Customer service has always been an important part of any business’s growth strategy. But as technology continues to improve and more AI tools become available, it can be difficult for businesses to know how to incorporate them into their customer service processes.
That’s why in this article, we’re going to discuss how the human touch is still needed in customer service today—and how you can balance that with AI tools designed to help improve your company’s growth strategy.
How AI is changing customer service
AI is getting smarter, but it still can’t replace the human touch in customer service. No matter the rise of AI, there will continue to be the balance of AI vs. human touchpoints.
As AI continues to improve and become more sophisticated, it will become more integrated into customer service operations. This integration should be done carefully so as not to replace humans with bots or algorithms. Instead, you should use artificial intelligence as an enhancement for your existing staff members’ capabilities—much like how you might use technology like Slack or Salesforce for salespeople today.
If your company offers a great product or service but doesn’t have strong customer support services in place, then this could be holding back your growth strategy because customers won’t stick around long enough for them get over their initial frustration at having issues addressed by someone who isn’t very helpful or knowledgeable about what they need help with.
From Social Video to Protecting IP: Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
AI is getting smarter.
Sure, it’s always been pretty good at understanding language and performing complex tasks—but now it can do both better than ever before. And as AI becomes more adept at these things, we’ll need to start thinking about how they impact AI customer care.
People still can’t be replaced.
People are still needed for many of the tasks that AI is taking over. For example, it’s not as easy to replace humans with machines when it comes to more complex interactions or emotional support.
It’s also important to remember that people can be used as training tools for AI systems—they provide a personal touch and an opportunity for the system to learn about how humans interact with each other.
The human touch is needed.
No matter how many automated solutions you have, you will still need to provide a human response to your customers. Even if you have AI that can handle most of the basic issues and questions, there are times when only a real person can do the job properly. There are several reasons why this is true. These include the following:
- You need someone who can solve problems that arise with products or services offered by your company (for example, helping someone fix their computer when it crashes).
- You also need someone who can build relationships with customers on an emotional level (for example, offering emotional support after a family member dies).
AccessPoint offers HR, Payroll and Benefits services to startup and growing business. Sign up with StartupNation to get access to BCBS Health Plans and get 25% off services.
Customer service is an important part of every business’s growth strategy today.
Customer service is a key component of any business, as it helps build trust, loyalty and brand awareness. But it’s also an essential part of any company’s growth strategy because it allows you to create a positive experience for your customers that keeps them coming back for more.
Customer service can be defined as the way in which companies interact with their clients or customers when they have complaints or questions about products or services purchased from these companies. It involves answering queries regarding billing information, product availability issues, and handling complaints about the quality/quantity/price of available items.
The two-part approach to human + AI customer service
The best way to get the most out of AI and human customer service is to combine both. You can’t just rely on one or the other, because each has its own strengths and weaknesses. But when you use them together, you’ll have a much better chance of providing an amazing experience for your customers–and keeping them happy with your brand in general.
If you’re interested in learning more about how this approach works (and how it might apply to your business), here are some tips:
- Make sure that everyone who interacts with customers knows how they can help solve problems by using AI tools first before turning over cases where there isn’t enough information available yet. Sometimes, there are situations that only humans can handle most effectively (such as identifying fraudulent activity).
- Train employees so they know when not only which types of questions would benefit from being handled by an AI program but also whether those cases need additional attention afterward.
Technology can help us provide better customer service
In fact, it’s already doing so. In 2023, we’ve already seen the meteoric rise of customer service chatbots and virtual assistants that do everything from answering questions about your account to suggesting products based on user data. This technology is already being used by some major companies to improve their bottom line—and it can be a game changer for you too!
The SuN Takeaway
In the end, AI and humans working together can provide better customer service than either one could alone. By making the most of both the new (AI) and the old (human) way of work, the future of customer service is looking as bright as ever.