AI-powered leaders are leapfrogging their peers in digital customer experience
The digital customer experience of Dutch companies has improved over the past year, with those that have applied AI and Gen AI strategically making the greatest gains, according to research by BearingPoint.
For several years now, international consultancy firm BearingPoint has been conducting large-scale research on the digital maturity of organisations in the area of customer excellence. The researchers assess digital performance across four dimensions – Digital Marketing, Digital Product Experience, E-Commerce, and CRM – which together form the foundation of the customer experience.
The results for the Netherlands show that, over the past 12 months, performance improved notably in two dimensions. Digital Product Experience rose from 3.0 to 3.4 on a 5-point scale, reflecting investment in richer, more adaptive interfaces and content strategies. Similarly, E-Commerce increased from 2.6 to 3.0, driven by enhancements in personalised shopping journeys and frictionless checkout processes.
“Consumer expectations continue to rise, and fortunately Dutch companies are keeping up: digital maturity across the market has improved again, following last year’s stagnation,” said Jaco van Zijll Langhout, Partner at BearingPoint.
Incremental gains are visible across most sectors. Fashion & Beauty showed the strongest improvement, rising from 3.1 to 3.5, reflecting the adoption of immersive product experiences and AI-driven personalisation. Banking advanced from 2.9 to 3.2, supported by better integration of sustainable finance and digital engagement tools.
Travel and Telecom both rose to 3.5, leveraging conversational AI and influencer-driven campaigns to enhance discoverability and engagement.
Key differentiators
From a company perspective, IKEA and Bol.com share first place with scores of 4.1, closely followed by Rituals at 4.0. Other strong performers include ING Bank, H&M, ABN AMRO, and Booking.com (all at 3.9), alongside Coolblue, KPN, and KLM.
According to Van Zijll Langhout, these leading companies share several common traits. “They demonstrate consistent excellence across multiple dimensions. They treat digital customer experience as an integral part of their strategy, ensuring that marketing, sales, and technology are all aligned and support overarching business goals.”
Beyond delivering seamless, personalised, and transparent interactions, these leaders also excel in authenticity. “This matters more than ever today,” said Van Zijll Langhout. “Stakeholders increasingly value brands that communicate openly about sustainability and maintain a recognisable identity across channels.”
A third differentiator is the smart use of AI to augment processes – making them faster, smarter, or even partially automated. “These leaders exemplify how AI-powered search optimisation and adaptive content can coexist with authentic brand experiences,” he added.
Van Zijll Langhout cautions, however, that augmentation must enhance, not replace, core qualities. “It’s a fine line that must be carefully balanced.”
BearingPoint calls this approach ‘Augmented Authenticity’ – the ability to integrate advanced technologies, particularly AI, without compromising trust, transparency, or the human element of digital experiences.
“Companies that embrace Augmented Authenticity – where intelligent tools amplify rather than overshadow brand identity – will lead the next phase of digital transformation,” noted Lucas Breukelaar, Senior Consultant and research lead at BearingPoint. “They combine the precision of AI with the empathy of human-centred design, creating experiences that feel personal, credible, and consistent.”
Justin Taines, AI Expert at BearingPoint, added: “This requires deliberate design to ensure that automated touchpoints reflect tone, values, and transparency. Communicating the role and purpose of AI clearly is essential to building trust.”
The human touch
Looking ahead, Van Zijll Langhout emphasised that in a world where AI is rapidly becoming the norm, maintaining authenticity and a human touch will be key.
“The road ahead is defined by synergy: technology and authenticity working in harmony. Augmentation is now a baseline expectation, but it is not a substitute for human insight, empathy, and integrity. The challenge for companies is to find the right balance between preserving the human touch and providing effective, automated solutions for customer interaction.”
