Artificial intelligence has transformed many industries and ways of working, and software development is no exception. In the work of software developers, it has enabled tasks to be completed faster, more efficiently, independently, and has brought valuable insights into the customer experience.
At Gofore, we have noticed the growing interest of customers in the possibilities of utilising AI. We have had the pleasure of conducting numerous workshops together with customers. In customer projects, we have increasingly been able to utilise AI tools. For example, the use of ChatGPT in projects has almost octupled in a year and a half. In this blog, we share our insights and concrete impacts related to AI, both from the perspective of a software developer’s work and the effects on customer experience through our project successes.
What concrete changes does AI bring to the work of software developers?
The benefits brought by AI can be examined from many perspectives. In an optimal situation, according to our experiences, it can enable software development to be 2-4 times faster, meaning that tasks that previously could have taken a week without AI can be completed in a day or two. However, it is important to note that such results are rare and depend on many factors, such as the nature of the project. The final responsibility and verification of tasks still lie in human hands.
When talking about speeding up work, it is good to note that the experience and expertise of the specialist affect how much they benefit from AI. Senior developers have experienced a 10-20% efficiency gain, while junior developers have experienced up to an 80% efficiency gain with AI tools.
In the work of a software developer, sometimes sparring or answers from another person are needed, which can slow down or even stop one’s work while waiting for a response. AI enables self-learning on multiple topics at a sufficient level, allowing smoother progress in one’s work. With AI, it is possible to operate in a much broader area than would have been possible without it. It is possible to acquire sufficient skills for advancing work with the help of AI, after which one can boldly but securely develop their skills independently to the next level.
It is very important to always consider the whole picture. When speeding up ways of doing things, it is crucial to ensure that things develop in the desired direction. When things are sped up in one area, it can cause bottlenecks in another. In practice, all phases need to be enhanced sufficiently simultaneously. This way, the process remains reasonable, and the best benefits of AI can be obtained for developing and utilising ways of working.
AI revolutionises personalisation
When we talk about efficiency, we do not only mean efficiency in the developer’s daily work. Particularly interesting is the benefit of utilising AI for the end customer. Customer experiences are becoming increasingly personalised as AI enables the use of data in more comprehensive ways. The end customer can be a company or an individual customer, depending on the situation. Defining the end customer is important so that we can understand their needs and identify the important aspects for them.
There is often a lot of information about customers from previous encounters. It is possible to utilise digital information by highlighting essential information from the past and using it in the next encounter. At best, this allows proactively offering the customer the services they need in a meaningful way. At the same time, it can save professionals’ time when customer encounters are timely and focused on essential matters.
The services built by Gofore for the Finnish Employment Service are an example of personalisation with AI. Previously, a job seeker had to know how to enter information in the correct format to get the help they needed for job searching. With the utilisation of AI, they can write free text about their work experience, and AI helps with it. This is about the format no longer being forced but personalised. The service is powered by a matching algorithm that combines several different algorithms. For example, it searches for words related to the same topics in profiles and announcements and makes suggestions based on them, compares keywords, and performs text-based string comparisons.
In the Advanced Analytics for Families with Children project (LEA project), we were able to analyse results in an unprecedented way with AI and advanced analytics. It enabled the identification of a hundred different types of families from social and health register data. Each of these groups has its own profile, defined by about four hundred variables. This allows for more advanced personalisation and creates conditions for family-centred decision-making and service management.
In the ASKO project for Kela, the structures and processes of operations were successfully developed to be more customer-oriented and effective by identifying 50 customer groups based on multidisciplinary data. This enabled a better understanding of the great variability and wide range of customer situations, making it possible to respond to their needs and reduce disruptive demand.
What do organisations need to succeed in personalisation?
To succeed in personalisation, organisations need to focus on several key areas:
- Customer segmentation: Use advanced tools to gain a deeper understanding of customer diversity.
- Data utilisation: Implement robust systems to collect, analyse, and act on customer data.
- Flexible structure: Adapt organisational processes to be more responsive to different customer needs.
- Technology and tools: Leverage AI and machine learning to process large volumes of data and generate insights for personalised customer experiences.
- Employee training: Equip employees with the skills to use new technologies and interpret data insights.
- Continuous improvement: Regularly update personalisation strategies based on customer feedback and evolving needs.
By focusing on these areas, organisations can create a more personalised and responsive customer experience, ultimately leading to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.
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