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AI-Powered Customer Engagement Platforms to Drive Growth (2025)

October 22, 2024
Want to enhance your customer relationships? Customer engagement platforms are essential for businesses providing personalized communication, integrating multiple channels, and analyzing customer data.
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What you'll learn in this article:

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Want to enhance your customer relationships? Customer engagement platforms are essential for businesses providing personalized communication, integrating multiple channels, and analyzing customer data.

What we will learn together:

  • Utilizing a customer engagement platform can significantly drive revenue growth by offering personalized communication and real-time interactions, distinguishing itself from CRMs, which primarily focus on managing customer information.
  • Leading customer engagement platforms such as Disco, Salesforce, and HubSpot provide robust tools and features that enhance customer relationships and satisfaction.
  • Customer training is crucial for scaling businesses and engaging customers effectively, as it empowers them to maximize product value and fosters long-term loyalty.

What are customer engagement platforms?

A customer engagement platform is designed to manage and optimize customer interactions across multiple channels, serving as a central hub for coordinating communications.

These platforms allow businesses to engage customers effectively by personalizing communications, analyzing customer data, and delivering consistent experiences.

Integrating tools like email, messaging, and chatbots allows customer engagement platforms to facilitate a seamless flow of information and interactions, boosting the overall customer experience.

Effective customer engagement management is crucial for fostering positive relationships and enhancing customer satisfaction. These platforms enable businesses to better understand customer behavior, anticipate needs, and respond quickly to inquiries, ultimately leading to higher levels of customer loyalty.

The ability to engage customers across various touchpoints ensures that businesses can maintain a consistent and personalized approach, which is key to building trust and long-lasting relationships.

Customer engagement platforms have become a vital component in the modern business toolkit, especially as customer expectations continue to rise. Today’s consumers demand fast, personalized service and meaningful interactions, making it imperative for businesses to adopt robust customer engagement tools to meet these needs.

Customer engagement platform vs CRMs

While both customer engagement platforms and CRM systems aim to enhance customer relationships, they serve different purposes.

Customer engagement platforms have evolved to become comprehensive solutions that integrate multiple functionalities beyond traditional contact management. These platforms are designed to manage complex customer interactions across various channels, providing a more holistic approach to customer engagement.

Meanwhile, CRMs primarily focus on storing and managing customer information, tracking sales, and managing customer contacts. In contrast, customer engagement platforms go a step further by incorporating tools that enable real-time interactions, personalized communications, and advanced analytics.

This allows businesses to engage customers more effectively and create personalized customer journeys that foster loyalty and satisfaction.

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Feature/AspectCRM (Customer Relationship Management)Customer Engagement Platform
Primary FocusManaging customer information and sales processesReal-time interactions and personalized communications
FunctionalityContact management, sales tracking, and lead managementMulti-channel communication, analytics, and interaction management
Data HandlingStores and manages customer dataCollects real-time data from multiple sources
Customer InteractionPrimarily through sales and support teamsAcross various digital channels and touchpoints
PersonalizationLimited to customer data and historyAdvanced personalization using behavioral insights
AnalyticsBasic reporting and sales forecastingRobust analytics for customer behavior and engagement metrics
IntegrationIntegrates with sales and marketing toolsIntegrates with multiple communication and marketing platforms
Customer JourneyFocuses on sales funnel and pipelineComprehensive management of the entire customer journey
User ExperienceOptimized for sales and support teamsDesigned for seamless customer experiences across channels
ScalabilityScales with customer database growthScales with increasing customer interaction demands

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Core features of customer engagement software

This software is equipped with several core features, including:

  • Real-time collection and unification of customer data from various sources, such as apps, websites, CRMs, and advertising tools
  • Comprehensive data collection that ensures businesses have accurate and up-to-date information
  • Personalization of customer interactions to tailor marketing efforts

Another critical feature is advanced personalization, which allows businesses to create customized experiences based on individual customer preferences and behaviors.

Platforms like Disco harness the power of AI to deliver exceptional personalization features. These include inline suggestions, adaptable AI models, live chat, group and subgroup management, and behaviorally triggered automation.

Such tools are crucial for extracting actionable insights from customer interactions, significantly boosting engagement and enhancing the overall customer experience.

On another note, these platforms offer robust analytics tools that provide real-time insights into customer's learning progress and track engagement metrics. These analytics capabilities enable businesses to refine their strategies continuously and ensure that they are meeting customer expectations.

By integrating these features, engagement platforms help businesses manage complex customer relationships and deliver consistent, personalized experiences across the entire customer journey.

