How Generative AI can benefit the contact centre

Serkan Ibrahim at Kore.ai explores the evolving landscape of AI in contact centres and argues for the imperative of responsible AI adoption

 

At the end of 2023, the European Union (EU) reached a provisional agreement to harmonise rules on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The draft regulation aims to ensure that AI systems are “safe and respect fundamental rights and EU values”, as well as helping to stimulate AI-related investment and innovation in Europe.

 

Part of the thinking underpinning the legislation — described as a ‘global first’ by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen — is that AI systems should be “overseen by people, rather than by automation, to prevent harmful outcomes.”

 

This may help to explain a recent report by industry analysts, Gartner, which explored the transformative impact that AI is having on customer support services. 

 

While it noted that the use of generative AI (GenAI) is “accelerating the shift towards self-service”, it also pointed out that some organisations are experimenting with AI-only customer support. In other words, some organisations are exploring whether AI could replace the need for contact centres altogether.

 

For many, this would simply be a step too far. As Gartner wrote: “In response to growing consumer backlash against AI-generated services, Gartner predicts the EU will adjust its consumer protection laws, requiring organisations to provide access to a customer service employee.”

 

It went on to say that “by 2028, the EU is likely to mandate ‘the right to talk to a human’ in customer service interactions”. And we’ll see brands having to declare whether a customer is speaking to a human or a bot. 

 

Contact centres and AI — getting it right

For me, intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) powered by Conversational AI (CAI) and GenAI have a place in managing customer relations, but these platforms must be implemented with the enterprise and its employees at the heart. 

 

Human links in the chain are crucial or there is a risk of damaging the all-important bond they have with customers. Contact centre agents play a crucial role in shaping customers’ experiences and satisfaction and that’s a vital component for businesses to succeed and grow.

 

It’s a topic explored in depth in our report, The Contact Center Agent Experience (AX) Benchmark Report 2023, which examined the relationship between agent satisfaction and its impact on customer satisfaction.

 

It’s an important study because it sources the opinions of those at the coal face of customer service centres. As such, they have a unique perspective on how to improve the contact centre experience for both users and themselves (contact centre agents).

 

Challenges faced by contact centre agents

According to the survey, there are a host of challenges that agents currently face when trying to deliver the best service. These include having to ask a customer to repeat something that should be instantly available upon connection (81%) and the length of time it takes to source relevant information or documents (80%). 

 

Other challenges include working with traditional (non-intelligent) agent assist tools that are supposed to be easy to use but are not (79%), spending too much time filling out forms when serving a customer (79%) and juggling too many screens during a customer interaction (79%). 

 

Any one of the challenges could undermine customer satisfaction. But together, these issues point to systemic problems that need to be addressed. 

 

Curiously, the complaints aren’t people simply letting off steam about their jobs. What links them all is the negative impact they have on customers and the ability of agents to serve end users. 

 

Perhaps that’s why agents have such a positive view of CAI, GenAI and IVAs — not to replace human contact centres but to help them perform better and provide a service they expect. 

 

Far from seeing AI as a threat, agents are overwhelmingly in favour of more technology, with the majority open to receiving assistance from IVAs. Why? Because they see these tools for what they are — valuable assets that enhance proficiency and productivity.

 

Significant benefits can be reaped

More than three-quarters (77%) agreed that IVAs are good for customers and agents alike. When asked to explain why, agents said the tools enabled them to provide a faster, more efficient and satisfactory service, which, in turn, led to a better relationship with customers. 

 

The knock-on effect of this meant that the well-being of contact agents improved measurably. In effect, the use of CAI and IVAs creates a virtuous circle where customer frustrations are addressed, and call centre agents’ health improves. 

 

Specific contact centre agent benefits of IVAs powered by CAI include suggesting the best actions and responses based on a customer’s history, mood, and goals in real-time for the best employee and customer experience.

 

It can also act as a personal assistant that augments the likes of appointment scheduling and follow-up reminders and can uncover trends and refine strategies for exceptional customer interactions. 

 

While playbooks with pre-defined strategies and workflows can also be tailored to each organisation to navigate agents through complex scenarios and ensure consistency, accuracy, and positive outcomes. It’s no wonder that organisations using this technology can see an increase in agent productivity, for example, an increase in average first call resolution rates, and substantial costs saved from increasing retention and revenue.

 

One example is a wealth management organisation, which had approximately 200 agents serving customer requests. The contact centre was struggling with its legacy system, as it could take some small change requests up to 16 weeks to implement. But with an IVA trained on understanding the specifics of the enterprise, agents experienced a 12% reduction in request handling time. 

 

Using AI while preserving the human touch

Often, any mention of technology replacing human contact tends to draw criticism that it may dehumanise customer interaction. In the case of CAI and IVAs, nothing could be further from the truth. 

 

By harnessing such technology, it frees up agents to provide a better, more responsive service. In fact, almost eight in ten (78%) of agents see IVAs as a means to fine-tune their customer interactions, while three quarters (76%) agree that IVAs help them serve customers more quickly and efficiently.

 

Make no mistake. Contact centre agents are crying out for more time and support to be able to provide a better service for their customers.

 

Rather than seeing technology as a threat, they regard AI-powered automation as enabling human agents to be better prepared, equipped, and freed up to have informed conversations with customers. And in the world of customer service, surely that’s the only thing that matters.

 

---

 

Serkan Ibrahim is VP of Europe at Kore.ai

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto and Vasyl Dolmatov