AI is the Future of Customer Service and CX

How Leveraging Artificial Intelligence Can Be a Win-Win Contact Center Agents and Customers

Shep Hyken interviews Mario Matulich, President and Managing Director of Customer Management Practice. He talks about how organizations can use artificial intelligence and self-service options to empower support agents and elevate the customer experience.

Top Takeaways:

• There has been significant progress in artificial intelligence (AI), like chatbots and ChatGPT capabilities. This has always been seen as high-potential technology, but in the last few months, it has been used in a more demonstrative way to address challenges faced by contact centers, especially in the post-pandemic environment.
• Generative AI and other forms of self-service provide a win-win solution for organizations and customers. It gives companies solution to create a better agent experience, and it allows the customers to resolve issues quickly without having to put up with long wait times.
• To address the challenges of hiring and retaining the best people, organizations need to focus on operationalizing flexibility in remote and hybrid setups and personalizing career development.
• Artificial Intelligence will not eliminate the need for customer support professionals. Instead, it will assist agents with knowledge management, eliminate mundane work, and allow agents to focus on what they do best: serve customers.
• Predictive analytics powered by AI can accurately assess Net Promoter Score and other measurements of customer satisfaction.
• The employees in the frontline do more than answer phones. They retain customers, generate revenue, and serve as an extension of the research and development department. They have information and insights from interacting with customers that managers and C-suite may not have access to.
• Plus, Shep and Mario discuss what to expect in Customer Contact Week Las Vegas on June 19–20, 2023, featuring a keynote speech from Grammy® Award-winning Musician & Entrepreneur, Pitbull. Tune in!

Quotes:

“Customer preferences have shifted dramatically in the last couple of years. Many customers want to self-serve. They want to effectively find a quick resolution to their challenges without the assistance of another human being, and AI can make that possible.”

“Generative AI not only plays a major role in self-service for customers. It will assist agents to be more effective and efficient so that personalized experience will be much more elevated in the coming years.”

“We need to provide the right care and appropriate oversight to ensure that AI and automation strategies are rolled out with a customer-first mentality.”

About:

Mario Matulich is the President and Managing Director of Customer Management Practice, a leader in market research, events, and customer-centricity. He played professional baseball for the Cleveland Guardians.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:

1. How is AI transforming contact centers?
2. What are the advantages of self-service systems?
3. How does ChatGPT affect call centers?
4. Will artificial intelligence eliminate the need for customer contact agents?
5. What challenges do organizations face in hiring and retaining top talent?

Originally published at hyken.com on May 23, 2023