Why you should use a customer engagement platform

Meaningful engagement seamlessly integrates a product into customers' lives, fostering stronger connections and encouraging repeat business.

By engaging customers across multiple channels, businesses can significantly boost profitability and cultivate deeper relationship growth. This approach not only accelerates customer retention but also effectively reduces the churn rate.

Enhances customer experience (CX)

Utilizing customer data enables businesses to create customized experiences that resonate with individual preferences and behaviors. Effective customer engagement platforms allow brands to provide personalized, real-time conversations across multiple channels, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Collecting and analyzing customer feedback is essential for refining engagement strategies and improving satisfaction over time. Companies leveraging personalized customer engagement can see a significant increase in repeat buyers, as personalized interactions foster loyalty and trust.

Builds brand advocates

When businesses go above and beyond to engage customers, they foster a sense of loyalty and trust that is hard to replicate. This level of dedication not only differentiates a brand from its competitors but also encourages customers to become brand advocates.

Ensure that the customer engagement platform you select allows for deep customization to reflect your brand identity. Look for features such as custom domains, labels, and appearance settings.

By consistently delivering exceptional experiences that align with customer expectations and preferences, businesses can enhance their brand reputation and achieve long-term success.

Drives revenue growth and workflow efficiency

Research conducted by Gallup reveals that delivering an "enhanced customer experience" can lead to an impressive 23% boost in profitability, revenue, growth in customer relationships, and overall wallet share compared to the average customer.

When evaluating the cost of a customer engagement platform, consider the potential return on investment. The benefits of increased customer satisfaction and higher sales often outweigh the initial costs, making these platforms a worthwhile investment for businesses looking to drive growth and efficiency.

How do you evaluate customer engagement platforms?

It is essential to consider several key criteria, including functionality, user experience, integration, scalability, customer education tools, and support services. Functionality encompasses features like analytics, personalization, and multichannel support, which are crucial for enhancing the overall user experience.

Additionally, the ease of setup and use, integration capabilities, customization options, cost-effectiveness, and scalability are vital factors to consider. Evaluating the potential return on investment involves comparing costs against benefits such as increased customer satisfaction and sales.

Advanced customer training tools with certification

In today's competitive market landscape, having a robust customer education tool is paramount for businesses aiming to stand out and foster brand loyalty. As companies strive to engage customers more effectively, educating them about products and services becomes a critical component of customer engagement strategies.

Search for a platform that not only has a robust curriculum builder powered by AI but also offers certification programs to validate learning outcomes. Certification programs can enhance the credibility of your training and provide customers with tangible proof of their expertise, fostering a deeper connection and commitment to your brand.

Take a look at this example to see how you can launch your first customer learning program in less than a day!

Robust functionality and seamless user experience

A seamless communication experience, user-friendly interface, and modern design are essential elements that enhance the overall user experience. Platforms that can comprehensively monitor and manage customer experiences are more likely to engage customers effectively and meet their expectations.

Ability to scale with automation and integrations

Integration capabilities are fundamental for creating a comprehensive omnichannel customer engagement system. Modern customer engagement platforms have evolved beyond traditional CRM systems to become cloud-based and highly interoperable, providing a holistic view of customer interactions.

By integrating with existing systems, businesses can streamline customer experiences across various platforms and communication channels.

Meanwhile, scalable platforms should offer flexible features and customization options that can adapt to changing business needs and handle a growing number of interactions without compromising performance.

The power of automation plays a significant role in scaling, as it streamlines processes, reduces manual intervention, and enhances efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks, businesses can focus on strategic initiatives, allowing the platform to manage complex customer interactions seamlessly.

Excellent customer support

Reliable support services are critical for ensuring customer satisfaction. When assessing vendor support, consider factors such as availability, responsiveness, and expertise in handling customer support requests. Evaluating vendor reputation includes assessing the availability of their support services across various channels.

The best customer engagement platforms for modern businesses

The landscape of customer engagement platforms is diverse, with various options catering to different business needs.

Investing in the right customer engagement platform can significantly impact business growth, with digital engagement. In this section, we will explore the top customer engagement platforms for modern businesses, detailing their key features and benefits to help you make an informed decision.

#1. DISCO - The world's best customer engagement and learning platform for modern businesses

Disco stands out as a premier customer engagement platform, particularly for its robust customer education tools. As an AI-powered customer engagement and learning platform, Disco enables businesses to swiftly launch branded customer academies, merging social learning with automation to provide personalized, modern, and scalable learning experiences.

The Disco platform is trusted by renowned brands such as CourseHero, Dribbble, and the Toronto Board of Trade, among others. Backed by GSV Ventures, Disco has earned accolades from Fast Company and Edtech Breakthrough for its innovative features.

