Latest news with #connected
The Verge
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Verge
Mercedes-Benz will let you use an in-car camera in Microsoft Teams while driving
I like to drive without the distractions of my work life interrupting me, but if you're eager to stay connected then Mercedes-Benz is ready. You'll soon be able to join a Microsoft Teams call in some Mercedes‑Benz vehicles and use the in-car camera to chat with colleagues while you're driving. Mercedes‑Benz is the first car maker to enable in-car camera use for Microsoft Teams while a car is being driven, but there are some important safety caveats. While you can share a video stream of yourself merrily driving along, you won't be able to see any shared screens or slides while you're in motion. Usually video meeting apps like Teams, Zoom, or WebEx only work while a car is stationary, so this Mercedes‑Benz functionality is clearly designed primarily for that colleague — you know the one — who always has to let everyone know they're working no matter what. The meeting video stream will be automatically turned off as soon as the in-car camera is enabled, but other meeting participants will still see your camera feed while you're driving — so don't forget it's on if you get the urge to rummage around your nostrils. The in-car camera support for Microsoft Teams will arrive first on the new CLA, and it's part of several 'productivity enhancements' that Mercedes‑Benz is making this summer. Microsoft and Mercedes‑Benz are also working together to integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot into 'the latest vehicles,' which would be a first of its kind in a car. The experience will be driven by voice prompts, allowing drivers to summarize emails, manage daily tasks, and more. Mercedes‑Benz gleefully describes this as having 'the potential to transform the vehicle into a third workspace, complementing the office and the home office.' I don't know about you, but I already have enough workplaces, thanks to smartphones and laptops, and I have zero desire to work while I'm driving. Mercedes‑Benz only mentions the all-new CLA for this new Teams app, but given the latest E-Class models have a selfie camera for apps like TikTok and Zoom, it's likely we'll see this functionality show up on other vehicles.
Forbes
06-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Exponential Customer: Always On, Always Connected And Always Expecting More
In today's digital world, customers are as connected as they want to be. The term exponential customer may not be familiar to everyone. I was reminded of the term when preparing to be interviewed for a podcast hosted by NiCE, a major player in the customer experience (CX) world whose AI-powered offerings help companies provide amazing customer service and support. In preparation for the podcast, the NiCE team sent the questions and discussion topics to me for approval. This was the theme of our podcast, and NiCE's interpretation of exponential customer is a customer who is always on, always connected always expecting more. With that in mind, I'd like to share some of the topics the host, Amelia Rose Earhart, and I discussed on the podcast. The Exponential Customer In today's digital world, customers are as connected as they want to be. Whether it's a computer, tablet, phone or smart device, customers are usually within an arm's length or earshot of something that will connect them to a company. That's the 'always on' and 'always connected' part of the definition. Then there's the 'always expecting more.' My take on this is something I've preached for years. Customers expect and demand more than ever. They no longer simply compare you to a competitor, but to the best experience they've had from any company or brand. That 'best experience' is what sets the bar in the customer's mind and helps define what a good or bad experience is. Moments Matter One of my favorite CX themes is Creating Moments of Magic®. This concept originated from Jan Carlzon's Moment of Truth principle, which states that any time a customer comes into contact with a company, however remote, they have an opportunity to form an impression. With all of these interactions, we want to create Moments of Magic®, experiences that always meet and sometimes exceed a customer's expectations. The key word is always. Every interaction must be consistent and predictable. When that happens, you've created an amazing experience. If you consistently do what customers expect, they come back. Why would they take a chance on doing business with anyone else? Learn and Copy from the Best If customers compare us to their best experiences, it makes sense that we should strive to provide them with a similar experience. But most of us can't copy Amazon or Apple. What we can do is learn from them. What do Amazon, Apple or any company we admire do that we really like? Is it something we can do too? These questions force us to look beyond our industry for best practices, which can give us a tremendous competitive advantage. Keeping Up Change is happening faster than ever, especially with AI-fueled capabilities. Just 10 years ago, the cost to create AI solutions could be hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Today, it's affordable for small businesses. That means almost any company, big or small, can deliver an AI-enhanced experience. And that includes your competition. So, if you're not keeping up with technology, you risk falling behind in two areas. First, your competitors may pull ahead with tools that make them faster, smarter and more efficient. Second, you may lose customers to those competitors, and once they're gone, winning them back won't be easy. The Difference Between Today's Innovations and Tomorrow's Expectations Nothing has changed in the world of customer service and CX, particularly as it relates to addressing problems and complaints. And nothing will change in the future. The first complaint letter on record dates back to around 1750 BCE and was carved into a stone. It is displayed in the British History Museum. The customer, Ea-nasir, was unhappy. All he wanted in the end was to be happy. That's the same for today's customers and for future customers. Nothing related to customer expectations has or will change. However, the way we go about making our customers happy has changed. That's where innovation and technology come into play. Preferences for Customer Support Are Changing While the outcome customers want is to be happy, just as innovation is changing, so are the customers' habits for connecting with a company. Our CX research finds that nearly seven out of 10 customers (68%) still prefer to use the phone as the first way to communicate with a company. However, six out of 10 customers (62%) expect AI technologies to become the primary mode of customer service in the future. But we can't forget, in the end, they still want to be happy. The Right Technology Many companies have older 'legacy' systems that have not been replaced. The investment in these systems was expensive. As newer technology becomes available at a fraction of the price, it's essential to consider replacing the old with the new. Go back and read the paragraph on 'Keeping Up,' which makes the point that you can't afford to lose ground to a competitor because you didn't keep up with the technology. As mentioned, the price for the right technology is lower than ever with greater capabilities. The right solution should be able to integrate with other software, creating a hub that doesn't require employees to switch from one program to another. In addition, a new solution that is cloud-based should be easy to upgrade. This is what new technology—the right technology—offers. Big Changes Start at the Top Even with the latest and greatest technology, if you really want to impact CX, it starts at the top with leadership. Customer service isn't a department, and customer experience isn't just a strategy. It's philosophical and cultural. A CX initiative must be part of the company's DNA. It needs to be part of everyone's job, from the CEO to the most recently hired. Final Words The exponential customer isn't just a buzzword. It's a new reality. My conversation with NiCE reinforced the idea that staying ahead in customer experience requires more than just tools. It takes vision, leadership and a commitment to constant improvement to meet and exceed customer expectations. Thanks again to NiCE for inviting me to share my thoughts and dig into what that really looks like.
