Try as it might, artificial intelligence hasn’t managed to fully replace real people when it comes to customer service.
In fact, customers continue to report frustration when they’re forced to engage with chatbots in the course of seeking assistance online.
Interestingly enough, however, people are not as bothered when they have to click categories and topics in order to sort through a Help Center. Additionally, there is less complaining when it comes to navigating phone menus in order to reach a real agent over the phone. Maybe people are used to completing these steps as a means to an end.
Why, then, do they remain resistant to engaging with customer service AI?
One theory is that, with phone menus and online FAQs, there is no satisfactory and immediate outlet to release those frustrations—which diffuses the inclination to form them at all. But AI so closely mirrors a real human interaction that it builds up the emotional responses people develop when they’re ready to unload on a target that’s capable of absorbing their woes.
However, AI is not yet capable of fully replacing real people when it comes to customer service. And, unfortunately, one of its best features is its ability to strategically connect frustrated customers with real agents as needed. That’s unfortunate because, if frustrations have developed in the process of connecting customers with agents, then those frustrations are likely to be released onto the agent.
Here are a few of the ways, however, that chatbots can enhance customer service:
- They’re available 24/7
- They can provide instant, easy answers to popular questions
- They help direct customers to self-help opportunities
- They have instant access to relevant databanks
- They aren’t expected to provide emotional responses
- They can expedite solutions and aggregate conclusions
- They can sort queries by category and direct customers to an appropriate live agent
So here’s the question: Should you consider implementing AI as part of your customer service strategy? This can be a cost-effective way to provide customers with quicker solutions while enabling your agents to concentrate on high-priority inquiries and more complex tasks. In the end, this can lead to an overall increase in positive response to your customer service, even if people report some frustration in dealing with your chatbots at first.
The only way to know if this route will succeed for your company, with reasonable ROI and improved CX, is to measure outcomes. To set up the correct metrics and analysis, feel free to call us directly (and speak to a real person) or contact us through our form online for a personal response within one business day!