Summary
AI customer service solutions are a reality. However, if you think of it as a machine that gives random answers to customer queries, think again. The use of AI or artificial intelligence for customer service is more widespread than you imagine.
From collecting customer data to reducing response times and speech recognition, AI customer service solutions can enhance the customer experience when applied correctly. Let us find out more about the use of artificial intelligence in customer service.
How do you use AI in customer service?
The types of AI applications available today are narrow AI and general AI.
General AI: This is the kind of AI we see in a series like Westworld or a Movie like Free Guy. The machine is programmed to learn and perform any intellectual task a human can do.
Narrow AI: It is the kind of application we use on our phones and computers. Voice recognition software like Alexa and Siri are examples of narrow AI.
When it comes to AI customer service, it's the narrow version of AI that plays a bigger role. It can help customers find answers to their questions using a self-service centre. Examples of artificial intelligence for customer services are:
- Chatbots
- Sentiment analysis tools
- Natural Language Processing tools
- Email response automation system
- Voice recognition and support system
Major functions of AI customer service solutions
Below given are the major functions of AI used in a contact centre:
Machine learning
Machine learning collects real-time data to understand how a customer is feeling. This helps agents adapt and converse properly with the customer.
Big data
Artificial intelligence is used to help agents understand the patterns in vast amounts of diverse data collected from customers. The insights derived from the collected data help agents deliver optimal customer experience.
Natural language processing (NLP)
NLP helps chatbots understand spoken and written languages and respond to them in a way a human being will do.
How does AI affect customer service?
AI customer service solutions bring innumerable benefits to businesses. Some of the positive impacts AI solutions can render in your virtual contact centres are:
Cost reduction and resource optimization
According to experts at IBM, each year around 1.3 trillion dollars are spent to attend to 265 billion customer service calls. In other words, five bucks per call. However, with the deployment of AI in your virtual contact centre, you can save huge bucks by automating many tasks.
Improved human interactions with customers
By deploying tools like chatbots, you can reduce employee burnout and improve their productivity which leads to better customer satisfaction.
Get actionable insights from customer data
An AI customer service solution with data mining and voice recognition abilities can capture data, process it, and generate actionable insights. Agents can use these insights to understand a customer's journey and quickly deliver them the best possible solutions.
The insights can also be used to understand the root cause and make decisions that address and fix the issue.
What companies use AI customer service?
Some industries that use AI for customers service are as followed:
Food industry
The food industry uses AI tools, such as chatbots, to offer customer support. For instance, if you place an order with an aggregator app and face some issues with the order, the AI business tool will guide you to a self-help centre. If you still can't find a solution, you can make use of the chatbot which may help resolve the issue or connect you with an agent.
Auto industry
The auto industry uses AI tools to analyze a million events per week to predict which car parts will need repair. Volvo uses such a system and offers its customers great post-sale service.
Ecommerce stores
Chatbots act as customer care agents on e-com sites offering 24/7/365 support. They can answer all the quick questions and provide information. The bots collect data helping companies deliver better customer experience.
How does AI enhance customer service?
Here is how artificial intelligence for customer service can enhance your customer service:
24/7/365 support
Regardless of the time, holidays, etc. customers expect you to respond to their questions almost immediately. It is impossible to have humans work for you 24/7/365. This is where AI steps in and helps you stay connected with consumers all the time.
Learning customer behavior patterns
Businesses use AI technologies to analyze customer interactions and industry trends. Companies use the data to understand the features and functionalities customers are looking for. The tool helps them anticipate events and understand customer sentiments and be market ready with feature-rich products and services.
Self-service centres
Many customers, especially millennials and Gen Z, prefer to figure things out on their own. This is where self-service centres that offer FAQs can play a major role. The information available on the self-service centre is created based on the data collected from various customers.
When they face a problem, customers can first check the FAQs and choose to talk/chat to an agent only if they can't find the answer to a specific problem.
Streamlines workflows
AI customer support tools like catboats can address all fundamental issues making an agent's life much easier. They get more time to focus on complicated cases that require empathy and expert knowledge.
It is time to upgrade to a smarter business communication solution
Automating your contact centre with a complete business communication system is the need of the hour. Ringover is here to help you do that. With Ringover's VoIP-based phone solution you can do much more tasks compared to a traditional phone system.
From IVR to power dialer and sales prospecting, the Ringover platform has features that can enrich your customer experience.
Learn how Ringover's AI-powered customer care solutions can make a difference to your bottom line.
