Kostas Fiakas, INFORM: “We use AI to understand the consumer and to react timely based on its real needs”

“It is necessary for the vast majority of companies to lay the foundations of digital transformation so that operational processes to be accelerated in achieving objectives, improving the decision-making process due to access to quality data, connectivity at any step, from anywhere and gain many other major benefits,” Kostas Fiakas, Chief Strategy Officer INFORM, told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“INFORM is creating solutions that are applicable to Enterprises, seeking to either create a better experience for their consumers through Video Collaboration and Engagement tools or to automate securely their operations using Cognitive Automations.”

Why is it important for a company to do a digital transformation?

The COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty have exposed companies’ vulnerabilities – forcing many to self-reflect on past, current and future strategies and the growing use of digital technologies leading to a spectacular increase in the demand for digital transformation solutions from companies.

More than important, it is necessary for the vast majority of companies to lay the foundations of digital transformation so that operational processes to be accelerated in achieving objectives, improving the decision-making process due to access to quality data, connectivity at any step, from anywhere and gain many other major benefits.

INFORM is creating solutions that are applicable to Enterprises, seeking to either create a better experience for their consumers through Video Collaboration and Engagement tools or to automate securely their operations using Cognitive Automations.

What are the technological innovations that will become mainstream in the next years?

When we refer to innovations in the future, we have a long area that we can debate in various fields which mainly is aimed to reduce costs, to achieve business development and have an enormous impact in society and beyond.

The digital transformation compels in a natural way to react at the changes of the technology and culture, but also to the escape from the comfort zone for an accommodation on new bases.

Leadership, sales and communication channels, information, operating model, all these areas are significantly adjusted in the digital transformation process. In the evolution of the market, besides the major changes that are based on a high understanding of the processes in companies, innovation is on an important place along with the business evaluation criteria.

What do you think will be the main drivers for business growth in your company in 2021?

We develop stable and long-lasting relationships between partners and customers so that teams develop continuously, and we enthusiastically intend to succeed in implementing more and more a new mentality when it comes to technology and its need. We always ought to be proactive and improve our offerings of solutions with services that bring a real competitive advantage to our customers and in recent years, we have invested heavily in new digital services that transform the entire business environment.

We are developing strategic partnerships with established players in innovative fields like Customer Voice Listening using AI. We use AI to understand the sentiments of the consumer and to react timely based on real customer satisfaction and actual needs. We can help marketing teams personalize their communication strategy and tactics according to real customer feedback and need.

As during pandemic the communication means and models have changed, could you share some details about your professional video conferencing solution and to whom is addressed?

INFORM’s Video conferencing solution enables customers engagement and collaboration from all digital channels. Some of the key features of our Video Conferencing platform include enhanced Video Collaboration, co-browsing, document collaboration, digital signature, call/meeting scheduler and a numerous other features combining the Video Onboarding service for the issuance of a Qualified certificate and with the ID Verification and Biometric/Liveness detection solutions, to enable user authentication through ID and face verification. Another integrated service offered by INFORM, through its Video Conferencing platform, is the Document Classification and Verification and automated data extraction through INFORM’s advanced OCR Scanning and Data Capture engine.

The solution has a flexible and secure deployment model and addresses the business collaboration of company representatives and relationship managers, of institutions and banks that need to retain and extend the personalized communication through digital channels.

The solution is a OneStop Portal offering an all-in-one continuous connected experience, through its white label mobile application, mobile and web SDK, enabling the organization to obtain a Customer and Business portal offering a one stop experience to customers, clients, partner when connected with business teams, executives and relationship managers.

How should a company react to the growing number of new technologies?

Everything related to technology, brings major changes both in everyday life, but also when it comes to the professional side, which is demonstrated by the actions that have created in an increasing number of new products and services to respond at the new requirements on the market, in various businesses. In order to have satisfactory results, companies should be flexible and have an agile behavior, focus on business strategy, on completing customer requirements and what they promise to offer.

Our approach in INFORM is to start all of our projects by conducting a robust digital transformation strategy for our clients with clear objectives in order to find the right tools and tactics that would increase efficiency and business objectives instead of adding usage effort to the organization teams.

What are your company’s most important ongoing digital projects?

This year we expect an increase in demand in the field of digital transformation services and we will provide complete solutions, in correlation with customer needs. We can name our company as strategic in finding solutions for a well-defined business, digital registration of customers, automation of robotic processes, specialized accounting automation and the list goes on.

In 2021 the focus remains in the digital transformation services area, considering:  RPAs, Chatbots, video conferencing, Digital onboarding, mobile apps, Loyalty Apps and Augmented reality ecommerce.

What are the latest services INFORM is providing in the digital transformation area?

INFORM continues to focus on-, as well as the provision of highly specialized and technologically advanced digitization solutions such as Digital Customers Onboarding (DoB), OCR / Data Capture Solutions for Automatic Document Identification and Registration (Process Automation) using Machine Learning (ML), Robotic Process Automation, Intelligent Chatbots and Natural Language Processing, in order to support existing and new customers in their own digital transformation.

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