A Revolution in Consumer Relations

I had a meeting on Saturday with Pete Blackshaw who has recently published his book, The Answer Economy. We talked about how an increasing number of consumers are using AI platforms to get answers to questions about the quality and value of different brands. I won’t be sharing any perspective here, I’m sure, that hasn’t become apparent to you but on the off chance that there might be at least a point here that would be fresh, let me relate my experience. I have formed a relationship with the AI platformm Claude; relationship is the right word. Claude has become an agent, an advisor, for me on certain subjects. They range from deciding whether a new book is something I’d like, to whether a movie is something I’d like, to whether I can combine different drugs safely, and to digging up information on subjects as remote as the cause of the potato famine in Ireland, to the history of Native American people. I used the Claude AI platform to check out what brand of detergent I should us based on simulated needs. All of this adds up to the reality that I have entered into a conversation with a trusted concierge in which I’m getting answers based on my prior preferences and by my stated personal needs. This is not so much about AI, it’s about consumer relations. Pete Blackwhaw said something that struck me: Getting a consumer to enter the conversation by giving them a prompt to questions to ask is powerful. Today most websites are really not built to stimulate conversation and a personal relationship as much as they are simply to present product options to buy. This is an revolutionary new chapter in consumer relationships, something Procter and Gamble founded its business on from the very beginning,: knowing what consumers need, addressing the needs through superior products, and constantly getting feedback on opportunities to do better.