Integrating new technology often has a learning curve. Companies need to overcome the fear factor of change, which may have its roots in misconceptions. Artificial Intelligence (AI), while not new to the business world, can face objections to implementation. AI customer service software has been in the ecosystem for a few years. It’s become more robust and adept, and its adoption is soaring.
Those companies that deploy it usually thrive, creating better customer experiences and reducing the strain on agents.
If your company is still on the fence about implementing it, it’s time to clear up the common misconceptions about AI customer service software. Not deploying it could be a mistake you don’t want to make.
1. Customers will resist AI interactions.
It’s easy to think that your customers will reject AI interactions and demand human intervention. They may also presume that those that do interact with it grade the experience as poor.
The data tells another story.
From 2018 to 2020, there was a 67 percent increase in organizations that reported using chatbots, according to a Salesforce report. Additionally, according to that same report, 65 percent of customers say they prefer to use self-service options such as chatbots because they deliver quick answers to simple questions.
Regarding experiences, 80 percent of people who engaged with AI in customer service rated it as positive. Not every customer will get the answers they need. Still, the experience you create by using AI customer service software depends on how the solution applies AI.
Most chatbots use AI, but it is simplistic in nature. It involves a decision tree model that focuses on keywords only. In comparison, one that employs human-centered AI comprehends sentences and analyzes intent and sentiment to deliver more accurate responses.
2. It only works for certain businesses.
When most people think about AI customer service software, they think of B2C companies with large contact centers. It applies to this, but that’s a limited view. In one study, more than half (58 percent) of websites that use self-service options are B2B. B2B customers need support, too, so putting in such a small box isn’t realistic.
Also, implementing software such as this can support a variety of industries. Financial services and healthcare are two areas seeing a surge in AI customer support. There are predictions that it will save these industries billions in the years to come. If there’s an opportunity to automate customer support and provide them with the help they need faster, then it’s a win-win.
3. Deploying software won’t reduce agent queues.
This misconception originates in the misnomer that AI can only answer the simplest of questions. That is the case for some Traditional chatbots. They aren’t highly sophisticated but are cheap to deploy. It may not reduce your agent queues, but human-centered AI goes much further.
By integrating this kind of AI into the complete customer service lifecycle, you can realize substantial benefits. These include increased self-service use, decreased wait times, and reduced backlogs. AI that analyzes sentiment can more accurately predict, tag, and direct cases. Plus, the AI is continually improving, learning from new data daily.
4. Programming and deployment will take too long.
You may think you have to do all the legwork when setting up AI software. As a result, you’re tallying up the time and resources just to get it started, so you don’t move forward. Good news: That’s not true!
You can deploy AI customer software quickly without the limitations of running on a set of rules. The AI engine ingests historical ticket data, structured or unstructured, and immediately begins learning and building models to respond to customers who need assistance.
You don’t need to be an AI or big data expert to launch the software and begin using it. In fact, you’ll quickly realize ROI when you work with expert implementers that integrate AI into your system with speed.
5. AI replaces agents.
Probably the biggest myth about AI is that you don’t need humans if you have it. That’s not the case, especially in customer service. Your agents are your most valuable resource, and AI helps them be more productive. It does take pressure off their queues by answering simple questions.
If self-serve doesn’t resolve the customer query, AI continues to play a role, augmenting agents. It categories and prioritizes cases. It then assists by providing past tickets with similar questions and knowledge sources to stay productive and serve customers.
Debunk the myths; realize the benefits of AI customer service software.
Now that you know the facts, it’s time to reassess your position on AI. By using a solution that delivers true AI, you can delight customers and empower agents.