Despite Asia’s fragmented digital landscape and varying levels of technological maturity, one truth remains constant: consumers expect meaningful, seamless, and personalised communication from brands. As businesses strive to meet these rising expectations, Infobip, a global cloud communications platform—has emerged as a strategic enabler. In an email interview with The Exchange Asia, Harsha Solanki, VP General Manager Asia (India, APAC & Eurasia) at Infobip, sheds light on the region’s challenges and how the company is helping brands unify customer experiences through omnichannel engagement and AI-powered transformation. The Omnichannel Gap in Asia “Customers are expecting brands to have conversations with them digitally, on various channels, and avoiding call centres as much as possible,” says Solanki. While many businesses understand this shift, most struggle to implement it effectively. On average, brands use about six channels—ranging from SMS and WhatsApp to live chat and social media—but only 33% have these channels strategically integrated. The core issue lies in disjointed systems and siloed data. “Only 36% of brands have fully integrated software and tools,” she reveals. Without unified infrastructure, businesses are unable to deliver consistent and high-quality customer experiences—ultimately affecting loyalty and operational efficiency. A successful omnichannel strategy requires more than just channel presence; it needs a solid foundation. Tools like journey builders and customer data platforms are essential to capturing insights across touchpoints and delivering personalised journeys. Legacy systems remain one of the largest obstacles in Asia, especially in developing markets. However, Infobip addresses this head-on with a cloud-first, API-driven approach. “Infobip provides cloud-based solutions that integrate with legacy systems without requiring a complete overhaul,” explains Solanki. Through its Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) model, the company empowers brands to modernise gradually—layering AI-powered automation and cloud-based contact centres on top of existing workflows. From Super App Integration to Human-AI Harmony Asia’s digital economy is heavily influenced by super apps like WeChat, Grab and Gojek. Instead of viewing them as competition, Infobip sees these platforms as partners. “We help businesses integrate with super apps like WhatsApp, enabling conversational commerce and support directly within those ecosystems,” says Solanki. But as AI adoption accelerates, so does the challenge of balancing automation with empathy. While AI drives speed and efficiency, human judgement still plays a vital role—especially in emotionally nuanced interactions. “At Infobip, we never lose sight of what truly matters: human connection,” she adds. “The future of CX isn’t human versus machine—it’s human plus machine.” To support this hybrid future, Infobip has launched its AI Hub and partnered with Microsoft to embed generative AI across its suite of customer engagement tools. The AI Hub allows brands to build conversational journeys for support, sales, and marketing—integrating with platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot. An example of this in action is digital insurer LAQO, which used Infobip’s GPT-enabled chatbot to provide round-the-clock support. This not only ensured faster, personalised responses but also allowed human agents to focus on complex queries. Despite AI’s rapid progress, Solanki insists humans will remain central to customer experience. “Even the most advanced AI still needs human oversight. AI handles repetitive tasks and surfaces insights, while humans bring empathy and creativity. Together, they build stronger relationships.” One mistake many companies make is deploying AI without a clear strategy. “Many brands struggle with fragmented channels, disjointed data, and poorly executed use cases,” she warns. Infobip takes a consultative approach—guiding clients through every stage of implementation, offering pre-built tools and robust APIs to ensure integration is seamless and scalable. Operating across vastly different markets—from China’s closed ecosystem to WhatsApp-reliant Southeast Asia—Infobip leans on local knowledge to tailor its solutions. “Channel popularity varies greatly. It’s critical to work with a platform provider who understands local preferences,” says Solanki. Whether it’s Viber in the Philippines or RCS in India, Infobip helps businesses identify the best-fit channels through a combination of global insight and local expertise. Proving ROI in a Price-Sensitive Region With Asia’s reputation for cost-consciousness, Infobip places strong emphasis on proving tangible returns. “We don’t just provide tools—we help businesses use them in ways that increase efficiency, reduce manual work, and ultimately lead to higher satisfaction and loyalty,” Solanki notes. This focus on long-term value helps businesses look beyond initial costs to the measurable benefits of higher conversions, better retention, and lower support expenses. Building Trust in a Tighter Regulatory Climate As data privacy regulations tighten across Asia, Infobip ensures compliance without sacrificing personalisation. “We prioritise data security and operate within strict regulatory frameworks while enabling businesses to deliver relevant and secure customer experiences,” says Solanki. With global infrastructure, enterprise-grade encryption, and local data hosting, Infobip balances privacy with performance. In Asia’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, customer engagement is no longer a choice—it’s a differentiator. Infobip’s ability to integrate legacy systems, unify communication channels, and humanise AI makes it a key partner for businesses aiming to create seamless and meaningful customer journeys across the region. As Solanki puts it, “With the right blend of intelligent automation and authentic human care, we can deliver experiences that are both efficient and deeply meaningful.”
