Artificial intelligence (AI) is now a key enabler of contact center efforts to cut costs, improve efficiency and enhance the customer experience. Virtual agents, speech-to-text, intelligent routing, advanced error detection, automated data entry and real-time data analysis are among the many functions enabled by AI. As a result, the AI-powered contact center is becoming “a necessity for companies that want to deliver stellar customer experience and gain competitive advantage,” according to Robin Gareiss, CEO and Principal Analyst at the Metrigy research firm.
Metrigy reports that companies integrating AI with their contact center platforms increase their operational efficiency in several ways. For example, Metrigy says, they improve revenue by 20.7 percent, customer ratings by 26.7 percent and agent productivity by 22.7 percent. New research from Stanford University’s Digital Economic Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology supports those results.
Gaining Insights
Chat assistants, or virtual agents, represent the earliest use of AI in the contact center. Developed in the 1990s to provide 24x7 interaction with website visitors, they are now a mainstream contact center technology, enabling intuitive self-service functions, predictive routing and comprehensive customer journey analytics.
For the Stanford-MIT study, researchers used an AI chat assistant to monitor the customer service conversations of more than 5,000 agents working for a Fortune 500 firm. During these interactions, the chat assistant would provide agents with real-time response suggestions. Ultimately, agents using the chat assistant improved their efficiency by 14 percent on average, handling more calls in less time with improved call resolution rates. The improvement was even more pronounced for novice and low-skilled workers, who finished their work 35 percent faster.
Intelligent call routing systems help connect customers with agents who are best equipped to solve their problems. The systems capture data from various communication channels and use AI algorithms to route customer calls to the most appropriate agent based on skillset, availability, customer history and other factors. This leads to faster call resolution and eliminates many of the call transfers that so often frustrate customers.
Maximizing the Value of Data
AI systems are also essential for managing all the customer data being collected. They can organize and categorize data, extract relevant information and update customer records in real time. This enables agents to access accurate customer information promptly, leading to more personalized interactions.
That data is further used to support Voice of the Customer technologies such as sentiment and speech analysis for evaluating customer interactions and extracting valuable insights. By transcribing and analyzing recorded calls, text messages and emails, these technologies can identify customer attitudes, detect patterns and assess agent performance. This data can be used to improve training programs, optimize scripts and enhance the overall customer experience. It is also useful for creating marketing and customer engagement campaigns that address specific demographics and buying preferences.
Agent Benefits
AI also enhances agent efficiency by automating manual tasks. Routine activities such as account verification, order tracking, return/repair status inquiries, and billing questions can be efficiently handled by AI, allowing agents to focus on more complex customer interactions.
AI systems can also improve contact center security. For example, AI-powered authentication systems can verify customer identities using voice recognition technology. This enhances security and eliminates the need for customers to answer security questions or remember passwords.
If your organization is looking to increase the use of AI in your contact center, Verteks can assist you. Our team can help you harness the power of AI and automation to provide dynamic and efficient service to your customers. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
