There is no exaggeration in saying that the contemporary era is of automation. People just love automation. Booking movie tickets, or ordering pizza, commaning voice assistants for any task, travel assistance — all of it — we love automation.

Automation reduces human efforts but it also empowers users.

When it comes to customer service, AI tops the charts. Across all business verticals, automation seems to be ruling. Customer experience is one of the most pivotal aspects of acquiring and retaining customers. Due to increased competition, businesses are putting great efforts to ensure that customers are delighted while dealing with the brand.

If the customers are not satisfied with the services, then they will not interact with the brand in the future.

Although the introduction of Artificial Intelligence was delayed, within a short span, it has given a paradigm shift to the world. Businesses are employing digitally-empowered customer service solutions to enrich their customers’ journey. Automation has made it easy to educate customers about the products and services, to acquire new customers and to assist for any queries.

With the invention of Chatbots, the call center executives need not type the same boring responses each day. Eliminating human intervention from the customer service model is a blessing in disguise for businesses. Artificial intelligence has contributed immensely to automate major aspects of the customer service model. Also, there is no limitation to what AI can achieve in the future.

Let’s explore what artificial intelligence has to offer to the customer service segment:

Messaging applications are ruling.

In recent years, we have experienced a significant change in the way we communicate. Real-time messaging applications have completely transformed online communications. Furthermore, their usage is not just limited to communicating with friends and colleagues; they are persistently communicating with brands too. It’s an excellent tool to interact with your existing, as well as future customers quickly and efficiently.

Many industries including retail, tourism, and airline have already started this exercise. Users now can book airline tickets, purchase online clothes and check out hotel prices through messaging applications. It is high time that businesses understand this change and modify their communication strategies accordingly.

Chatbots

Noticed on the bottom, right side of the web page — a tiny box displaying a quote “May I Help You?” That’s that’s the automatic Chatbot. An annoying issues that customers face is the unavailability of quick solutions when confused. With AI-enabled Chatbots, this problem can be easily addressed. These are self-learning bots that are programmed superiorly to answer queries that the customers might raise.

Chatbots with their predictive analysis can identify possible issues the customer might face and present pre-emptive action plans for them to have a splendid experience. Even programmed voice assistants will soon replace the traditional call center service to address issues such as extended wait time.

Such prolific and on-time customer service can increase the gratification and satisfaction level among customers.

Good customer engagement.

A customer service executive usually is keen to solve only the ongoing issues of the customers. However, businesses might want to extract something more from such calls. They expect the agents to gather some crucial details regarding the customer’s experience with the products or services. With the help of Artificial Intelligence, automated CRM can procure such information from the customers and directly share it with agents to address along with the ongoing issues that the customers might be facing. It is a smart way to make customer interactions and customer service more fruitful.

Speed and scalability.

Quick response to customer queries with highly scalable solutions is crucial for businesses to achieve a competitive edge. AI can help achieve it. Chatbots are programmed to learn from each interaction with customers. They can understand the customer needs better than humans and can offer more real-time, scalable solutions.

Also, with AI and Chatbots, businesses can come up with an interactive FAQs session with customers to notify them about a new product or a service without any human interaction. It’s a cost-effective and time-saving exercise.

Penetrating new demographic or geographic locations, businesses don’t need to hire and train local staff for customer service. AI is efficient enough.

Predict what customers might look for.

Personalization gives more gratification to customers than anything else. Amazon can fetch the exact products you might be searching. The smart artificial intelligence technology enables it. What you search for online, what you purchase, what you post on social media, what you discuss in your personal texts and emails — all this data is gathered.

After carefully analyzing it, businesses can offer exactly what you might want to find online, whether this is a product, or content titles. With highly scalable machine learning algorithm, businesses can suggest travel destinations that you might be interested in also offer entertainment options that you would love to explore.

These smart prediction satiates the consumers with personalized offers and helps businesses to improve customer experience.

Get customer insights.

Access to a massive pool of data the AI offers, businesses are now able to predict the future buying patterns of the customers. Even by conducting events, campaigns, and seminars, companies are trying to engage customers and get their views. For example, a travel agency might do an online campaign about where which destination would you like to travel for the Christmas holidays. Later, with the help of this collected data, the agency can offer personalized packages when Christmas approaches.

The same exercise can be performed to improve operations and various processes too. A feedback form or a review section can be added to a particular online process where customers can share their experiences. Based on such data, businesses can make amendments to address the pain points the customers might be facing.

24/7 customer service without any hindrances.

A company that is expanded at multiple locations might face difficulties to manage flawless customer service operations. Furthermore, the overall cost of developing a local customer support network in different regions with different time zones may touch the sky. It is not feasible, nor practical or a smart option.

AI has impeccable capabilities handling all problems with fluency and precision. No matter what your communication medium or language you want to deploy — AI can manage it all. Fast, reliable, durable, multilingual and hassle-free technology — AI promises some powerful possibilities for your business.

Redirected Multi-channel support

AI not only provides solutions but, it can also identify issues, and when a particular support channel is unable to help, it redirects the customer to a new channel swiftly and promptly. For example, if a Chatbot is unable to solve a particular query, AI will direct the customer to the call support channel to resolve the issue. Such a comprehensive support system does not disinterest customers and keeps interaction live and astute.

Superior customer gratification

Millennials nowadays don’t just expect good products and services; they want gratification. They need quick, efficient, superior solutions that add some value. With AI-enabled customer service, they can skip the queue and get immediate insightful responses that are relevant and subjected to the core issue. They will undoubtedly appreciate such advanced customer support and put you in their good books.

Reliability

Customers, sometimes, don’t return to the brand if they encounter bad experiences. In fact, sometimes, they don’t even use a customer service channel when the issue arises. They simply leave the page. AI-enabled Chatbots and other customer service tools offer dependable, real-time solutions and that too instantly. Brand reliability plays a massive role in retaining customers and AI merely delivers it to you.

Innovation with cost savings

Check with any business that still follows the traditional call center channel to address customer service. They will agree that it’s a costly tool, as it includes the brand costs of hiring, training and retaining staff. Even after such heavy spending, the model sometimes fails to live up to the expectations. Artificial intelligence handles this issue single-handedly with innovative technologies such as machine learning and advanced speech recognition. It is highly cost-effective and saves a great deal of time too.

Conclusion:

Businesses are finally switching from traditional customer service models to AI-enabled ones. AI is matching up the customer expectations and needs. Artificial intelligence has carved a niche for itself by employing future-driven, quick, reliable and superior customer service solutions that serve the core purpose proficiently. Consumer buying and decision-making patterns are changing, and businesses are amending their strategies accordingly to simplify and streamline processes and operations. AI can do it.

Avantika Shergil

An enthusiastic Operations Manager at TopDevelopers, coordinating and managing the technical and functional areas. Adventure lover, passionate traveler, and a lover of nature.