Technological tools are being used across all sectors and customer support is no exception. In recent years, there has been a spread of chatbots on various platforms, and these are the one of the best examples of what is artificial intelligence in customer service.

In addition to being one of the areas where artificial intelligence (AI) is being used the most, customer service is also one of the areas where it has made the most progress. Now with 24-hour services every day of the week, companies can solve problems faster and more efficiently, leading to greater consumer confidence and, consequently, their return.

In this article we will discuss which artificial intelligence tools are most used, what are their benefits for brands and customers and what are the challenges in their implementation.

 

Table of contents:

Artificial intelligence and customer support services

• AI-powered tools and applications for customer care

 

Pros and cons of the implementation of AI in customer support

• The benefits of using AI in customer care
• The challenges of implementing AI for customer support

 

Artificial intelligence and customer support services

Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and the customer service area is increasingly using these tools, especially chatbots. So much so that it is projected that these will become the main customer service channel for most organizations.

In addition, with artificial intelligence being predictive and generative, it provides customer support in a more personalized and faster way.

 

AI-powered tools and applications for customer care

Both for personalized customer service and to free employees from routine and time-consuming tasks, artificial intelligence has been revolutionizing the way this area solves problems.

Within the AI ​​tools and applications in this service, it is possible to list:

• Chatbots – Can answer routine questions with previously outlined answers.
• Self-service – Responds to customer issues, pointing out ways to resolve their questions autonomously. With this application, AI can be present both by voice and in the form of a virtual assistant in chat.
• Operator Assistance – Suggest responses and provide relevant information to customer support operators so that they can respond more quickly and accurately.
• Personalization – Application of AI, in which it analyses data and behaviour patterns to better advise the customer during the service.
• Automation – By making repetitive tasks automatic, such as data entry and follow-up communication, operators are freed to perform more complex and more urgent tasks.
• Predictive analytics – As it analyses customer habits, AI anticipates their needs and any questions they may have. Thus, it is possible to alert to potential problems and act in advance.
• Voice Processing – The AI ​​can understand languages ​​and receive voice commands, as well as speak to customers by voice. This application can be advantageous for services that require hands-free or for blind people, for example.

 

Pros and Cons of Implementing AI in Customer Service

Like any other emerging technology, the implementation of artificial intelligence brings many benefits to companies, but it may encounter some challenges along the way.

Companies from all sectors are implementing AI tools to optimize their processes, whether in production, marketing or even customer support. In this last area, artificial intelligence has proven to be increasingly profitable as it cuts costs while offering a faster and more accurate service.

On the other hand, challenges are present. There are still companies that resist implementing emerging technologies, both due to the initial investment and the lack of training in professionals who can use them efficiently.

 

Benefits of using AI in customer support

When artificial intelligence tools are implemented in customer service, it is expected to bring some benefits related to efficiency, consumer experience and even the costs of this service for the company.

1. More efficiency – The automation of repetitive tasks will allow workers to have more time for follow ups with the customer and / or dedicate themselves to more complex tasks that need more time to be resolved efficiently.
2. Lower costs – By making problem resolution faster, AI will be able to cut costs of operations with a higher resolution rate. In addition, human resources will be performing other tasks, leaving those that are more costly to artificial intelligence.
3. More accurate decision-making – AI is able to show scenarios in detail to facilitate decision-making and improve the quality of customer service, by analysing a greater amount of data and outlining trends,
4. Greater flexibility – Artificial intelligence can easily adapt to the number of customer orders.
5. Personalized service – AI tools can quickly inspect a customer’s requests and history to offer personalized service with more accurate responses.
6. Predictive customer support – By being able to scrutinize trends and a large amount of data, AI tools can provide suggestions for improvement even before a problem arises.
7. Extended hours – These tools allow for 24-hour customer support, for seven days a week, which tends to improve the consumer experience and increase their satisfaction.

Because it is able to assess problems in detail and inspect a consumer’s history, artificial intelligence tools in customer service have proven to be a powerful technology in customer retention, thus increasing the profits of companies that invest in this IT.

 

Challenges of implementing AI for customer support

Changing work processes always presents some challenges both for the teams and, in this case, also for the customers. In the case of artificial intelligence in customer service, these challenges may be related to the first investment or even to consumer confidence in the technology.

The first investment to implement is one of the biggest challenges for companies. Despite cutting costs in the long-term, the initial investment can be large, especially for small and medium-sized companies.

In addition to the investment, integration may be a challenge as these tools need to be integrated into other systems already in use to be truly useful. A faulty integration can result in poor quality AI action.

For these tools to present solutions with the necessary quality, it is also necessary for companies to gather relevant data and that these are always up to date. Only then will this technology be able to scrutinize real trends and suggest personalized actions.

Gathering data, however, presumes that customers are aware of what is happening and are okay with its collection and analysis. If customers don’t have full confidence in emerging technologies and don’t consent, companies won’t have relevant data for AI to handle. To this end, companies must be able to guarantee data security, investing in cybersecurity strategies for the entire company.

The lack of a human on the other end of the line, in turn, can lead to customers feeling helpless when they have an urgent issue to resolve. It is for this reason that companies must invest in technology that has a humanized customer service perspective and provides them with a good experience.