Using AI for customer support
AI isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a new way of doing things. So, when it comes to using AI for customer support, are chatbots and virtual assistants the future?
How did we get here
Our connected world has exploded at a rapid pace. Pretty much every customer-facing role that people could complete has -at least in one place or another- been farmed off to AI. Take the Pepper PARLOR, for example, “the only place in the world to offer a glimpse at an exciting future in which humans and robots work together. Robots work with human staff to serve customers, offering fun services and entertainment.” It has a greeter robot, delivery robots, a floor cleaning robot, a robot band featuring a little dog robot and more. And that’s not the only example of AI servers, therapists, chat support agents and robotic manpower that has now permeated our day-to-day.
Types of AI for customer service
We largely agree with Tech Target that these types of AI for customer service will dominate over the coming years.
Robotic process automation
This just makes the job of supporting customers faster by automating things. It can handle outbound contact after a call, incident response and recordkeeping. It can eliminate some types of contact that are very simple or speed up tasks with a lot of clicks.
Machine learning
Machine learning encourages customers to self-serve and makes help articles smarter. It can also do things like create marketing insights and prompt agents to provide more comprehensive responses to common questions.
Home assistance
Instead of going to a website for the product you’ve got a query about, what if you could just ask Alexa? That’s where the tech is going. Limiting calls into contact centres by making the answers right where they need to be. That’s in their home on their smart speaker.
Agent assistance
Nvidia explains, “Agent assist technology uses AI and machine learning to provide facts and make real-time suggestions that help human agents across retail, telecom and other industries conduct conversations with customers.” That can make those conversations quicker and more accurate with less time on hold.
AI articles
While sometimes you just want to talk to a human (and that’s okay), really good self-service portals are comprehensive. They have quick-to-digest articles that Google can index easily. That helps customers find the answer without needing to go through the manufacturer’s own help funnel.
Chatbots
This self-referential AI article for Medium explains, “Chatbots are AI-driven programs designed to engage in text or voice-based conversations with customers. They are capable of handling a wide range of tasks, including answering frequently asked questions, processing orders, providing product information and even troubleshooting common issues.”
IVR automation
IVR has been around for a long time. It’s where you can push a button or say a word to get routed to the correct customer service department. But even smarter IVR is coming to help. It can verify users or link with agent-assist technology to prep the CS rep before the call connects.
Sentiment analysis
Knowing when someone is upset can be an effective tool for call routing. Sentiment analysis can ensure that angry customers are connected with someone with decision-making authority. This can prevent abuse from being hurled down the phone at junior agents.
Risks of using AI for customer support
But it’s not all sunshine and robotic rainbows. ResearchGate spotlights “ethical considerations, including data privacy, bias mitigation, and transparency, [need to be] addressed alongside the challenges of AI adoption.” But, it’s clear that these tools are becoming commonplace and businesses should think deeply about what integrations they adopt so they aren’t left behind in the AI race. Using AI for customer support is an easy gateway into digital transformation for many organisations that offers real ROI benefits to time and cost efficiency.
Need help understanding what AI tools could suit your business? We can support you. Simply, get in touch today.
