Existing well before the ChatGPT phenomenon came to light, artificial intelligence (AI) is today experiencing unprecedented success with businesses and individuals alike. Initially thought of as a technology to create efficiency by reducing the time spent on repetitive or tedious tasks, it is today used in all areas, including customer relations.
Despite this gain in popularity, the use of artificial intelligence in the customer journey is today a source of distrust, even incomprehension, among French consumers. Indeed, as reported by a Twilio study entitled “Artificial intelligence at the service of the customer journey”, only three in ten people say they trust customer service entirely managed by an AI, and almost the majority mention fears linked to news around security vulnerabilities or even their lack of knowledge of AI.
To overcome this problem, companies investing in their customer relationships must ensure they implement AI thoughtfully and strategically.
Artificial intelligence, more than a trend
Although trendy, artificial intelligence in customer relations should not be the only source of motivation for companies when implementing it. Indeed, it is also a real opportunity to optimize their efficiency, particularly in an unstable economic context where companies are required to do more with less.
We must therefore think ahead with the teams (data and operational) to determine the blocking points or the most time-consuming tasks, in order to set a real objective for the integration of AI.
For example, a company with a large volume of email requests has every interest in using AI to sort emails and extract information that will subsequently feed the exchanges between the customer and the agents. customer service.
A strategy driven by data and teams
Integrating artificial intelligence into the customer journey involves monitoring key steps to ensure the success of the implementation. Indeed, companies must think of a plan as a whole, without rushing, to ensure that AI is added in the right place and that it intervenes at the right time.
This involves a complete team, understanding the needs and expectations of the client, but also an analysis of the structure in place, the number of interactions and requests for example. With the data collected with the customer’s consent via the various interactions, the AI will be able to feed itself with this information in order to support the customer service teams while improving their level of efficiency.
The quality of the data used represents a key element of a successful AI implementation strategy. This is why companies must equip themselves with the right tools to analyze them while ensuring that they are all centralized in the same place, to avoid silos.
But above all, it is essential that companies experiment, in order to see what suits best and adjust accordingly, as AI can intervene at different levels of the customer journey.
AI customer service support
Within a contact center, AI can support customer service both in shift planning and in communication channels (voice, email, SMS). In this way, businesses will be able to offer an improved and personalized customer experience.
Voice and email are the most used channels in contact centers. It then seems obvious that AI should first be applied to optimize and get the most out of these two channels. With AI, voice is no longer just a channel for understanding what the customer is saying. Powered by AI, voice is also a way for brands to understand what the customer needs and know where to find the required information to finally bring it all together to solve the customer’s problem. Furthermore, with the help of AI, agents can benefit from recommendations in terms of content, but also in terms of actions to take during various interactions.
However, consumer fears about AI persist. It is therefore important that companies communicate in order to reassure them in the use of this technology.
An opportunity to communicate and strengthen ties with customers
Due to their fears, customers may be apprehensive about the use of AI when interacting with a brand, particularly with regard to their personal data. In fact, 40% of French consumers would be reassured if brands communicated more about the level of data security. Therefore, it may be interesting for brands to highlight the positioning of their partners involved in the implementation of AI in the customer journey. In this way, they will not only be able to show that they are aligned in terms of confidentiality and data security, and therefore provide a better level of transparency. Companies therefore have an interest in moving in this direction in order to strengthen the level of trust, and therefore loyalty, of their customers.
Furthermore, by highlighting the improvements brought by AI to the customer experience, customers will be more inclined to understand the benefits of its use. Indeed, AI can, among other things, provide a level of assistance and resolution previously unimaginable, help bridge the gap between the perception of brands and that of customers, or even promote personalization.
However, businesses must also keep in mind the importance of giving their customers the opportunity to communicate with a human agent. Although it saves companies time, French consumers want to maintain an empathetic and emotional touch, particularly for more complex requests.
Artificial intelligence in customer experience still has a lot to offer. Companies investing in this technology must therefore put in place the necessary measures to reassure their customers now for the future.