If you're in search of a highly customizable platform equipped with advanced engagement capabilities, comprehensive analytics, seamless integrations, automation, and an AI-powered curriculum builder, Disco is your ideal solution!

Why do large brands choose Disco?

AI-powered social learning: Disco is purpose-built for social learning, allowing businesses to quickly establish modern customer academies. Its ultra-modern, flexible design ensures that academies are fully branded, reflecting the quality of the brand while delivering the personalized experiences that learners expect.

Automation and trainable AI: Disco AI acts as a digital assistant, automating tasks and monitoring learner progress. It streamlines operations by automating reminders, generating comprehensive curriculums, transcribing and summarizing video content, and offering AI-triggered nudges to drive engagement.

Here's an example of how Disco AI re-engages inactive customers by generating emails and suggestions:

Customer engagement tools: Built to foster deeper customer engagement, Disco integrates cohort-based and community-based social learning. This approach encourages customers to learn together, share experiences, and support one another, enhancing the overall learning experience. With features like event management tools, discussion boards, channels, messaging, and groups & subgroups, you can easily engage customers flawlessly.

AI-powered operations and built-in CRMs: By automating content creation and administrative processes, Disco allows teams to launch branded academies quickly and scale initiatives without increasing operational strain. Its AI-powered platform automates operational tasks, reducing manual work and enabling teams to focus on strategic priorities.

Robust analytics and reporting: Disco provides real-time engagement insights into learner progress, engagement levels, and course performance through its robust reporting and analytics tools. With AI-powered recommendations and easy-to-access dashboards, teams can track success and optimize learning experiences without guesswork.

If you're looking to elevate your customer engagement and training strategies, consider trying Disco with a 14-day free trial! Schedule a demo to connect with our expert team and explore how Disco can transform your business.

#2. Salesforce Service Cloud - Real-time collaboration with field service management

Salesforce Service Cloud is a comprehensive customer engagement platform that offers a suite of tools designed to streamline workflows and enhance customer satisfaction.

It provides businesses with the capability to manage customer interactions efficiently, ensuring that customer service teams can respond to inquiries promptly and effectively. Salesforce Service Cloud also includes features for field service management, enabling real-time collaboration and efficient management of field technicians.

This platform combines various customer service tools to help businesses manage complex relationships and deliver personalized experiences. These tools include automated workflows, AI-driven insights, and advanced analytics, all of which contribute to an improved customer experience and higher satisfaction levels.

#3. HubSpot - The most versatile platform for customer engagement

HubSpot is a flexible customer engagement platform powered by AI. It is designed to assist businesses in attracting visitors, converting leads, and closing customers.

It features a user-friendly interface that enhances the overall experience for users, making it easier for businesses to engage customers effectively.

HubSpot includes various hubs, such as the Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, CMS Hub, and Operations Hub, each offering specialized tools for managing customer interactions and marketing efforts.

The HubSpot Service Hub integrates seamlessly with the Sales Hub, providing detailed views of customer interactions and enabling personalized customer journeys. This integration allows businesses to create cohesive marketing campaigns, streamline customer communications, and improve customer retention rates.

#4. Zendesk - The complete customer service solution

Zendesk is a powerful customer engagement software. It consolidates multiple communication channels into a single platform, simplifying the management of customer interactions for businesses.

It supports communication through email, live chat, voice, SMS, and social media, ensuring that customer service teams can engage with customers effectively across multiple channels.

One of Zendesk’s standout features is its customizable interface, which allows businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs.

Additionally, Zendesk offers a built-in chatbot and extensive APIs for seamless integration with other tools like Slack, WhatsApp, Shopify, and Help Scout. This flexibility makes Zendesk a preferred choice for customer service and sales teams aiming to enhance their customer engagement strategies.

#5. Intercom - An AI-first customer service tool

Intercom is a user-friendly customer engagement platform that leverages AI technology, macros, and alerts to manage customer interactions effectively.

It offers key features such as:

  • In-app messaging
  • Chat conversations
  • Customer surveys
  • A shared inbox
  • A knowledge base builder

All of which facilitate effective customer engagement.

Intercom’s chatbot features are specifically designed to drive engagement through automated conversations, helping businesses provide personalized customer experiences. Intercom’s use of multiple communication channels allows businesses to engage with customers wherever they are, improving overall satisfaction and loyalty.

How to develop a customer engagement strategy in 2025?

Developing an effective customer engagement strategy involves setting clear goals, leveraging data for personalization, and establishing continuous improvement practices. Setting specific and measurable objectives allows businesses to focus their engagement efforts and track their success effectively.

