Robots can be Nice to Customers Now

When Humans are Better than Bots

According to Holger Reisinger, writer at Business 2 Community, the biggest drop in the American Customer Satisfaction Index since the mid-90s happened between 2013 and 2015. This is the same timeframe automated service kicked into high gear.

The drop off suggests business need to judiciously employ AI and machine learning devices, and rely on empathetic and knowledgeable customer service agents during more complex and frustrating interactions with consumers. After all, who do you want to talk to when you have an issue: A robot with a voice or a helpful human being who has probably experienced something similar in his or her lifetime?

While not all bots are bad – sure, checking the status of a shipment or balance of an account may deliver a satisfactory experience, companies with irate and customers expect to talk to a human being immediately when their concern is more complex.

How do you ensure your customer service reps are ready to deal with frustrated customers?

1. Know What to Expect. When on a call, understanding the old measures of customer service – a cheerful greeting, friendly service, on-hold times, call times, volumes and a wrap-up upsell pitch – no longer apply. Informed answers and expert advice are what matter most to today’s increasingly knowledgeable customers.
2. Provide the Training. Customer service employees must be trained. They must have all information they possess at their fingertips, understanding the products and services without skipping a beat. A customer expects someone on the line to know exactly how to fix their problem, and won’t settle for less.a
3. Research is Key. Equally important, employees need to know what the digital world is saying about our products and services and how we stack up against the competition. This prepares them to speak positively about the products while countering any false or negative information.

AI Never Sleeps – the benefits of Robots in Customer Service

Companies reliant on large-scale customer service operations often look at ways to reduce employee headcount, improve consistency and improve the delivery of the customer experience. And an increasing number believes this can be done through chatbots and robots.

Thirty-two percent of organizations plan to shift customer service from live assistance to automated service in order to improve customer service and cut costs, according to the same piece by Reisinger.

Advancements in technology continue to transform customer service interactions. By 2020, IBM Watson projects more than 85 percent of all customer interactions will be handled without the need for a human agent.

Automated services have picked up, giving users the much-needed ability to fulfill their regular tasks with advanced systems powered by automated solutions. Users can now book a restaurant reservation, order a pizza, book a movie ticket, hotel room and even make a clinic appointment.

We have seen social media flooded with people devouring messaging apps. They are relying on messaging apps not just to communicate with their loved ones, but also to engage with brands they are curious about or familiar with.

This is why AI-powered, customized, real-time messaging bot services could provide an incredible opportunity for businesses to connect with new and existing customers and build a unique revenue stream.

What data-sf-ec-immutable=”” are some of the things automated systems can do better than humans, and at a lower cost per interaction?

1. Systems with AI can monitor website and in-app activity for distress indicators, identifying and proactively addressing customers experiencing issues before they abandon or reach a complaint point.
2. Messaging apps are a brand new space, utilized more and more by consumers to interact with brands. There are more than 34,000 chatbots on FB Messenger alone. The airline, clothing and tourism industries are already leveraging the space.
3. Twitter has become a powerful alternative for customer service – giving the complainant a public forum and forcing a quick and appropriate response. Again, it can be manned by a bot for simple requests for information with escalations to a human for more complex issues who is able to disarm with charm.
4. Customer service that’s always on and always in the same mood – this can greatly reduce churn and improve customer satisfaction.
5. You only need to train them once, and updates are a simple matter.