Guest post by Paul Turley, Senior Director, ServiceNow Ireland
Retailers today face a unique blend of challenges and opportunities. Customers are more demanding than ever, expecting seamless, personalised shopping experiences across every channel. Securing buyer loyalty is tougher, and with the commercial landscape constantly evolving, it’s crucial for retailers to unlock the true value of the customer data at their fingertips. Retailers have long sat on a goldmine of data, but artificial intelligence is the key to unlocking its full potential – helping them transition from ‘analogue to digital,’ and enabling retailers to both survive and thrive.
The data generated by customers forms the foundation for improved customer service. AI – particularly generative AI – holds enormous potential, from resolving in-store issues to personalising the customer journey. The appetite for AI is growing, with spending outside traditional IT set to rise by 52% this year, according to global research by IBM. AI in customer service, particularly for personalised responses, is projected to grow by 236%
Forward-thinking retailers are already harnessing this technology to derive value from their data and future-proof their business. While last year saw cautious experimentation, today’s leading retailers are leveraging AI not just for efficiency, but to reimagine the entire retail experience, delivering better outcomes for customers
Towards seamless growth
Currently, retailers spend a significant amount of time dealing with inefficient, siloed systems rather than actively serving customers. These inefficiencies make resolving issues – from HR challenges to IT issues – a lengthy and frustrating process. Tackling these challenges will significantly enhance customer satisfaction and drive long-term success, ensuring employees have the right technology to deliver optimum experiences for customers. By equipping teams with effective tools, businesses can create a customer-first culture that fosters loyalty and long-term growth.
Take Carrefour, for example. Operating 12,000 stores in 30 countries and serving 104 million households, Carrefour faced recurring refrigeration failures that left customers facing empty chiller cabinets. By adopting a computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) called ‘Click & Repair,’ Carrefour automated repair requests, routing key details like serial numbers directly to technicians and significantly accelerating resolutions. Staff can now request repairs via a mobile app, saving time, keeping shelves stocked, and ensuring maintenance is more effectively overseen for customers.
Similarly, British supermarket giant Asda – operating 1,200 sites and 18 million customers – faced the challenge of creating a unified system for handling HR, IT, and a wide range of operations. Separating more than 2,500 systems from former owner Walmart, the transition dubbed ‘Project Future’ also enabled new workflows in Customer Service Management which saved time, freeing up employees to focus much more on delivering for customers both face-to-face and online. The company is now looking to the future with a platform built for further innovation.
These cases highlight how integrated systems enable sharper customer focus and long-term growth. Going forward, AI innovations are set to have an even more dramatic impact on customer service, which will be explored in ServiceNow’s Consumer Voice Report later this year.
The AI difference
In e-commerce, AI operates behind-the-scenes to provide smoother customer experiences, leveraging natural language processing to understand queries about warranties, accessories, and more. AI-driven product recommendations and targeted offers also help to build customer loyalty and encourage repeat visits.
For agents dealing directly with customer complaints, generative AI can be so powerful. With agents often overburdened, generative AI can help them deliver rapid, effective responses by enhancing search capabilities and delivering actionable insights from relevant knowledge articles – allowing agents to focus on providing superior customer experiences.
Using AI and data, organisations will recognise devices, intentions, and desired outcomes. This will enable businesses to deliver more targeted content and dynamic paths that make each journey unique, online and in-store. The goal will be to create ‘ignite moments’ —incredible, memorable interactions that show customers they matter and keep them coming back. By designing these moments at scale, companies will build stronger relationships that help them stand out.
In-store & field enhancement
Frontline workers can use AI-enhanced tools to stay connected with headquarters and access specialists when needed. Imagine a malfunctioning point-of-sale terminal. With an integrated technology approach powered by generative AI, chatbots can guide retail workers to the right troubleshooting steps or connect them with live agents. If a manager’s input is required, AI-powered summarisation tools can quickly bring them up to speed, while technicians are dispatched as needed. By providing visibility into day-to-day issues, such systems reduce costs, eliminate silos, and give retailers a clearer view of their operations.
In 2025, we’ll also see generative AI expanding into new areas of field service, such as multiturn conversations, advanced visual analysis, and intelligent video support. For example, generative AI can assist technicians by analysing visual data to identify equipment issues and provide step-by-step video overlays for repairs. These advancements will allow organizations to address more complex service challenges, improve operational efficiency, and create innovative ways to engage with customers.
A smarter shop
For retailers, adopting an integrated, AI-driven approach to technology offers the promise of enhancing in-store experiences while vastly improving customer service more broadly. Generative AI can sift through shopping data and store information to streamline customer journeys and offer hyper-personalised interactions. Meanwhile, in-store employees have time to focus on what truly matters: delivering value.
By choosing a unified technology platform, retailers can lay the foundations for an AI revolution.
The time for forward-thinking retailers to act is now, and with the retail sector facing ongoing challenges, it could be the difference between failure and success, survival and extinction.
About Paul Turley, ServiceNow Senior Director, Ireland Enterprise Sales
As leader of ServiceNow’s enterprise sales in Ireland, Paul and his team manage relationships with clients and partners across all industries and sectors on the island of Ireland. Paul has over 25 years of experience working in various large software businesses in Irish and international markets, including Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Micro Focus. After graduating from UCD with a degree in Engineering, Paul started his career working with Enterprise Ireland, helping Irish technology startups build routes to market across Scandinavia.
About ServiceNow
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is putting AI to work for people. We move with the pace of innovation to help customers transform organisations across every industry while upholding a trustworthy, human centred approach to deploying our products and services at scale. Our AI platform for business transformation connects people, processes, data, and devices to increase productivity and maximize business outcomes. For more information, visit:?www.servicenow.com.
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