging and reputation can be a challenge. The Chatmeter platform’s application of CX technology provides a solution through centralized tools that establish workflows, approval processes, and brand guidelines. This ensures that the brand is protected across all locations, fostering a unified brand voice that resonates with customers.

AI-powered deep listening tools like Chatmeter’s Pulse, a sentiment analysis solution, allow brands to delve into customer sentiments and behaviors and extract trends and patterns from massive data sets. The utilization of sophisticated AI, when integrated with other BI tools, reveals customer sentiment accurately. This translates into actionable insights for business leaders, fueling data-driven decisions that drive brand love and loyalty.

Responsible AI 

Maintaining authenticity amid technological advancement is crucial. The Chatmeter platform strikes a balance between automation and personalized interactions. Solutions like Chatmeter’s  AI Generator, which suggests copy for a review response or social posts, not only speed up content generation and review response times, but also brings a human voice infused with empathy and authenticity into the copy. Chatmeter’s generative AI does not replace human interaction. The platform provides workflows that include review and edit steps before posting online. 

The ethical use of customer data is fundamental at Chatmeter. By exclusively utilizing public data, the Chatmeter platform implements privacy boundaries while gaining invaluable insights into customer sentiment. 

What’s next?  

The evolution of CX continues to be exhilarating, and the possibilities of what’s to come are endless. Customers have gained unprecedented power, and deep listening technology has emerged as a strategic instrument that spans industries, shaping not only marketing but also operations, legal, and product evolution. Chatmeter is devoted to driving this trajectory, remaining committed to accommodating emerging trends and providing tools that empower businesses to make informed decisions.

The voice of the customer is more impactful than ever. With customer experiences defining brand success, deep listening is the compass guiding businesses toward customer-centric strategies. Implementing AI-powered technology responsibly, and embracing all that AI has to offer, paints a picture of an exciting future where companies can thrive by listening to customers and transforming their voices into actionable insights. As the journey unfolds, an era of authentic and meaningful customer experiences is ahead.