Leveraging customer data is critical for understanding preferences, behaviors, and needs, enabling businesses to tailor their messaging and interactions.

Continuous improvement practices, such as collecting and analyzing customer feedback, help businesses adapt their strategies based on real-time insights, enhancing overall engagement and satisfaction.

1. Setting clear goals and objectives

Establishing specific, measurable objectives is crucial for guiding the direction of customer engagement initiatives. These goals help businesses focus their efforts and measure success, ensuring that engagement strategies remain relevant and effective.

Regularly revisiting these goals ensures they align with the evolving needs of the business and its customers. By setting clear objectives, businesses can create a roadmap for their engagement efforts and track progress toward achieving their desired outcomes.

2. Leveraging data for personalization

Customer data is essential for creating personalized experiences that resonate with individual preferences and behaviors. Analyzing customer data allows businesses to tailor interactions and create targeted marketing campaigns that boost engagement.

Utilizing customer data effectively can lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. Tailored marketing campaigns, based on segmented customer data, ensure that businesses reach the right audience with the right message, enhancing the overall effectiveness of their engagement strategies.

3. Continuous improvement and feedback loops

Continuous improvement is critical for enhancing customer engagement as it helps businesses adapt to changing customer expectations and preferences. Customers’ insights gathered through surveys, reviews, and direct communication are invaluable for identifying areas of improvement.

Acting on feedback involves implementing changes based on customer suggestions, which can lead to improved satisfaction and loyalty.

Establishing feedback loops helps businesses continuously refine their customer engagement strategies to meet evolving customer needs.

The best example of customer education

If you haven't yet embarked on customer training for your brand, Disco Academy serves as a stellar example of how to effectively educate your customers.

Disco Academy provides access to exclusive guides, updates, and comprehensive information on creating training programs, courses, and curricula tailored for learning organizations.

It is not just about learning; it's about fostering a community of engaged learners who share insights and strategies. It offers a dynamic environment where businesses can explore innovative ways to enhance customer engagement and drive revenue growth through education.

For those serious about driving revenue growth through customer engagement and education, Disco Academy provides the tools and knowledge needed to power up your game.

Whether you're looking to improve customer retention, boost satisfaction, or simply expand your knowledge, joining Disco Academy can significantly enhance your customer training initiatives and help you achieve your business goals.

🚀 Curious about scaling your learning business with AI?

Discover 6 game-changing strategies from Section CEO Greg Shove.

🚀 Curious about scaling your learning business with AI?

Discover 6 game-changing strategies from Section CEO Greg Shove.

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Fire up customer retention with customer training!

While customer engagement platforms are essential tools for businesses looking to optimize their interactions and enhance customer satisfaction, an often overlooked yet vital aspect of customer engagement is customer training.

Educating customers and partners about products not only empowers them to use these products more effectively but also significantly enhances customer retention. When customers are well-informed, they are more likely to derive maximum value from their purchases, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.

Disco distinguishes itself as the premier customer engagement and training platform, providing an unmatched solution for developing impactful customer learning programs.

With Disco, you can launch your first customer training program in under a day using a fully branded platform. Experience the benefits with a 14-day free trial of your Disco account. For personalized guidance on initiating your customer engagement strategies, book a demo with our expert team for valuable insights and consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a customer engagement platform?

A customer engagement platform is essential as it manages customer interactions across various channels, enabling businesses to personalize communications and provide consistent experiences. This leads to improved customer relationships and satisfaction.

How do customer engagement platforms differ from CRMs?

Customer engagement platforms offer a broader range of functionalities, emphasizing real-time interactions and personalized communications, while CRMs mainly focus on managing customer information. This distinction highlights the more dynamic and interactive approach of customer engagement platforms.

What are the core features of customer engagement platforms?

Customer engagement platforms primarily offer real-time data collection, advanced personalization, automated messaging, and analytics, along with tools to manage interactions across multiple channels. These features are essential for fostering meaningful connections with customers.

How can customer engagement platforms enhance customer satisfaction?

Customer engagement platforms enhance satisfaction by facilitating personalized, real-time interactions across various channels, while also enabling businesses to analyze feedback and tailor experiences to meet individual preferences. This approach fosters a deeper connection with customers, ultimately leading to improved satisfaction.

What should businesses consider when evaluating customer engagement platforms?

Businesses should prioritize functionality, user experience, integration capabilities, scalability, support services, and potential return on investment when evaluating customer engagement platforms. These criteria will ensure the platform effectively meets their needs and supports growth.

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