Some have been slow to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning as part of their customer service strategy, but as organizations face resource and staffing constraints due to the pandemic, automation is not just nice to have—it can really help. Customers still need support, and AI-powered tools like Answer Bot, our self-service bot, can help meet the demand without requiring hands-on help from an agent.

Happy customers are key to a successful business. They are also your biggest marketing strategy and greatest promoter. But at the same time, if a dissatisfied customer vents about your company to other people, it will have a huge negative impact on your business. With customer support constantly evolving, choosing the right type of customer service for your business might seem challenging.

Recently, a colleague of mine joked that she manages a marketing team of three: Claire, Mark, and Sally. The punchline is that she’s referring to Clearbit, Marketo, and Salesforce. She felt that way because they each have their own role with unique insights and jobs, and her team shares information with everyone else the same way she does through chat.

When approaching customers, you want to become more than just another company. You want your customers to get to know your brand, find out what it represents, and discover the ways it can improve their lives. You want them to create a relationship with your brand, look for it when they need it, and help others connect with it. This process is called customer engagement. But why is customer engagement so important? And how can you engage your customers today?

The uncertainty fatigue is real. Those “how we’re handling COVID” emails from every business we’ve ever patronized have died down and many of us have settled into something resembling a routine, but most of us are still isolated from friends and family. We’re gearing up for a long summer of, yes, more uncertainty, with only the dim hope of an ambiguous return to “normal life” to cling to.

After weeks of working from home, businesses are starting to think about how to reopen. Some companies may already be testing the waters with a few employees in-office, others may be preparing a distributed model that works for them. No matter what your country, state, city, or even county’s policy towards reopening is, deciding when and how to reopen your business is a unique decision for each company.