In customer service, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can be used to improve the customer experience and create more pleasant interactions with consumers. Technologies such as chatbots and feedback analysis can help support teams streamline their workflow, respond to customer requests more quickly, and proactively anticipate customer needs. From data collection to voice recognition and response times to messages, AI can be leveraged in almost every way to enhance customer service if applied correctly. Here, 15 members of the Forbes Business Council share their expert view on how organizations can use AI to improve their customer service. Agents can be more effective in customer interactions with the help of AI.
For instance, a technology company created a recommendation system that used the history of requests and corrections, interactions, etc. This solution, which had a data lake for different types of data, several Natural Language Processing (NLP) channels and a business graph, resulted in improved Net Promoter Score (NPS) ratings and reduced resolution time. By implementing machine learning on data sets that include a large amount of customer information and behavior, sellers can send customers personalized recommendations, one-off promotions, or personalized visits. But if done right, an AI-based customer service transformation can generate significant value for the company, creating a virtuous cycle of better service, greater satisfaction and greater commitment to customers. Two-thirds of millennials expect real-time customer service, for example, and three-quarters of customers expect a consistent multi-channel service experience.
In addition, machine learning can be used to help chatbots and other AI tools adapt to a given situation based on previous results and, ultimately, help customers solve problems through self-service. Overall, the AI industry is growing rapidly and implementation in the area of customer service is following suit. If the customer calls, the agent can not only answer an immediate question but also offer assistance that deepens the relationship and potentially prevents an additional call from the customer later on. 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). By processing natural language, AI can be used to analyze what people say about a company and create reports that can be used to improve customer service.
See how different customer messages work and then suggest to brand marketers which one to send to customers in real time. From customer service agents to the companies that employ them, here's what back-end users can get from AI. AI is also often used to do things like predict wait times, synthesize resolution data, and personalize unique experiences for customers. Customer service leaders face challenges that range from selecting the most important use cases for AI to integrating technology with legacy systems and finding the right talent and organizational governance structures. As demand for an improved and personalized customer experience grows, organizations are turning to AI to help close the gap. 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.
