AI customer experience is the practice of utilizing AI technology, such as machine learning, chatbots, and conversational user experience, to make every touchpoint as efficient and seamless as possible. In essence, support agents have a virtual assistant to help them complete repetitive tasks. From data collection to voice recognition and response times to messages, AI can improve the customer experience in almost every way when applied correctly. Here, 15 members of the Forbes Business Council share their expert view on how organizations can leverage AI to enhance their customer service.
Agents can be more effective in customer interactions with the help of AI. A technology company created a recommendation system using the history of tickets and corrections, interactions, etc. With this solution, which had a data lake for different types of data, multiple NLP channels and a business graph, NPS ratings improved and resolution time was reduced. AI can evaluate data and derive customer behavior patterns. This information can be used to build the personality, preferences, and dislikes of customers, and companies can even suggest similar products to customers that they are more likely to buy.
In addition to this, it helps companies to show readers the most relevant content. By leveraging artificial intelligence for customer experience, brands can easily explore information and extract customer behavior patterns. An AI algorithm can track various customer data points, including on-site interactions, purchasing behavior, referral sources, and so on. This data can be used for predictive analysis to create customer profiles, relate customers to products, recommend products that they are likely to buy, display relevant content, etc. At level five, the most advanced companies at the end of the maturity scale offer proactive service-based interaction, allowing them to manage more than 95 percent of their service interactions through AI and digital channels (see the sidebar entitled “What AI-driven customer service maturity is like”).
Institutions are discovering that taking full advantage of artificial intelligence tools to transform customer service isn't simply about implementing the latest technology. By using AI, companies can automate some activities that agents would otherwise have to perform, customize their support services based on specific customer needs, and collect relevant customer data. Brands are exploring ideas for incorporating AI into their businesses to interact directly with customers. As AI progresses, these self-service approaches will become more widespread and will allow customers to help themselves. The best use of AI is not to replace human interaction but rather to improve human interaction and reduce friction in the customer experience.
With AI-based self-service options, customers can identify the problem they're having and find the support they need right away instead of relying on a customer service agent. Figure 1 shows the new customer service model from communicating with customers even before they contact a specific need to providing solutions backed by AI and evaluating performance afterwards. For transformed organizations, AI-based customer service can increase customer engagement, which translates into greater opportunities for cross-selling and upselling while simultaneously reducing the cost of service. Thanks to effective automation and the implementation of conversational AI chatbots, Bizbike was able to save more than 40 hours a month while also having interesting conversations with its customers. The customer experience has become a competitive battle zone as brands focus more on retaining old customers than on acquiring new ones. To deliver on the promise of AI-based customer service, companies can combine the reinvented vision of participation at every customer touchpoint with the right AI-based tools, basic technology and data.
AI is crucial for organizations when it comes to targeting large customers because the better you understand the customer the more you can offer exceptional services according to their expectations. By creating customer profiles, companies can focus on individual buying patterns and better understand each customer. Organizations should take advantage of artificial intelligence tools in order to transform their customer service operations. By using AI technology such as machine learning algorithms and chatbots, companies can automate repetitive tasks that agents would otherwise have to perform manually. Additionally, they can customize their support services based on specific customer needs while collecting relevant data points such as on-site interactions or purchasing behavior.
AI-based self-service options also allow customers to identify problems quickly and find solutions without relying on a customer service agent. Furthermore, by leveraging predictive analysis for creating customer profiles, companies can suggest similar products that customers are likely to buy or display relevant content according to their preferences. Finally, thanks to effective automation and conversational AI chatbots organizations can save time while providing an improved customer experience that leads to greater opportunities for cross-selling and upselling.