AI answer engines are reshaping how customers engage with eCommerce sites, removing common barriers to conversion and creating new pressure points for digital businesses to adapt quickly.
Mark Presnell, Managing Director at Convergence Ltd, which integrates eCommerce systems across New Zealand and Australia, says many online journeys today feel like walking into a retail store and finding no staff in sight.
"Most customers don't want to trawl through FAQs or search menus. Chatbots are often too limited to handle real buying questions. Concierge AI is different. It's more like an informed salesperson who actually understands what you're asking," Presnell says.
Concierge-style AI uses retrieval augmented generation to generate accurate, brand-specific responses in natural language. It is gaining ground across both B2C and B2B environments. While B2C applications are becoming visible, the most immediate gains may lie in the B2B space. Buyers in this segment typically require complex, technical information and want quick confidence before progressing a purchase.
"B2B buyers are well informed. They come in expecting relevant, detailed answers and want them fast," Presnell says. "An AI concierge can pull directly from a company's own documents such as product specifications, support manuals, or contracts, and answer questions that would normally require a sales or support call."
This matters in a landscape where buyers are increasingly anonymous, self-directed, and expect consumer-grade digital experiences even when making business decisions.
A recent Cognizant report notes that AI agents are evolving from basic automation into trusted intermediaries capable of shaping decisions and influencing revenue outcomes across customer touchpoints.
Three areas where AI concierge tools are making an impact
1. Reducing friction in complex B2B sales journeys
Presnell says AI concierge tools are particularly valuable in sectors with long buying cycles, technical products, or regulated content. When buyers cannot get quick clarity, the risk is not just delay but dropout. AI answers that are instant and precise can reduce time to confidence and support faster qualification of leads.
2. Closing the gap between marketing and sales
The questions customers ask AI agents can offer a direct lens into what content is missing, what messaging resonates, or what product details are unclear. "It is not just about answering questions. It is about learning from them," Presnell says. "That feedback can inform marketing strategies or even product development."
3. Scaling consistency without sacrificing control
AI concierge tools are trained on an organisation's own content and can be moderated for tone, accuracy, and compliance. They are also configurable to avoid misinformation or unsupported responses. "We are seeing companies treat them like part of the sales team, with the same expectations around training and governance," Presnell says.
Implementation and caution points
Integrating an AI concierge typically involves indexing approved company content, defining governance settings, and connecting with CRM and marketing platforms. Onboarding time can range from days to weeks, depending on complexity.
Presnell warns that not all systems are created equal. "You need confidence in how the AI is sourcing information, how hallucinations are prevented, and what oversight you have," he says.
B2B firms in particular must ensure that customer data privacy, commercial sensitivity, and compliance requirements are rigorously met.
Leaders evaluating these tools should also consider whether their current site infrastructure can support real-time AI interactions and how success will be measured.
According to the World Economic Forum, the ability to operationalise AI within live customer experiences without losing brand trust will be a key differentiator in digital commerce.
Looking ahead
In Presnell's view, AI concierge tools will become an expectation rather than a novelty.
"This is not about replacing people. It is about meeting buyers where they are," he says. "Organisations that ignore these shifts risk becoming invisible at the very moment a customer is ready to engage."
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Based in Auckland but working with New Zealand companies nationwide, Convergence makes business in eCommerce simple. Experts in eCommerce integration, Convergence is responsible for creating the links between an eCommerce website and key business software systems in the cloud or on-premises. Convergence has developed its own cloud-based integration platform, CODI [Convergence Optimised Data Integration], which essentially acts as the hub between client systems and connects them.
