Dosear’s Leontios Kyriakou on how the future of CX will be increasingly shaped by emerging technologies

“Customer needs have actually evolved significantly in recent years, driven by advancements in technology and changing market dynamics,” notes Leontios Kyriakou, Founder and Managing Director, Dosear.

In a recent interview with CBN, Kyriakou reveals his thoughts on the future of the customer experience, or CX, industry.

He also talks about how technology has changed the way his own company, but also its clients, do business. “The integration of digital technologies in every aspect of a business has changed how companies operate and fundamentally altered the way they interact with their customers,” Kyriakou explains.

One of Dosear’s main areas of expertise is helping your clients enhance their customers’ experience. How have customer needs changed over the years and why is it important for companies to ensure their clients have the best possible experience?

Customer needs have actually evolved significantly in recent years, driven by advancements in technology and changing market dynamics. Switching from brand to brand has become a lot easier, because there are plenty of alternatives out there. Today's consumers expect personalised, seamless experiences across all touchpoints. They want to see that you care about their wellbeing and customer experience is the way to do it. To earn loyalty and spending, companies must not only deliver amazing marketing, sales, ecommerce, and service interactions, but also prove that they have the customers’ best interests in mind. A positive customer experience not only leads to repeat business and in turn increased revenue, but also fosters brand advocacy and positive word-of-mouth referrals. In contrast, neglecting customer needs or delivering subpar experiences can result in dissatisfied customers, negative reviews, and ultimately, loss of market share to competitors. In today's hyper-competitive business landscape, where consumers have countless options at their fingertips, companies that prioritise customer experience gain a significant competitive advantage and are better positioned for sustainable growth and success.

It is clear that technology plays a major role in your company’s day-to-day operations. How would you describe technology’s impact on the Customer Experience industry over the past few years and what do you predict for the future?

Technology has changed the way we, but also our clients, do business. The integration of digital technologies in every aspect of a business has changed how companies operate and fundamentally altered the way they interact with their customers.

We have seen that when companies opt to leverage automations, technologies powered by AI, and self-service solutions, are actually much better equipped to provide customers with 24/7 support, reduce wait times, and improve overall customer satisfaction. When companies combine these technologies, with the best-in-class customer experience management solutions that Dosear offers, they can utilise the power of digital transformation to achieve their customer experience (CX) goals. Using CX solutions, companies can collect qualitative and quantitative data on customers and their experiences by using surveys, interaction analysis, social media monitoring, and text analytics technologies. Companies may use data from these technologies to connect consumer impressions gathered in a survey to their actions when interacting with multiple brand touchpoints. These tools also aid in tracking the outcomes of their efforts over time, since they analyse CX feedback gathered over time.

Looking ahead, the future of CX will be increasingly shaped by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, and predictive analytics. These technologies hold the potential to revolutionise the way we work, allowing us to deliver even greater value and innovation to our clients.

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos recently visited your offices in Larnaca, saying this presence demonstrated the government’s will to support innovative businesses. How important do you consider strong cooperation between the public and private sector to be? And, what are some of the ways this could be further strengthened in the future?

Indeed, we were honoured to recently host the esteemed Minister of Finance, Mr. Makis Keravnos, at our offices. His visit marked a pivotal moment in our journey as we continue to champion innovation and excellence in the Cypriot business landscape. We take immense pride in our team of young, talented Cypriot scientists who are at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive transformative change.

Strong cooperation between the public and private sector is essential for driving innovation and fostering economic growth. By working together, the government and businesses can create an environment that supports entrepreneurship, investment, and job creation. This collaboration can take many forms, from public-private partnerships to policy reforms that incentivise business growth and innovation. By aligning efforts, the public and private sector can unlock new opportunities for collaboration and drive positive change at both the local and national levels.

As the company’s Founder and Managing Director, can you tell us more about Dosear, for example, when it was formed, its aims, and the tools and services it offers clients?

Dosear was founded in 2016 out of a passion for improving how businesses understand and connect with their customers. Our mission is to empower companies with the tools and insights they need to create exceptional experiences for their customers. We specialise in harnessing the power of innovative software platforms like Medallia, Qualtrics, and Zendesk to gather real-time feedback and deliver actionable insights.

Since we started, Dosear has delivered high value programmes across multiple industries and verticals such as TelCo, Automotive, Banking, Retail, Insurance, Aviation, Government, and others. Our focus has been on providing end-to-end support to our clients, from the initial planning stages to ongoing support and refinement. The key to our success is truly understanding the unique needs of each business and industry. While we're proud to offer a range of solutions including Medallia, Qualtrics, and Zendesk, our primary focus lies in Medallia. It's the cornerstone of our service offerings, and we've invested heavily in mastering its capabilities to deliver exceptional results for clients. However, we recognise that there’s no one-size-fits-all, and that's why we also provide support for other platforms like Qualtrics and Zendesk. Each solution has its strengths, and we're committed to leveraging them effectively to meet the diverse needs of our clients.

Can you also tell us more about the partnerships you have with other industry specialists? Why do you consider it important for companies to enter into this kind of cooperation?

Medallia, as the global leader in customer and employee experience, heavily relies on a network of sales partners to sell and distribute its offerings across its customer base. These partners work as an extension of their team, playing an important role in their development and growth. We of course recognised the importance and value of a partnership like that and have managed to establish a successful partnership with Medallia, offering our expertise to their end clients in solutions from concept through to ongoing delivery. Our wider capability in blending data sources, such as brand, customer and employee, gives end clients a base on which to improve and set themselves apart from the competition.

Medallia, however, is not our only partner. Other companies, that are also members of the Medallia Partnership programme, have recognised the value of our team of experts and have reached out to us to enable them to harness the full power of customer experience management. These partnerships with other industry specialists are integral to our success. Collaborating with experts in complementary fields allows us to offer comprehensive solutions to end clients. By pooling our resources and expertise, we can deliver even greater value and innovation. In today's interconnected world, such collaborations are essential for staying at the forefront of our industry.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I just want to thank everyone who's been part of Dosear's journey so far – our clients, partners, and our amazing team. We've come a long way, and I'm excited to see where we go next. Our goal remains the same: to keep helping our clients succeed and make a positive impact in our industry. Thank you for your support!