The End of the Web as We Know It

The rapid evolution of technology, especially artificial intelligence, is leading us to reimagine the way we interact with the digital world. From the first interactions on digital channels, to single-channel and omnichannel experiences, all the way to the much-anticipated concierge commerce, the quest for comfort and convenience has always guided this journey. Now, more than ever, these elements remain the main guidelines, but the way they are delivered is changing drastically.

Past Problems: During the omnichannel era, we faced a significant paradox between the number of available channels and the level of personalization offered. We created a matrix that crossed the volume of channels with personalization and realized that while the expansion of channels aimed to meet the individual preferences of customers, it also generated complexity and fragmentation.

The one-to-one personalization model, although promising, often resulted in inconsistent experiences due to the lack of effective integration between channels. The promise of offering a personalized experience across multiple touchpoints became a logistical and technological challenge, creating barriers instead of simplifying the customer’s life.

New Solutions

With the advancement of artificial intelligence, we are eliminating the paradox of personalization, making it something trivial and simple. This allows us to move towards increasingly simpler channels, such as voice interfaces. However, the adoption of a hybrid strategy — as discussed by Galba Junior in “La Estrategia Híbrida: Cómo Combinar Canales Propios y de Terceros para una Estrategia de Crecimiento en Latinoamérica” — reinforces that combining proprietary and third-party channels is a robust approach for sustainable growth.

In the current context, proprietary channels (such as websites and apps) serve as a foundation for building primary data and offering deeper personalization, while third-party channels (such as marketplaces) expand reach and increase interaction possibilities. By combining these two approaches, a dynamic ecosystem is created where the customer experience is both personalized and expansive.

AI enables unprecedented scale personalization, allowing companies to deliver comfort and convenience effectively across any channel — proprietary or third-party. With a hybrid approach, companies leverage the best of both worlds: the direct and personalized connection of proprietary channels and the reach and scale of marketplaces and external platforms.

Thus, the simplification of channels and intelligent integration provides a unified and personalized experience without overwhelming the user with multiple choices or complex interfaces.

Channel and Personalization Matrix

Omnichannel Experience Maturity Matrix by Galba Junior

1. Many Channels, Much Personalization (Upper Right Quadrant)

This is the ideal scenario for companies looking to offer a personalized experience across multiple channels. Here, the company is able to reach a high volume of customer touchpoints — including apps, websites, marketplaces, and social channels — while adapting each interaction to the individual profile of the user.

This level of personalization is the most complex and requires advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and real-time data analysis to ensure that each touchpoint adapts to customer preferences.

“Level 1-1” Point: This is the quadrant where the Level 1-1 point is located, representing the maximum number of channels with the highest personalization.
Recommended Action: Continue investing in AI and data analysis solutions to enhance personalization across all channels and ensure that each touchpoint provides added value to the customer.

2. Many Channels, Little Personalization (Lower Right Quadrant)

In this quadrant, the company has a high volume of available channels to interact with customers, but personalization is limited. This scenario is common in companies that focus on reach but have not yet implemented robust solutions to tailor interactions to an individual level.

Thus, customers have access to multiple channels, but the experience tends to be more generic, with fewer adaptations to their needs or preferences.

Recommended Action: Prioritize the implementation of basic personalization, such as product recommendations or segmented communications, to increase the relevance of the customer experience without requiring significant initial investments.

3. Few Channels, Much Personalization (Upper Left Quadrant)

Here, the company focuses on few channels, but each interaction is highly personalized. This model is suitable for businesses that prefer to serve a niche audience and provide a deeply tailored experience, such as exclusive consultancies or luxury brands.

The focus is on the quality of interaction, with each touchpoint carefully adapted to create a meaningful connection with the customer, despite the limited number of channels.

Recommended Action: Gradually expand the number of channels, starting with those that best align with the profile of your audience, while maintaining the quality of personalization in each.

4. Few Channels, Little Personalization (Lower Left Quadrant)

This is the most basic model, where the company works with few channels and little personalization. This quadrant often represents companies with fewer technological resources or those still in the early stages of digital transformation. The customer experience is uniform and limited to a few channels, such as a corporate website and a support channel. This approach is less complex and can serve a broader audience but offers a more generic experience.

Recommended Action: Start with small improvements, such as introducing a second channel (e.g., social media) or implementing simple personalization, such as automated support that recognizes the customer, to increase proximity and value delivered.

These recommendations help the company progress strategically towards the ideal quadrant, where the Level 1-1 point is located, balancing the volume of channels and the level of personalization to maximize customer satisfaction and engagement.

Changes in Daily Interactions: This technological transformation is leading to significant changes in the interfaces we use daily. Voice interfaces and other simplified channels are gaining prominence, providing more natural and intuitive interactions. Simplification does not mean loss of functionality, but rather a greater focus on the user experience.

Are you ready to kill your website, e-commerce, and app, and replace them with simpler, more intuitive interfaces? In order to truly deliver the best comfort and convenience to your customers, it is necessary to rethink traditional models and embrace new forms of interaction that technology provides.

Conclusion

The quest for comfort and convenience has always driven the evolution of digital channels. With technology and artificial intelligence eliminating personalization barriers and simplifying interfaces, we have the opportunity to completely redefine the customer experience. Just like in the movie Her (2013), where the protagonist develops a personal and deep relationship with an AI, we are moving towards interactions where technology understands and responds to each user’s needs in an intuitive, almost human way.

While Her explores a vision where AI knows every nuance of its user and immerses them in a highly personalized experience, we are getting closer to this scenario in our daily lives. Today, interfaces tend to become invisible, like a “personal assistant” that understands and anticipates demands in a nearly imperceptible way. By drawing inspiration from this model, we are designing a future where interacting with technology will be as natural as conversing with someone close to us.

The future no longer belongs to those who observe trends, but to those who are willing to innovate and adapt. As seen in Her, AI goes beyond a tool: it is becoming a constant, integrated presence in our lives. Technology is advancing towards an era of intuitive interfaces, with experiences that transcend the screen, bringing us closer to a scenario where, just like in the movie, digital interaction is inseparable from our everyday experience.

Are you ready for this transformation?

Stay up to date with the latest trends in e-commerce and customer experience evolution! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive exclusive insights on how to transform your strategy with artificial intelligence and innovation.