Tom Lewis is the SVP of Consulting at TTEC Digital and leads the organization’s thought leadership around the intersection of AI and CX.
If I told you that I paint, what would you envision? Do you imagine that I paint houses? Maybe I paint landscapes, or perhaps I paint cars. When I say that I paint, it could mean many things. The ambiguity can be the same when you hear a technology vendor say, “We do AI” or “We do analytics.” What exactly does that mean?
Since the dawn of software-as-a-service (SaaS) sales, vendors have told potential clients, “We can do X, Y and even Z.” I know many have encountered the unfortunate experience of a vendor overselling and the product underdelivering. With the lack of a clear understanding of rapidly emerging technologies like generative AI, it’s even easier for vendors to tell a prospect they do something with no easy way to verify that claim or even truly understand what it means. This begs the question, “Can you believe anything a technology vendor tells you?”
To be clear, I’m not implying that you should doubt everything a vendor tells you. While there are certainly vendors that overpromise and underdeliver, there are also ones that have built a strong reputation for reliability and exceptional products. I believe in the adage, “Trust, but verify.” When exploring a new technology or evaluating a new vendor, the best way to ensure you get exactly what you want is by taking that vendor out for a test drive.
How To Test Drive Your Technology Vendor
If you’re seriously considering investing in a new technology, it’s likely because you need that technology to solve a problem or achieve a goal. For example, if you operate a contact center, you may be exploring technology that you hope will reduce average handle time for agents or decrease call volume. Rather than simply taking the vendor’s word that their solution will do these things, I recommend putting them to the test.
Technology vendors typically allow clients to try out their software for a trial period before purchasing. While many potential clients will use this time to learn more about the software (or, in vehicle terms, look under the hood), you should use this time to determine if the solution will truly have a positive impact on your business.
In the contact center example, you may be looking at implementing a virtual agent or chatbot solution to help decrease the number of calls that need to be handled by live contact center agents, which in turn can help reduce costs. By setting up a sandbox environment for the chatbot, you can test whether the solution truly achieves your goal of reducing call volume before making an investment in an unproven technology. If you want to take your testing a step further, you could even put several vendors in the sandbox to see which chatbot performs best.
Why Business Impact Beats Capabilities
When evaluating your purchase, it’s not only about what the technology can do; it’s about how it affects your business. This means looking beyond the features and capabilities and considering whether the shiny new technology can actually help you solve problems, meet goals and add value.
To evaluate the potential impact of the new solution, you need to establish clear metrics for success. For example, in the case of a new chatbot, you could measure success simply in terms of how much you want to reduce the call volume handled by live agents. As a long-time customer experience advocate, however, I would recommend a different approach. Look at customer effort levels in conjunction with call reduction volumes to determine whether you’re truly creating a more effortless and cost-effective customer experience.
While this example relates specifically to customer experience, the principle applies to any aspect of your business. Working with a vendor that can demonstrate capability and true thought leadership is vital for achieving meaningful results.
So, back to the question, “Can you believe anything a technology vendor tells you?” The answer is a resounding “Maybe.” Do your due diligence. Test drive their software. Establish benchmarks to ensure the vendor can meet your goals. Seek out references who have completed similar work to establish whether the vendor has the expertise you need. Ultimately, the most important thing is to trust but verify.
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