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Jun 3, 2024
Customer service in the age of AI

When new technology is released into the world, it's tempting to dive deep into the most recent technology and integrate it into all aspects of your company.

With the advent in artificial intelligence (AI) it's possible to consider incorporating chatbots, as well as larger language models (LLMs) into your service to customers. But here at we've observed that a compromise needs to be found, says Lauren Gilbert, Eyal Avital and Mau Fournier, who are part of our Customer Happiness team.

Particularly with regards to customer support, AI can be beneficial but should be used only when paired with a human expert in customer service. "Many individuals want to assign the entire duties to customer service to these brand-new AI devices, but there will always be cases which require human interaction. Transferring everything to AI might cause your customers to be feeling more annoyed than prior to submitting their feedback" begins Mau.

Let's look at the different ways that you could incorporate AI to enhance your services to customers.

The most important qualities to have for a customer service staff

What would the ideal customer experience look like? What are the most effective ways to help a business's customers?

"We strive to be a reflection of the five characteristics of the PREACH model so as to ensure that we maintain a customer-centric focus," starts Eyal Avital. "We strive to be proud and Responsible. We are also compassionate as well as articulate, clear and human.

Everyone agrees that empathy might be one of the most crucial factors. "Put your self in the client's situation and show sympathy for them. Make them aware that their success is important to the people running the business and run it," starts Lauren.

"Empathy is often overlooked," adds Mau. "You need to be able to show empathy so that you can understand the client's problem And you must show empathy when you react to make sure that the person feels understood, which will aid in reducing their defensiveness when they're angry."

Additionally, clients require assistance by someone who is knowledgeable about the platform to be able provide all of the necessary information - as well as how to communicate the product. "When you're dealing with an application you can depend on to handle your company, you should seek assistance quickly from someone who knows the program inside and out and can help you understand the solution to a challenge with a manner that is easy to understand and then take action on, is beyond important," thinks Lauren.

It's not just an task of ticking boxes. real kindness is crucial. "Don't simply answer their silly question -- try to understand the reason behind the question; what exactly are they doing," thinks Mau. "Help to address the root issue, and then check back afterward to ensure they got what they wanted. It is likely that people will leave content if they can sense the person in the other room truly wants to find ways to help," he adds.

Remember timeliness and clarity whenever you are interacting. "You should provide fast support, while communicating clearly and concisely manner," starts Lauren. Eyal adds: "You must be timely with your responses to clients. You may offer the customer an A+ rating, but when your response isn't prompt, to the customer's expectations, the member will feel disregarded and may not appreciate the exchange."

In the event that AI fails

It's not a doubt that AI could be beneficial especially those who are working full-time and entrepreneurs however, it's not always the best option. There are some aspects that provide excellent customer service, which AI cannot replicate.

Personalisation

Based on the experiences we've had so to date, AI is missing the aspect of identifying solutions that actually meet a particular customer's requirements. There are a variety of examples that use assist desk programs which demands customers to respond to the lengthy set of queries to obtain an response from an algorithm. The automated response is unable to solve an infinite number of challenges because there's no such thing as one size that fits all circumstance.

"AI can certainly demonstrate competence and provide solutions to your questions. And it will often be better than humans but its skills may not be as current and relevant to your area of expertise as humans is," says Mau. "It is able to be helpful in brief and easy interactions, but it won't accept responsibility for helping and won't be able to follow-up as humans do, but at a minimum, not right now."

Longevity

Although LLM (AI) apps have upgraded their voices when talking to customers, there's a way to go. "LLM apps can keep the conversation in a manner that is respectful however it's far from the genuine empathy of an individual. Human compassion is a human trait and the capacity to link events to their specific moment is a difficult thing to duplicate," says Mau.

Similar to the way that AI is all about the short-term. "LLMs tend to be more distracted which is a result of AI technologies," he adds. "They won't remember the conversation you had six months ago regarding the difficulties your customers face, or how your content serves them in the future, or maybe they love going on fishing excursions with their family. Inviting these topics into new discussions will make members feel more appreciated."

How AI can assist you

It's not saying that AI cannot be beneficial for the customer service. There are definitely clear possibilities for automated support, just as with any other new technological advancement. But, it is crucial that you know when to implement changes and the best time to do it.

"We should implement AI to work on mundane tasks that could be automated and still have a human voice to help individuals with specific requests" Mau begins. Mau. " LLMs provide a wonderful initial response draft, but the best results come through the edits you apply on this draft. Include your own voice in conversations."

"What was previously the FAQ section on websites is now managed by robots or AI that are able to solve simple queries quickly and 24 hours a day. Questions that can't be answered with single-click or one-click solutions should be sent to a human representative," Eyal adds. "Otherwise, customers might become annoyed. This is similar to the days of having to dial the wrong number for a way to contact an appropriate department over the phone."

The integration of AI isn't a quick process. "There's an ongoing process (crawl-walk-run) to integrate bots, or LLMs," starts Eyal. "New businesses are expected to be able much more of their time and efforts to the community by providing hands-on assistance. When they become more well-known, they will be able to switch their frequently asked queries to LLM."

"AI will help you grow in your career since more employees are likely to raise concerns," says Mau. "Many of them are simple questions that AI could take off the list to allow you to concentrate on more complex questions."

"You may be able count on AI initially, however I would advise against using it. I'd recommend more manual help for those who are beginning to establish themselves. The questions you receive at the beginning of your career can be the best opportunity to get feedback which will help you understand your intended group and how to make it better for them."

Conclusion

It appears that the "people-first" method we're adopting is working well, successfully blending an array of knowledge along with the emotional connection that only humans bring. Eyal says the way we operate helps in bringing humanity to Memberul as a brand "a blend of humanity by sharing information, as well as having a little amusement with emoticons, and GIFs" keep things fun and beneficial.

Mau shares some of her feedback of a previous customer who stated that it was refreshing to speak "to an individual who was a human being who had an authentic attitude to help" in addition to someone who was able to provide personalized advice to answer your particular question. "That client said that they were given the finest support they've ever had!" smiles Mau.

Lauren can recall the name of a customer who wrote with concerns regarding the way in which members are retained. Based on her understanding of her business, as well as the distinctive patterns she has in her own business and her own company, we were able give suggestions on pricing strategies that ultimately increased her customers their lifetime worth.

"You might be able to use AI to help you in these types of situations however when it comes to making choices that can be significant for your business, I'd like to suggest that the majority of people don't want to put their trust in AI for that alone and shouldn't in my opinion".

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