Why Outdated Technology is Crushing Customer Experiences
In today’s fast-paced world, customer experience (CX) is everything. It’s often said that customer support is most crucial when something goes awry. While I don’t fully agree with that term, I believe a slight adjustment can clarify the situation. Instead of “customer service,” let’s think about it as “customer support.” In that case, we say: Customer support happens when the customer experience goes wrong.
Whether it’s a sole representative at a small startup or a global support team for a large corporation, this is where the stakes are highest. A loyal customer may have interacted with your brand for years, but a single interaction gone poorly can leave them feeling and questioning their choice. If handled deftly, this moment can reaffirm their loyalty; mishandle it, and you risk losing them forever.
The Tech Gap: Navigating Outdated Solutions
During a recent chat on Amazing Business Radio with Jonathan Rosenberg, the CTO and head of AI at Five9, we delved into some unbeatable strategies for contact centers to enhance customer relationships and drive revenue. Rosenberg highlighted a profound truth: using outdated technology in contact centers results in a dismal experience for customers. An astonishing 43% of customers in our research expressed that they would rather clean a toilet than contact customer support!
Many support teams force customers to endure long waits, deal with archaic chatbots, and when they finally connect with a human agent, the agent often lacks crucial details about the customer’s prior interactions. However, the tide is turning. New technology is becoming far more affordable and accessible, allowing for seamless access to customer data. Rosenberg notes, “Generative AI is enabling us to overcome these barriers,” leading to smoother transitions from AI-assisted support to human agents.
Harnessing the Benefits of AI
Rosenberg shares several exciting benefits of integrating generative AI into the support process:
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Smooth Transitions: No more starting from scratch! AI can summarize customer interactions in real time, allowing agents to immediately understand the customers’ journey before they even say a word.
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Increased Efficiency: By automating simple, repetitive tasks, AI frees human agents to focus on complex interactions that require empathy and understanding.
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Hyper-Personalized Experiences: Traditional personalization often involved grouping customers into neat categories. With AI, you can analyze extensive data to tailor each interaction uniquely. Rosenberg highlights, “AI analyzes vast amounts of data, from purchase history to emotional cues, to tailor interactions in real time.”
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Empowered Agents: With comprehensive insights at their fingertips, agents can understand customers’ histories better than ever. This improved grasp not only enhances their work experience but also enriches the customer’s journey.
- Revenue Generation Opportunities: Imagine a scenario where during a support call, the agent is presented with insights that suggest upselling existing products or introducing new ones. With AI-driven data, convincing customers to spend more becomes a straightforward conversation rather than a forced sell.
The AI-Driven Future of Customer Support
According to Rosenberg, we are on the verge of a monumental shift towards an AI-centric conversational model that seamlessly blends digital and human support. “This will dramatically improve customer satisfaction and create new business opportunities,” he asserts. Many customer inquiries will become tech-driven. Yet, when customers must interact with a human agent, those discussions will center on more than just problem-solving—they’ll include relationship building and exploring revenue-generating opportunities responsibly.
In this upcoming paradigm, customer support calls will not only resolve issues but will also create valuable connections and foster loyalty.
Final Thoughts
Rosenberg passionately encourages industries to embrace this evolution, stating, “The gauntlet has been thrown down to those serving the customer. It’s a challenge. Deliver an experience that people actually love.” Companies must make a significant investment to enhance customer experiences and strive for excellence.
The AI Buzz Hub team is excited to see where these breakthroughs take us. Want to stay in the loop on all things AI? Subscribe to our newsletter or share this article with your fellow enthusiasts.
