www.managedITmag.co.uk 5 NEWS continued... Treating indoor mobile coverage as essential infrastructure is what turns that opportunity into results…Indoor connectivity is essential now, in the same bracket as power and water. AI is simply making that increasingly impossible to ignore.” Almost all those surveyed (96%) say AI adoption is influencing their investment in connectivity and seven in ten expect their indoor connectivity budget to grow over the next two years. More than half (57%) of organisations in the North-West are considering an indoor 4G or 5G upgrade to support AI applications. Freshwave partners with mobile network providers, central and local government and real estate companies to bring assured 4G and 5G connectivity to offices, public buildings, campuses and city streets. https://freshwavegroup.com/roi/ … AI recommendations no match for word of mouth Consumers are five times more likely to be loyal to brands, products and services they discover through word-of-mouth than those they find using AI, claims a new report from the Data & Marketing Association (DMA). Based on a national survey of over 500 consumers and marketers, the DMA’s Loyalty in the Age of AI report gives a net positive impact on loyalty of 56 percentage points to the former, compared to one of just 11 percentage points to the latter. These figures are skewed by a clear generational divide in attitudes to AIdriven marketing. While younger adults are broadly receptive to AI-led brand recommendations, the over-55s say they are more likely to weaken brand loyalty than strengthen it, producing a net score of -19 percentage points. Rachel Aldighieri, CEO of the Data and Marketing Association, said: “Human connection, in the form of word-of-mouth recommendations and reviews, still appear to be the most trusted methods to build brand loyalty. While new technologies and promotional tactics will continue to play an important role in the decisions customers and marketers make, brands cannot lose sight of the fundamentals. Trust, relevance and a clear understanding of what customers actually value remain at the heart of long-term loyalty.” The report also highlights a disconnect between marketers and consumers. While 70% of marketers believe brand loyalty has increased, the proportion of consumers sticking to familiar brands for everyday purchases has fallen to 67% from 76% in 2024. … AI slashes full fibre order cancellations Openreach says AI is helping to prevent more than 3,000 full fibre order cancellations every month by giving broadband providers and their customers faster, clearer and more interactive support when installations hit a snag. It has achieved this through two complementary AI capabilities, Crystall Ball and Ask Me Anything. Crystal Ball analyses available information when an engineer encounters a problem with an installation and predicts what work is likely to be needed and whether it will take more or less than ten days to complete. Within 24 hours of an engineer reporting an issue, the customer is sent updates via text message explaining what’s happened, what needs to happen next and when the job is expected to be completed. Ask Me Anything (AMA) allows customers to ask questions about their installation in everyday language and receive immediate and relevant answers without having to chase for an update. Ask Me Anything and Crystal Ball are enabled by Openreach’s AI-driven customer service platform CXone Proactive AI Agent, which also includes a Change My Appointment tool that lets customers book or adjust engineer appointments themselves, helping to reduce missed appointments by 30%. openreach.com Intelligent Garden relocated to Manchester The award-winning Intelligent Garden, first seen at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, has been given a permanent home on a former traffic island near Manchester Piccadilly Station. Connecting the station with the wider Mayfield neighbourhood, the Intelligent Garden combines green spaces with Avanade’s AI-enabled tree monitoring technology which provides insights into how the trees are coping with rising temperatures and changing environmental conditions. Sensors embedded throughout the site capture live environmental data, enabling horticultural teams to understand tree health, identify potential signs of stress and make informed decisions about long-term tree care. Visitors will be able to experience the technology first hand through TreeTalk, an interactive platform that translates environmental data into accessible insights, allowing people to engage directly with individual trees and learn more about their health, growth and environment. Photo credit: www.markwaugh.net
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