By 2025, 70% of service transactions will be supported or completed via automation, according to research carried out by Gartner.*
With many businesses now using Artificial Intelligence in the form of pre-programmed chatbots and automated responses to answer customer support queries and frequently asked questions, it seems the days of asking a human when your order will be ready are well and truly numbered. Emerging technologies can and do work faster than the human brain and, in some more advanced models, can predict and prevent future problems, meaning that this technology is already saving businesses time and money.
Automated phone systems, self-checkouts and chatbots have, of course, been a big part of everyday life for quite a while now, though there is evidence that customers still prefer the personal, individual service that only people can provide. This is especially relevant when purchasing luxury or high-value items, where the brand brings with it certain expectations. Forbes reported in 2021 that 86% of consumers preferred to interact with a human agent, while 71% said they would be less likely to use a brand if it didn’t have human customer service representatives available**.
The concern for many in customer service roles stems from the perception that their job is not difficult and does not require a high level of intelligence or emotion to perform. If you speak to anyone who has ever performed a customer-facing role, they will certainly tell you a very different story. They need to deal quickly and efficiently with someone who is making contact because they have a problem or need a service. Sometimes, customers are in an emotional state and need to be reassured. Occasionally, the problem might be very serious, requiring quick action by the agent. They also, sadly, can be the target of a lot of negative behaviour because they are the face of the company.
AI does not have the emotional understanding that most customers would expect from a contact centre agent. It’s not able to adapt to our evolving language and culture, so it is unable to display the sensitivity and empathy necessary to put customers at ease. If AI were to attempt emotional responses, any voice it used would be likely to sound phony.
In many ways, AI will help employees’ production and efficiency. It can handle repetitive tasks and track customer interactions to tailor the experience of future engagement. But in terms of mass personalisation at scale, it is reliant on data within the system and can go wrong when that data isn’t there. For example, “Dear XXX Smith, your next appointment will be…” Most customers are wise to this sort of personalisation now, having been on the receiving end of hundreds of marketing emails using just this kind of system. They are no longer impressed and no longer see it as a personal touch. It is simply expected, and when it goes wrong it can cause unnecessary irritation.
Another common frustration with automation is in telephone systems where customers can mistakenly be cut off, go round in circles or be transferred to an incorrect department when using an automated help service. Angering a customer when they need help is the last thing a business owner wants. A bad customer experience will lead to customers taking their business elsewhere, and spreading the word to everyone they know. AI could potentially damage a reputation, so businesses need to think carefully about how they implement it.
Software provider Redpoint Global discovered that as many as 73% of consumers believe that AI can impact customer experience. According to the survey, 77% of consumers believed that positive customer experience still requires human interaction, and 58% want companies to be transparent about when they use AI.***
In Automotive
Tesla have recently introduced the no-contact test drive experience at their new hub near Perth, Scotland. Everything is organised online in advance, with the car being remotely unlocked when the customer arrives. Identity is verified from the car’s cameras and a consultation is delivered virtually. This service, which has been in the USA for several months already, has received mixed responses online. Some applaud the idea as great for introverts, nervous drivers or those just not fond of salespeople. Others have complained that the technology did not work for them and they were unable to take the test drive, while some argue that the experience makes the customer feel under-valued or not worth a real person’s time.
If all you want to do is update some details or pay a bill, automation can work well. But if you are in a crisis medical situation or under cyber-attack, you don’t want to be dealing with robots. The answer appears to be that the most efficient use of automation is to add it into already well-established customer service processes to boost productivity and save time.
It’s likely that we will never lose the need for that human connection. In some form, the real-life customer support agent will always be a valuable asset to a business.
**https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2021/03/15/every-bank-needs-a-chatbot-or-two-for-its-digital-transformation/?sh=5a655b34275d
