AI is a contribution to a better future or just another trend? Let us discuss with 6 main features of AI
Artificial intelligence increases the efficiency of any production, whether you build cars or provide customer support. Automation of customer services creates a better user experience due to the fast response, thus, increasing engagement with your product. Ai in customer support isn’t necessarily represented by chatbots only. The AI industry develops different tools for the complete automation of customer services. With Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing, according to the predictions of Accenture, artificial intelligence will speed up industrial productivity by 40%.
Deep dive into artificial intelligence
AI cannot be categorized as a single multifunctional program. The term describes a set of technologies with different purposes. The basic algorithm of an AI mechanism is: you create an AI model and train it depending on the functions it needs to fulfill. AI collects the input data and converts it into needed outcomes. So, you start with a certain amount of data, import it into the machine, and categorize and teach the AI to comprehend it. If we are talking about AI in customer service, then we refer to natural language processing (NLP), a branch derived from Machine Learning.
NLP is a mechanism focused on learning human languages (spoken and written conversation). This AI model can understand customers’ messages or feelings and respond to them, like Siri or Alexa. NLP combines computational linguistic learning with Machine and deep learning. The main abilities of NLP AI are the performance of data analytics on a large scale, better and faster analysis of the market, and, as a result, positive feedback from a customer.
Depending on the purpose, AI will be working with the data it was “fed” during the learning. There are some examples of an AI constantly studying after it was launched: the machine will learn from the users how to respond in unorthodox situations. But you still cannot drop a picture or a meme to the chatbot of an online store. It will not read it if it wasn’t programmed to do so. The reason is a different type of data the machine segregates – structured and unstructured.
- Structured data – is more logical and text-based. It is easy to search. It contains analytics, charts, addresses, credit card information, etc. It resides in data warehouses and relational databases; and can be used directly for analysis and predictions
- Unstructured data – less logical type. Quite hard to search. Includes images, video, and text. Resides in applications, data warehouses, and lakes. It can’t be used directly for analytics.
That is why it is necessary to decide the purpose behind the creation of a customer support AI for your company and to make the best use of Artificial Intelligence.
Main features of AI in customer support: what tools are available for business now
We already talked about the basic mechanics of AI in customer support. Let us give you more clear examples of the integration of AI into daily business tasks that will help you understand clearly and easily.
Service chatbot
A lot of companies create chatbots to deal with questions and complaints of customers. The AI in this situation responds to basic requests from the user by answering them with gathered information from internal systems. For now, the chatbots can respond to requests such as order status, delivery dates, balance, and so on. The chatbots can provide some automated replies by matching the keyword in the queries, some may be able to analyze the query by using natural processing languages to understand the customer queries better and solve issues. Chatbots can be programmed for any business, of any size, or any service area.
Text analysis
AI can analyze pieces of text to deal with correspondence and recognize, organize, and classify data according to set-up tags. This will help you to put emails, chats, clients’ reviews, and comments in a readable order without wasting any time.
It can even track bills and process them in a manageable order like a database for querying later via fields like dates or amounts or even create detailed reports automatically, even notifying the related people. It can make work of document management easier for businesses that require a lot of paperwork.
Agent Assist
In some contact centers, AI is trained to intercept customers’ requests into a command to find and display on the screen during the call. There can be a recorded set of instructions with commands specific to help articles and documentation. For example, if you ask for stuck transactions or payment info, it can guide you with any support on payment modes as well as transaction processing time.
Agent Assist has provided the capability to small companies handle and solve most of the day-to-day customer queries. Saving small businesses a lot of money by reducing the customer support staff required. Even on the holidays, support can be available this way.
Robotic process automation
It is an AI software, its purpose is to collect documents from different platforms, manage service requests, and deal with customer feedback updates. The automation can be done at any level allowing every task to be recorded and processed for information tracking.
Robotic process automation can also help do things at work, that can help do a recorded set of instructions using a combo of machines and doing everything efficiently. Still, there are many things that can not be automated as it requires common sense which robots lack, but it is getting better.
IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
IVR is an automated voice response when the user tries, for instance, to call a company, but no one picks up the phone. Some companies turned IVR to a new level allowing AI to solve basic issues with customers such as making transactions or choosing types of services. These IVR systems can be programmed to handle any complex conditions like tracking an order by the order number, activating accounts, verifying, and more.
Basically, IVR with AI has helped to make support availability more and easier than waiting in line with human-based support systems. Still, IVR has a long way to go, because not all situations can be handled by AI and require human intervention.
Sentiment analysis
Many companies are now trying to enhance customer experience by making AI analyze user satisfaction or complaints, collect them, and send a report to the agent. In this way, the company sees the overall percentage of customer satisfaction.
With better knowledge of Customer Sentiments, the product can be optimized to support the customer better and help companies focus on the right side of customer service. Each customer has a different requirement as well as different usage of available features. It also allows knowing if a customer likes a feature or not.
Employee AI training
To construct a simulation for new employees when they are practicing different business conflicts and responses it is hard to find so many people if you’re training remote workers. AI will solve this issue by taking the role of various customers and conflicts.
A simulation can be programmed to imitate a customer with all the known situations an employee may face during the work, with all automated queries. It improves the quality of training for the employees to help them perform better in their roles. As the training is recorded and automated, it ensures everyone gets the same kind of training to ensure nothing is missed.
What can you achieve by using Artificial Intelligence?
There is no point in this article unless you will get some profit out of it. As said before, it will speed up the working process of your company, as well as the customer support team. More precisely:
- Automated customer service processes will help you to find and identify potential leads. If any chosen contact gets into the system, it will automatically go through marketing flows.
- Working with large amounts of text or other data can be inefficient and partly wrong if performed by a human. AI software will deal with the data such as customer messages and comments in a single report. If there are some problems with a certain product, your team will see a certain word or phrase constantly repeated. This function will also help you adjust to trends or fix issues.
- If the client is satisfied, they will possibly buy more. If a lot of clients are satisfied, they will raise the reputation and recognition of your company.
AI tools will make both the customers and your employees more content with your company. Clients will receive feedback and get a positive user experience from the new AI software. And employees will focus more on the problem fix, instead of dealing with tons of data by themselves. AI is not just a trend or part of Sci-fi. It becomes a part of our lives and makes it easier, at least for some of us if not all.
