Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) streamlines customer service processes and optimizes workflow efficiency, it continues to raise questions among CX professionals. However, it’s important to address AI concerns in CX with honest answers that put things into perspective and help overcome key issues.
Issue #1: Does AI disrupt customer satisfaction?
Almost half of customer service professionals not using AI do so with the belief it will lead to customer dissatisfaction.
The reality
Because your customer service needs to meet customer expectations, in some situations, a lack of empathy in AI interactions can interfere with building meaningful connections.
The solution
AI doesn’t have to take over your entire customer service support team. Instead, it can be integrated to address simple, common customer service scenarios. This allows your customer service reps to focus on the more complex customer complaints requiring human intervention, while AI handles routine queries. Also, new technology is improving what is known as Natural Language Processing (NLP), using AI algorithms to continuously improve AI understanding and generate emotionally appropriate responses.
Issue #2: Is AI customer service too impersonal?
A little over a third of customer service professionals feel AI-powered customer service is too impersonal.
The reality
It is possible using AI as your go-to lead for customer support can create a disconnect.
The solution
AI systems provide valuable insights that help you understand your customers better. As a result, integrating AI systems with robust CX software allows you to create customized interactions that mimic that all-important personal experience. As mentioned, NLP will continue to create more conversational interactions to make conversations feel more natural and personal.
Issue #3: Is it possible to become over-reliant on AI?
About the same percentage of customer service pros adverse to impersonal interactions are also fearful of becoming over-reliant on AI technology.
The reality
Overreliance on AI can render your customer support useless if you experience technical difficulties. This will interfere with customer satisfaction levels when you don’t have human backup to intervene.
The solution
As with all technology, you need a dependable process to monitor AI using performance metrics. In customer service, this would include the accuracy of responses and customer satisfaction rates. Addressing issues as you encounter them ensures AI algorithms are constantly fine-tuned.
Because AI uses machine learning, it continuously teaches itself new things, so it constantly improves its performance. And, of course, you always need human customer support to resolve complex inquiries and issues, which means you should never become 100% reliant on AI.
Issue #4: Are AI tools worth the price?
Almost a quarter of customer service experts think AI is overpriced, leading to a wasted investment in hand with poor customer experiences.
The reality
Value is judged by end-user experience, which requires time invested in finding AI with the ability to meet your specific needs.
The solution
Start by exploring different AI options, so you understand its capabilities. Once you find the right platform, share the AI’s capabilities with your team and customers so everyone understands its purpose and what it can and can’t do. As mentioned above, AI is constantly advancing, which means what you invest in today might be left in the dust of faster, smarter, and more adept AI tomorrow. By keeping up with regular updates to improve function and performance, you consistently deliver improved customer and agent experience.
AI is not a perfect technology. However, with the right CX software, you can create a hybrid customer service solution using NLP to generate more human, emotional, and personalized AI responses. You can also analyze AI-generated data to inform customer service decisions. Through monitoring, you can optimize AI performance and update your AI technology to reflect the latest advancements. Setting expectations helps improve customer satisfaction with AI, allowing you to create a seamless, high-end CX experience focused on quick, personalized resolutions.
Award-winning Anexa can help create a hybrid customer service department to support your team and perfect the balance between human and AI interactions. Ready to learn more? Reach out to Anexa BPO today.