must be intuitive and seamless across channels and devices. Enterprises are starting to understand that design is driven by data and that data-driven design, combined with the cloud, are the key ingredients to make experiences easy and simple.
Apps not Deemed "Smart" Will Get Left Behind
Big data and little data are only as important as the analytics that are utilized to predict what consumers want, adapt to the appropriate context, and take action in real time. Pervasive and invisible analytics based on advanced algorithms will become the backbone that drives the experience of every important app. By the end of 2015, any app not imbued with deep analytics will be considered an antiquated, dumb app.
Smart Machines Emerge
Envision a world of machines that understand their surroundings, know where to go and how to respond, and learn for themselves—think autonomous vehicles and robots. Machines will be made smarter through deep analytics that use advanced algorithms. They will get help from virtual agents and smart advisors. As consumers interact with these smart machines, the customer experience will become critical to their adoption.
Technology Learns to Have a Human Touch
Technology will provide better service than humans only when it learns to have a human touch. Think of Pixar's robot Wall-E and his capacity for human characteristics, such as curiosity and emotional attachment to EVE. As an initial step, smart apps will know when I need to leave for the airport, that my preferred routine is to go directly to the gate, and that my next appointment needs to be contacted when the flight is delayed. When technology can be personalized to my preferences and the way I want to engage, it starts to have a human quality. In 2015, as technologies deliver "personal concierge" capabilities, they begin to show a human touch.
This will be the defining year for digital customer engagement. The pace of change that we have seen evidenced through the transition of analog to digital experiences, the growth of smartphones, and the preference for mobile-first have paved the way to make 2015 the year we can deliver "one digital channel" —an experience in which enterprises enable their customers to engage with us the way they want to and businesses respond by maintaining context of the customer's journey and anticipate the customer's needs. Getting this right creates competitive advantage now and in the future.