The customer service experience is being transformed by the use of smart artificially intelligent solutions that enhance the way that customers can interact with organisations.
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, uses computers to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. It can be used to provide fast and effective service to customers, including trouble-shooting issues, providing technical assistance, guiding customers on recommended products and services, and more.
There are many ways that AI can be used to enhance the customer service experience. Businesses in all areas are utilising AI software such as live chat bot tools, autopay, personalised recommendations and trouble shooting.
These AI tools are assisting customer service teams to do their job more efficiently, productively, and with greater levels of job satisfaction. Utilising AI software can assist businesses in providing a positive experience for both customers and employees.
Benefits of AI Software for Customers
There are many benefits of using AI software to improve customer service. Increasingly, AI innovations are enhancing the customer experience (CX) and improving outcomes for businesses across areas including customer retention, brand loyalty, and profitability.
Customer Self-Service
One of the key areas that organisations are powering with AI is self-service capability. Self-service means allowing customers to solve problems and find answers to questions on their own.
Research shows that many people would prefer to quickly search for a satisfying outcome rather than spend time contacting an organisation to ask a question. AI allows customers to do this quickly and efficiently.
Customers can access the business’ website or another self-help portal to see frequently asked questions and the solutions to their issue. AI can guide customers through the customer journey towards their desired information, providing helpful prompts based on what the customer is offering. This minimises the time spent contacting a live customer service agent.
Convenience
AI offers multiple benefits to customers in terms of convenience in the digital world. As we all move more quickly and expect fast and seamless service when purchasing online, AI allows customers to link up various accounts so they can complete tasks such as pay for items in an online store using saved credit card details or their PayPal account. This level of convenience enhances the customer experience and encourages people to use that business again.
Fast Response Times
When organisations utilise AI as part of their customer service experience, they can harness the power of live chat and similar software to cut down on the time customers spend waiting for assistance.
The modern customer expects to be able to contact a business anytime and receive a fast response. This is impossible when companies are tied to the working hours of live agents, but AI live chat allows customers to receive a response more quickly.
Often, AI can solve the customer’s problem. If not, the customer is made aware that a live agent will be examining their issue within a few hours, which greatly improves the customer experience.
Personalised Approach
Finally, AI learns from past interactions with a customer to provide a more personalised approach. This can include recommending specific products and services based on a customer’s purchasing history, suggesting help guides based on their FAQ searches, and more. This knowledge grows with time and becomes even more customer friendly. Customers feel better understood and like their needs are being met when organisations use AI in this way.
Benefits of AI Software for Customer Service Teams
In addition to the benefits offered to customers by AI solution, live agents within customer service teams can also work more effectively and efficiently with the help of AI. AI can not only make their jobs easier and more satisfactory, but also assists in training employees to a higher standard.
Job Satisfaction
AI can handle the simple tasks, such as providing answers to frequently asked questions or directing customers to help guides. This means that live agents can work on more complicated problems, which are more stimulating and interesting than repetitive trouble shooting. Live agents which are given more complex issues to work on report better job satisfaction and greater retention at companies. Additionally, it means that difficult problems can be solved faster because employees are able to focus on them.
Data Storage
Live agents interact with thousands of people and are unlikely to remember the details of individual customers. The data storage capability of AI software means that it can keep a record of all interactions. AI can prompt live agents with information and purchasing history, as well as all interactions that a customer has had with a company. AI can also compile massive amounts of data to suggest to agents the best ways to provide an outstanding service, including what customers like, dislike, and past experiences they’ve had with companies or products.
Predictive
Finally, live agents are able to use AI to predict problems and solve issues before they occur, rather than waiting for customers to raise tickets. This means agents can be more proactive, giving them a greater sense of purpose in their roles.
The combination of these benefits results in more profitable and successful businesses, with greater customer loyalty, satisfaction and retention.