GenAI is empowering us to optimise our marketing efforts & enhance customer engagement: Abhishek Kasina, CPO, Livspace
The digital revolution has indeed transformed not just businesses but the very basis of business-customer interaction. Today, terms like ‘customer satisfaction’ and ‘customer experience’ have garnered attention enough to become a deal-breaker. Not only the startups but even the legacy names are racing to catch customer eyeballs and ensure the deployment of advanced technology solutions to make buying a memorable experience.
Turning a house into a home is one such experience that ought to be a memorable one for all the good reasons. Abhishek Kasina, Chief Product Officer at Livspace shares the tale of how Livspace, with the deployment of cutting-edge technology solutions, has geared up to deliver a memorable home-making experience. With its AI-powered solutions, 3D design platform, virtual reality (VR), and cloud-based tools, Livspace is simplifying the customer journey while delivering the quality experience and service.
What are some recent innovations by Livspace? How do you envision the impact of these innovations?
At Livspace, innovation is our core focus. We have developed a robust design partner community and a proprietary platform called Canvas, the world’s first cloud-based design/ERP solution tailored for the home design and decor industry. Canvas streamlines the entire interior design and installation process, from initial design to final installation. This integrated system covers everything from design to manufacturing to last-mile installation, offering a scalable and standardised solution that ensures error-free interiors. For designers and manufacturers, Canvas functions as an ERP, supporting their growth and establishing Livspace as India’s leading interior design and renovation platform.
Our proprietary technology platform is powered by a team of engineers, data scientists, and product managers who utilise data science, algorithms, and industrial design to enhance the experiences of homeowners and scale the work of interior designers. Our technology allows designers to create floor plans in 2D, which can be instantly transformed into 3D designs at the click of a button. This lets designers plan effectively while allowing homeowners to visualise their designs clearly with a single, cloud-based tool.
Additionally, we are leveraging a machine learning-based platform to provide homeowners with a seamless, predictable, and personalised interior design and renovation service. We use machine learning to categorise design assets, improving search and discovery for designers. Text classification algorithms automatically classify design asset features, while designers can use automatic clustering filters. Matching scores incorporate time series data on designers’ past performance and predicted bandwidth based on current projects. Our platform facilitates the creation of thousands of designs each month by our designers.
Livspace claims to employ “state-of-the-art technologies”. What technologies are you leveraging? How has this enhanced your business?
We leverage “state-of-the-art technologies” to enhance every facet of our business operations. Our innovative approach is evident in three use cases. Firstly, we have transformed customer acquisition by employing a machine learning-driven designer matching algorithm, ensuring that each homeowner is paired with the ideal designer for their project, thereby enhancing overall satisfaction.
Secondly, we prioritise delivering a delightful sales experience by investing in cutting-edge experiences such as LiDAR-powered automated floor plan creation, AI-powered catalog and integrated design automation, and VR-powered immersive visualisations, all of which streamline the design process and engage customers in unprecedented ways.
Lastly, behind the scenes, we utilise AI in our factory and manufacturing management processes to optimise resource utilisation, leading to cost savings and sustainability benefits. Through these technologies, we can deliver personalised experiences at scale, redefining the interior design landscape and setting new standards of excellence in our industry.
GenAI has become the talk of the town today. How do you see it transforming the interior design industry? In what ways are you deploying or planning to deploy GenAI?
At present, we have integrated GenAI tools into advertising platforms that we use and we are witnessing a great change in how we engage with our audience. We use it to auto-generate images, text, and entire campaign concepts that streamline our creative process and enable us to deploy tailored content across various channels more efficiently than ever before.
However, our use of GenAI continues beyond there. We are also leveraging its capabilities to enhance immersive experiences such as VR. By generating custom voiceovers that cater to each customer’s unique preferences, we create truly immersive experiences that resonate deeply with our audience. Whether they prioritise budget considerations or aesthetics, our voiceovers adapt accordingly, ensuring that every interaction feels personal and relevant.
To cut it short, GenAI is empowering us to optimise our marketing efforts, enhance customer engagement, and deliver personalised experiences at scale. As we continue to explore its potential, we are excited to see how it will further redefine the landscape of interior design.
You are present in four countries, catering to over 40 cities. How are you dealing with such humongous data? What security measures are you implementing to ensure data security and privacy?
At Livspace we take data privacy very seriously. We leverage a combination of scalable cloud-based infrastructure and robust data management practices to handle the vast amount of data generated across our four countries and over 40 cities. This ensures efficient data storage, retrieval, and analysis.
To safeguard data security and privacy, we implement a multi-layered approach that includes:
– Encryption of data at rest and in transit: This scrambles your information to make it unreadable in case of a breach.
-Access controls with role-based permissions: Only authorised personnel have access to specific data sets, depending on their job requirements.
-Regular security audits and penetration testing: We continuously identify and address vulnerabilities in our systems.
-Compliance with industry-standard data security regulations: We adhere to strict data security protocols to ensure your information is protected.
How do you foresee the transformation of interior design space in the coming future? What are your plans and strategies for the year ahead?
As we look ahead to the future of interior design, we expect a dynamic shift fueled by innovative technologies. From personalised furniture to blockchain-based authenticity verification and AR-powered installation experiences, technology empowers homeowners to craft dream spaces that truly reflect their personalities and styles. Additionally, smart devices and surfaces are augmenting the home’s functionality, enhancing convenience and ease of living.
As we embrace IoT and AI, connected homes are becoming equipped with advanced security systems, including smart cameras, sensors, and remotely controlled locks, ensuring peace of mind and safety for homeowners. However, amidst these advancements, professionals in the industry must remain adaptable, staying abreast of the latest trends and tools while providing top-notch service to clients.
While technology undoubtedly enhances and streamlines certain aspects of the industry, it is essential to recognise that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Human connection and creativity remain paramount in deeply personal and emotional experiences of home design and construction. Thus, technology should complement and enhance these experiences, not replace them.
By striking a balance between embracing technology’s potential and respecting human connection and creativity, we can continue to shape transformative and personalised living spaces that truly resonate with homeowners.
