What Can a Carnival Fortune-Teller Teach Us About Customer Experience?
By Desiree Grace
Imagine a
fortune-teller at a carnival. You walk into her tent, engulfed in the smell of
incense, and there she sits with her crystal ball.
“Welcome,” she
says. “I am Madame Desdemona. I know you have questions. With the help of the
spirit world, I have answers. Sit, and I will tell you what you need to know
about the future of customer experience in the B2B world.”
I’ve sat in
enough customer experience reviews to know the questions sound eerily similar.
She gazes
deeply into your eyes, as if she can see into your soul.
“I see you have
concerns about AI,” she says. “If AI could replace good customer service, it
would have already done it.”
The
conversation continues. You discuss how AI can improve and predict problem
resolution, especially for routine issues like lost order tracking, proof of
delivery, and invoice discrepancies. You realize that many of these challenges
can be anticipated before the customer ever has to pick up the phone.
With the right
data and tools, Customer Service teams can run interference. They can
enhance the customer experience with a proactive, personal touch, like building
relationships, reassuring customers, and preventing small issues from becoming
big problems. Suddenly, AI feels less like a threat and more like a partner.
“AI can also
support self-service after hours,” she says, “including add-on sales
suggestions, installation tools, fuse holders for your fuses, covers for your
wiring duct, and the like.”
There is more.
She explains how AI can surface predictive churn alerts: reduced order volume,
changes in ordering cadence, or shifts in buying patterns, like moving from
twice-monthly orders to once a month. This real-time visibility allows Customer
Service teams to move from reactive problem-solving to proactive outreach,
preserving relationships before competitors have a chance to step in.
Who knew you
could learn so much for $10 at the carnival?
“Speaking of
real-time,” you say, “I’m always frustrated by lagging data. Can AI help me
predict the future, or at least live in the present?”
“Of course,”
Madame Desdemona replies. “You must have faith in the data. Imagine sharing
performance data with your customers: the speed with which you resolve issues,
your proactive communication around factory lead times, changes in future
availability, order fulfillment rates, and on-time shipping performance. Data
does not lie. It is how you measure performance and prove partnership.”
She pauses,
then adds, “But AI is not the only thing I see on the horizon. Omnichannel will
become a must-have by 2026. Your customers are active. They move between
phones, tablets, apps, websites, and sometimes even the phone. You must meet them
where they are, and the information must be consistent.”
If a customer
places an order on a laptop, then leaves the office to walk the plant and
checks the order on a tablet, shipping details must follow them seamlessly. The
experience should feel connected, not fragmented.
You reflect for
a moment. This sounds a lot like your own buying behavior. You are an
omnichannel consumer. B2B, it turns out, is not so different.
Still, you have
concerns. What about over-reliance on technology? Customers still want a real
answer in an emergency. They want empathy. They want someone who understands
their business, not just their order number. They want speed, personalization,
and confidence that someone is paying attention.
Madame
Desdemona nods knowingly.
“This,” she
says, “is where your Customer Service team and AI must work together. Use the
tools AI provides, but never abandon skilled people. Meet customers in their
channel of choice and serve them in a personal, informed way.”
“So now, my
friend,” she concludes, “you know what customer experience looks like in the
coming year. Do not under-invest in people, and do not rely entirely on AI.
Find the balance, and you will find good fortune.”
With that, she
sends you on your way.
As you leave
the tent, you’re struck by the realization that even fortune-tellers have
something to say about AI. You ask her one last question: what does the perfect
balance look like?
She smiles.
“That answer,” she says, “is found in practice. You will discover it through
trial and error. Start. Learn. Adjust. It’s not elegant. It’s rarely fast. But
it works.”
Even without a
crystal ball, experience matters. In fact, this piece builds on ongoing CX
conversations we’ve had with distributors navigating AI adoption.
If your
Customer Experience strategy needs help navigating AI, omnichannel
expectations, and the balance between technology and people, River Heights
Consulting can help you avoid costly missteps and build a smarter path forward.
Incense not
included.
About the
Author
Desiree Grace is a Customer Experience and distribution strategy leader who helps B2B organizations turn data, technology, and frontline teams into a competitive advantage. Her work focuses on practical CX improvements, where AI supports people, not the other way around
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