Artificial Intelligence – or AI - has been much talked about and in truth ‘hyped’ to an extreme level in the last three years. In the Customer Experience (CX) industry that hype has tended to focus on the ‘art of the possible’ rather than raw practical application at point of customer interaction.
The usability of AI at ground level can often be more difficult to achieve however there is no doubt that where it can be used effectively and productively, it possesses the undeniable ability to deliver more personalised, efficient, and seamless interactions.
Just like technology, AI is a practical tool that can enable better customer experience and should be considered as part of a wider customer experience business strategy. While large enterprises often have more resources to invest in AI, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can still leverage AI-driven tools to transform their operations without requiring extensive infrastructure or expertise.
AI can improve customer experience by providing personalised, timely, and scalable services. It enhances efficiency, reduces operational costs, and delivers a higher level of satisfaction by addressing customer needs more effectively.
At the practical level, contact centre centres with less that 250 seats (or small and medium-sized enterprise contact centres) can realise and practically embrace AI tools – expanding their deployment as their journey develops to enhance customer experience in several practical, cost-effective ways.
For me, these are the top ways any business can embrace AI:
AI-Powered Chatbots – and virtual assistants can handle common customer inquiries in real-time, 24/7 and often where relevant, without human intervention. Chatbots can give Instant response whilst operating across multiple platforms, including websites and social media, providing consistent support wherever customers engage.
Automation of Routine Tasks – The automation of repetitive customer service tasks like FAQs, order tracking, or appointment scheduling frees up Agents for more complex and value-added tasks: automation, improves overall response times, reduces operational costs and faster resolution.
Level playing field – AI enables SMEs to offer the same level of customer experience as a large enterprise. AI-delivered automated workflows ensure every customer receives the same high-quality service regardless of the complexity of their request.
Faster resolution – Intelligent Routing can deliver complex issues to the appropriate agents with pre-gathered information, reducing wait times and ensuring a better customer to agent match.
Scalability - AI enables businesses to scale customer support without increasing headcount. With AI handling repetitive or low-level tasks, human Agents can focus on high-priority cases, maximising the effectiveness of customer service teams.
Continuous Learning and Improvement - AI systems use machine learning to continuously improve and analyse the success of previous customer interactions and adjust its responses, accordingly, becoming more effective over time.
Everyone has an opinion on artificial intelligence, but one thing is clear: it is here to stay. It will continue to evolve, and we must learn to adapt. For me, the focus is not on predicting the future or the next big trend. Instead, it is about leveraging the technology available to us as providers to create safe and practical AI tools that enhance the customer experience.