AI Support; To do, or not to do...

The tech space is abuzz with all-the-things AI that even Apple decided to rename the acronym to try and set themselves apart from the AI game. No doubt, AI is revolutionizing just about everything, including customer support, by offering unprecedented efficiencies and personalized experiences. However, knowing when to deploy AI and when to rely on human agents is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and operational effectiveness. Here’s a guide to help you determine whether AI is right for your support organization or not.

When to use AI:

• Handling Repetitive Inquiries — This applies to information that stays constant such as how-to questions and basic troubleshooting steps.
• Data Analysis and Insights — AI is great at absorbing and analyzing large volumes of data from customer interactions to identify trends, sentiments, and common pain points. This data is extremely valuable for improving your users' experiences.
• Scalability — As your business grows, leverage AI to deflect customer tickets. Since AI can handle high-volume inquiries simultaneously, it will prevent long wait times and ensure that easy questions are answered quickly, freeing up your team to focus on harder, more complex interactions.
• Collecting Information — Expedite your support by using AI to collect the information your agents need to personalize the interaction and begin the troubleshooting process.
• 24/7 Availability — AI can provide round-the-clock support. However, its capability will be limited to whatever data is available to it. Should your customer require assistance for something more complex, make sure that your AI flow has an escalation path.

When not to use AI:

• Complex and Sensitive Issues — When customers face complicated problems or sensitive issues such as billing disputes or emotional distress, human empathy and nuanced understanding are irreplaceable. AI lacks the emotional intelligence needed to handle such situations effectively. You may have an AI tool where you can set the bot's "tone," but it will never be the same as talking to a human on the other end.
• Building Trust and Relationships — Personal interactions build trust and foster long-term relationships. For issues requiring a personal touch, such as high-priority customer discussions or bespoke service requests, human agents are essential.
• Handling Exceptions and Unusual Requests — AI systems operate based on predefined rules and data. When faced with atypical requests or scenarios outside their programmed capabilities, they may fail to provide satisfactory solutions—unless they're Sonny (IYKYK). Human agents can think creatively and adapt to unique situations.
• Technical Limitations or Undocumented Issues — AI is not infallible. Technical glitches, misinterpretations, and incorrect responses can lead to customer frustration. If your customer is asking questions about bugs, outages, workarounds, or any other undocumented topics, human oversight is needed to mitigate risks associated with AI errors.
• Brand Representation — How a company interacts with its customers reflects its brand values. Though human agents are not perfect, they can at least convey brand personality and uphold the company's reputation in ways that AI cannot replicate.

Don't forget that just as human agents need training, so does AI. Your AI bot is only as smart and reliable as the sources it's using and the training it's getting. So, if you decide to implement AI, make sure you spend time testing and training it. You may also need to update existing and add new support articles or any documentation you're using as your AI's source of information.

I hope this helps! If you're using #AI in your support flow, please share your thoughts/ideas in the comments.

#customersupport #techsupport #aisupport #cs

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