Putting a human face on robo: connecting traditional customer service with AI .

The robots are coming!

Across almost all industries, the consensus appears to be that we are on the cusp of the fourth industrial revolution, a transformative period that will see the fusion of the physical, digital and biological worlds.

Just this month, Accenture published the ‘Technology Vision 2018’, highlighting 5 key trends expected to dominate industries over the next three years. Citizen AI and Extended Reality are amongst those predicted to reshape both business processes, as well as our daily lives.

IDC predict that by 2020, adoption of cognitive systems and artificial intelligence will drive worldwide revenues to $47 billion[1]. As technological capabilities expand and evolve, and the costs of serving customers through traditional channels rise, it is understandable that businesses are looking towards the opportunities offered by automating customer service.

It is because of these promised future capabilities that many organisations are investing now. Bold claims, both positive and negative, have been made, with some already having proven correct and others unfounded. But the real inhibitor to AI might not be technology itself- it could be how far consumers are willing to accept it.

The task of developing technology that works as well as, or indeed better than, humans is undoubtedly huge. But if this is accomplished, the next challenge for organisations will be delivering this in a way that is palatable to customers.

Common customer concerns

A key customer concern relates to the security of AI. It is not uncommon for warnings about potential for misuse to appear in the general press, and this coverage is unlikely to help foster consumer confidence. In fact, just last week, the BBC featured a report that argued that ‘AI is ripe for exploitation’.

In addition to security fears, a study conducted by the Royal Society notes that two primary concerns affecting consumers’ willingness to take up AI are “the extent to which systems using machine learning might make experiences less personal, or human, either by changing the nature of value activities, or by making generalised predictions about an individual” and “the idea that machine learning systems could restrict the choices open to an individual, for example directing consumers to one type of product of service”[2]. These findings are supported by a recent PwC survey, in which 35% of consumers reported that their biggest concern with AI was the loss of a personal touch[3].

Human interaction is, in itself, a kind of service that customers undoubtedly value (see my previous post). It is through speaking with advisors that consumers begin to trust that they understand their requirements, empathise with their concerns and situation, and are able to provide them with a suitable, personalised product or service. This human element is particularly important in the case of high value or emotional purchases in which a customer is more invested, for example deciding a pension or choosing a mortgage.

While it may be the case that the process of recommending a product to the customer can be automated, customers do not want to feel as though they are merely a list of requirements on a sheet of paper or a number in a queue. They want to feel as though the service is adapted and bespoke to their needs.

A human face on robo

So what should organisations do? Does this mean the delivery of AI based customer service should be held off until such a point it is indistinguishable from human interaction? Of course not. But in order to capitalise on the benefits of AI and deliver this type of service to more cautious customers, organisations must find a way to put a human face on robo.

Organisations don’t have to ask their customers to immediately dive into the deep end of automation. Hybrid services, in which human advisors are augmented with AI support, allow organisations to shift valuable human resource away from simple repetitive tasks towards more complex and demanding ones, while simultaneously maintaining human assistance at the moments the matter most.

RBS, for example, implemented a ‘hybrid’ chat service last year, with AI technology responding to routine, administrative tasks, while reserving human support for more complex and meaningful interactions. Equally, telephony agents could also benefit from AI technology, with automation performing the menial tasks that traditionally form part of the interaction, allowing them to concentrate on the advisory process and customers’ experience.

This intersection of AI and human service can help organisations to meet consumer expectations. According to PwC, 43% of millennials want a hybrid service, run by AI that offers direct access to humans[4].

Welcome to the augmented age

 Consumers are increasingly demanding; they want faster service, at their own convenience, with more personalisation. The list goes on. AI might appear to be the holy grail solution in meeting these expectations, but if customers don’t like the manner in which it is delivered, then organisations will suffer from increased customer churn, thereby negating many of the benefits.

The benefits of AI are more than just cost saving; customer experiences are improved, innovative solutions are delivered, operations are optimised. But so long as machines can’t set goals, be flexible, curious or creative, or have emotional intelligence, the human touch will always be missed.

While predictions of a humanless, dystopian future might grab headlines, customer service in the foreseeable future is much more likely to be a hybrid of the automated and the human. So for now, organisations ought not to pit man and machine against each other, but rather look to see how AI can augment the traditional, to benefit both business and customer.

To find out how organisations can augment telephony advisors with technology, click here to download a complimentary white paper.

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[1] IDC, ‘Worldwide Cognitive Systems and Artificial Intelligence Revenues Forecast to Surge Past $47 Billion in 2020, According to New IDC Spending Guide’.

[2] The Royal Society, ‘Machine learning: the power and promise of computers that learn by example’.

[3] PwC, ‘Bot.Me: A revolutionary partnership. How AI is pushing man and machine closer together’.

[4] PwC, ‘Bot.Me: A revolutionary partnership. How AI is pushing man and machine closer together’.