Companies don’t earn trust overnight. It takes consistency to build trust, and it can take only one awful experience to erode it. Establishing faith in your brand has roots in the human-to-human interactions between the company and its audiences, which include employees as much as they do buyers. But at a time when AI and automation seem to be replacing human-to-human connections, trust is becoming even more pivotal.
The adoption of AI-driven tech isn’t slowing down. It’s increasing, with a 2024 McKinsey & Company survey reporting that 78% of participants indicate AI is used in at least one business function. That’s an uptick from 55% in 2023 and 72% in early 2024. The areas where brands use AI the most are marketing, sales and service ops. Unsurprisingly, IT saw the largest increase over 2024’s final six months.
So, skepticism becomes a factor when algorithms make the decisions and bots drive the conversations. How can people trust a brand’s accuracy, ethics, transparency and authenticity? Implementing AI wisely and strategically is where it begins. As a leader in the digital age, here are three reasons I believe businesses should prioritize trust in the implementation rather than the technology itself.
1. AI Symbolizes Change
Yes, change can be exciting. When things begin to shift, people might even openly welcome and embrace the transformation. However, if you’ve ever tried to introduce new processes and initiatives at work, you know it’s not easy. I’ve seen firsthand how AI can hinder a team’s ability to execute tasks due to concerns of its implications. Resistance to change is real, as it’s a natural human reaction to the unknown.
While resistance to change can be driven by fear, the mystery of the unknown means less trust. Whatever this new thing is must prove itself. And although the proof can only be seen through adoption, the results are critical. For example, chatbots with a high error rate will leave you with customers who no longer trust your website. The same goes for generative AI tools that create inaccuracies in your workflows.
Employees won’t have confidence in the system and will create workarounds. This can lead to greater inefficiencies and mistakes, further degrading the customer experience. You may not have to explain every detail about how your AI tools work to each of your audiences. But you should be able to outline the why behind the tech’s use if you want your business to succeed in its implementation. Being transparent about the reasons for the implementation and openly communicating the why can help overcome resistance.
2. People Buy From Trustworthy Brands
If someone sticks a flyer on your door about a new internet service in the neighborhood, do you sign up the next day? Say you have a no soliciting sign on your door and the salesperson leaves the flyer anyway. At this point, I’d even go as far as saying the trust is already broken. The salesperson didn’t bother to read your sign or respect your wishes.
You’re less likely to switch, even if the company’s internet service is highly rated. If a rep can’t follow instructions before they gain your business, what will your experience be once you’re a customer? AI-based solutions may have the advantage of efficiency, but these tools must have a foundation of good, accurate data.
Using automation for your email campaigns might take a load off your staff. But if the database is rife with duplicate, inaccurate entries, the “efficiency” you think you’re gaining won’t produce positive results. The same applies to algorithms that don’t account for the why behind patterns. Bombarding inactive buyers with weekly emails about the latest savings won’t necessarily reengage them. You and the technology need to understand what caused them to disengage.
3. Employee Experiences Directly Influence Customer Experiences
An Accenture report reveals that 95% of the workforce recognizes value in generative AI. Simultaneously, employees don’t trust organizations to guarantee good outcomes from the technology’s use. This speaks volumes about whether AI’s implementation can be successful.
Simply put, employees are on board with generative AI’s possibilities. Yet, they don’t have much faith in their leadership’s abilities to steer the ship. For this reason, I believe it’s crucial for leaders to ensure their employees have the knowledge needed to leverage AI in fruitful, beneficial ways. Accenture’s report also states a people-centric approach to generative AI could create $10.3 trillion in economic value.
Without a people-centric approach, this potential value evaporates. When employees don’t trust the technology leadership tells them to use, word gets out. Customers find out through online reviews and the old-fashioned grapevine. And when employees are skeptical about AI, they may find ways to avoid, discredit, undermine or even sabotage it. Ensuring your workforce is adequately trained and leaders can demonstrate their expertise are essential starting points.
Trust As The New Currency
The question isn’t whether AI and automation are valuable. Instead, the elephant in the room is whether the technology is trustworthy. For businesses and audiences, I think it’s a matter of showing the proof is in the pudding. You can’t simply implement AI and let it run wild.
The human touch is still needed to communicate the why and continuously guide the design. Human-to-human relationships must stay at the center of AI initiatives. Otherwise, people won’t understand its role or have faith in its abilities to serve their needs.
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