In this edition of Behind the Mic, we welcome Lariana Tamashi to share her invaluable experiences as the General Manager at Kinesso.

With over 14 years of expertise in digital marketing and advertising, Lariana Tamashi is a visionary in AI-driven digital transformation, having led award-winning innovative projects throughout her career. Leading KINESSO Indonesia’s digital transformation, she drives AI initiatives to optimize strategies, enhancing operational efficiency and redefining marketing engagement and consumer connectivity. Passionate about ethical AI, she envisions a future where technology enhances creativity, efficiency, and inclusivity.

Here are her thoughts on her journey, insights, and the future of customer experience in the digital transformation landscape:

Q1. What motivated you to pursue a career in customer experience, and what key steps did you take to enter this field?

I’ve always been drawn to roles about connecting businesses with their customers in meaningful ways. Recognizing how technology can transform these interactions drove me to focus on customer experience as a critical growth driver for brands.
Returning to IPG Mediabrands allowed me to lead KINESSO Digital Transformation, which focuses on integrating tech, data, and innovation into campaigns. This approach not only elevates consumer engagement but also ensures brands stay ahead by meeting and anticipating customer needs.

Q2. How have you leveraged emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and blockchain to enhance customer experience in your organization?

We’ve used emerging technologies like AI and machine learning primarily to elevate the effectiveness of campaigns for the brands we work with. By leveraging these tools, we can segment audiences more precisely and gain deeper insights into their behaviors and preferences. This allows us to craft more tailored and meaningful approaches that resonate with consumers, ultimately enhancing their experience.

The result is a win-win: consumers receive more relevant and helpful interactions, which leads to stronger engagement and satisfaction, while brands benefit from increased loyalty and improved outcomes. It’s not just about using technology for efficiency but embedding it strategically to create genuine value for all parties involved

Q3. What are some of the most significant challenges you've faced in improving customer experience from a product management perspective, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges in improving customer experience is ensuring alignment between customer expectations and the practical capabilities of a product or service. Often, brands want to embrace innovation quickly but struggle with integrating new technologies effectively within existing systems.

Innovations like AI are powerful, but integrating them effectively requires careful planning to ensure they enhance rather than complicate the customer journey.

To address this, we rely on a data-driven approach and close collaboration with cross-functional teams. Continuous feedback loops with customers help us refine solutions and ensure they provide meaningful value while maintaining usability.

Q4. What role does customer feedback play in your product development process, and how do you gather and incorporate it effectively?

It’s essential for shaping strategies that drive brand success. It helps identify pain points and opportunities, guiding how we enhance experiences and engagement.

We gather feedback through analytics, surveys, and direct interactions, then use these insights to adapt and improve. This process ensures that the solutions we build are both relevant to customers and beneficial for the brands we work with.

Q5. What strategies have you found most effective in delivering exceptional customer experiences through your products and services?

The most effective strategy is understanding the consumer journey deeply and tailoring solutions to meet their specific needs. By leveraging audience segmentation and real-time data, we create campaigns that feel personalized and relevant.

For brands, this approach translates into better engagement, improved satisfaction, and stronger loyalty. The key is to ensure every touchpoint delivers consistent value and aligns with both the consumer’s expectations and the brand’s objectives.

Q6. Can you describe a specific instance where data analytics helped you identify customer pain points and drive product enhancements?

In one case of a healthcare brand, we used data analytics to identify drop-off points in a brand’s customer journey, revealing friction in their e-commerce experience. Based on these insights, we recommended adjustments to the user flow and communication.

These changes led to improved user engagement and increased conversion rates, showing how actionable data can address pain points and create measurable impact for both consumers and brands.

Q7. Could you share a success story where your efforts in product management led to a significant improvement in customer satisfaction?

We’ve utilized conversational AI and audience segmentation to enhance customer experiences. By analyzing audience behaviors and preferences, we’ve crafted personalized campaigns that resonate deeply with their needs, addressing inquiries efficiently, and building trust. These efforts have resulted in improved engagement, higher satisfaction scores, and stronger brand advocacy.

In a case for a leading apparel brand, we implemented AI-powered content production to tackle challenges during a high-demand period. By automating creative development, we significantly reduced production time while maintaining relevance and quality. This not only exceeded performance targets but also showcased how innovative technologies can drive efficiency and deliver meaningful results for both customers and brands.

Q8. Which methodologies or frameworks do you use to prioritize feature development and ensure alignment with customer needs and business goals?

We prioritize feature development by combining data-driven insights with a clear understanding of customer behavior and brand objectives. This involves using methodologies like the MoSCoW framework to categorize features based on their importance and urgency.

Regular collaboration with cross-functional teams ensures that proposed features address customer pain points while aligning with the business goals of the brands we handle.

Q9. How do you collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as engineering, design, and marketing, to ensure seamless customer experiences?

We align teams around a unified vision of customer experience, ensuring that every function understands its role in delivering value. Regular check-ins, shared analytics dashboards, and an iterative approach help keep everyone on track. By fostering a culture of open feedback and adaptability, we create solutions that are cohesive and impactful. This collaborative approach ensures that every touchpoint in the customer journey is seamless and consistent with the brand’s essence.

Q10. How do you balance the need for innovation with the necessity of maintaining user-friendliness in your products?

Innovation is only valuable if it enhances usability rather than complicates it. We achieve this by testing new ideas rigorously, incorporating customer feedback early, and ensuring that technology serves a clear purpose.
This balance is maintained by focusing on simplicity and relevance, ensuring that innovations meet user expectations while delivering measurable benefits for the brands we support.

Q11. What best practices have you implemented to ensure consistency and transparency across all customer touchpoints?

By creating clear guidelines for messaging, design, and interactions that reflect the brand’s values. These guidelines are applied across all channels to ensure a cohesive experience for customers. Regular audits and cross-functional collaboration help identify gaps and align strategies. By leveraging data and feedback, we continuously refine touchpoints to ensure they meet customer expectations

Q12. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and developments in customer experience and product management?

I follow industry reports, attend conferences, and participate in discussions with peers to gain fresh perspectives.

Practical experience also plays a key role—analyzing the results of campaigns and exploring how emerging tools, like AI and automation, can further enhance customer experiences keeps me ahead of trends.

Conclusion

Lariana Tamashi’s journey highlights the critical role of customer experience in driving business success, emphasizing the power of technology, data, and innovation to create meaningful connections between brands and consumers. Her commitment to leveraging emerging technologies like AI and machine learning, while maintaining a customer-centric approach, has proven to be a game-changer in the industry. By continuously integrating customer feedback, fostering collaboration across teams, and prioritizing user-friendly solutions, she has successfully transformed challenges into opportunities for growth. Her insights serve as a valuable guide for anyone looking to enhance customer experiences and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of product management and digital transformation.