3 ways to combine humans and AI to deliver a winning customer experience

Most consumers aren’t fully aware of when artificial intelligence (AI) is supporting their experiences with brands today, such as providing product recommendations, displaying relevant content in their social feeds and safeguarding them against fraud. But many consumers do realize that AI provides guidance when they interact with customer service bots.??

Whether or not consumers know AI is involved in their interactions, they have mixed feelings about the technology’s role.?

The report “Humans and AI in unison: Driving the new era of customer experience” reveals consumer sentiment on the future of AI and its role in customer experience (CX).??

And consumer views on bots are telling. Nearly three-quarters of consumers are worried that organizations that use AI for customer service will make it impossible to reach a human agent. When it comes to working with a virtual agent, however, 72% have no hesitation if their issue is resolved quickly.??

At the same time, half believe that by 2030 no one will care if they’re interacting with a bot — as long as it’s been made clear ahead of time. Eighty percent of consumers say there should be a mandatory alert when they’re speaking to an AI-powered bot or digital assistant instead of a human.?

But AI in today’s customer experiences powers far more than virtual agents; it provides an opportunity to personalize and unify experiences in ways that weren’t previously possible. It also enables human agents to more effectively and empathetically handle even the most complex service interactions.?

As the technology continues to advance and permeates more experiences, businesses should focus blending human and AI support in ways that meet consumer preferences while optimizing their workforce and streamlining their operations.?

Start with these three focus areas:?

1. Orchestrated experiences: Customer journeys need to be connected across channels — no matter where they start or end. AI plays an integral role in experience orchestration, helping to bridge silos between departments and channels in ways that enable data to flow where it’s needed in a secure way. This gives agents — human or virtual — the information necessary to provide superior, end-to-end customer experiences at scale.?

2. Upleveled interactions: Consumers expect empathetic interactions and speedy resolution of their inquiry or issue. AI powered by real-time data can connect consumers to the right agent — virtual or human — depending on the need, the first time, every time. AI also can surface insight to agents instantly, eliminating the often-time-consuming process of searching for it. This means inquiries are resolved quickly and correctly.?

3. Personalized journeys: The form of personalization consumers prefer most is getting the service they need in their channel of choice when they need it. They also expect relevant interactions and recommendations. AI-powered solutions can use a customer’s preferences and interaction history to help them feel remembered and valued. This drives loyalty and advocacy — and that improves business outcomes.?

Read the full report “Humans and AI in unison: Driving the new era of customer experience” to get more insights into how you can meet ever-evolving consumer expectations.?

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