How can you avoid common risks when automating customer service?

2 Choose the right tools and platforms

Automation requires using various tools and platforms that can help you create, manage, and optimize your customer service workflows. However, not all tools and platforms are created equal, and some may not suit your specific needs, goals, or budget. Therefore, you need to do some research and comparison before you select the tools and platforms that you will use for automation. You should look for features such as ease of use, scalability, integration, customization, security, and support. You should also test the tools and platforms before you implement them, and get feedback from your customers and staff.

4 Monitor and update your automation

Automation is not a one-time project, but an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and updating. You need to track and analyze the data and feedback that you get from your automation, and see if it is meeting your needs and goals, or if it is causing any issues or complaints. You should also keep up with the changes and trends in your industry, market, and customer behavior, and adjust your automation accordingly. By doing so, you can avoid automation becoming outdated, irrelevant, or harmful to your customer service.

5 Communicate and educate your customers

Another risk of automation is confusing or frustrating your customers who may not be familiar with or comfortable with using automated systems or channels. To avoid this, you need to communicate and educate your customers about your automation, and how it can benefit them. You should inform your customers about the options and features that you offer for automation, such as chatbots, self-service portals, or automated emails. You should also guide your customers on how to use them, and provide clear and easy instructions, FAQs, or tutorials. You should also make it easy for your customers to opt out of automation if they prefer to talk to a human agent.

6 Test and improve your automation

Finally, one of the most important ways to avoid risks when automating customer service is to test and improve your automation regularly. You should not assume that your automation is perfect or flawless, but rather look for any errors, bugs, or glitches that may affect your customer service quality or efficiency. You should also solicit feedback from your customers and staff on how they perceive and experience your automation, and what they like or dislike about it. You should then use this information to fix any problems, enhance any features, or add any functionalities that can improve your automation.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?