Using artificial intelligence (AI) systems will be necessary to effectively manage the volumes of simultaneous customer interactions over multiple contact channels in digital economies, says instant messaging customer interaction software developer Hi.guru strategic business development consultant Nicholas O’Connor.

AI systems that function as agent-assistance systems or analytics engines are helping contact centres to more effectively meet client needs and resolve queries faster. The evolution and broader use of such systems will continue to improve customer experience, he adds.

AI systems are used in contact centres to support the productivity of the contact centre and determine how work and sales are flowing. The higher speeds of analysing the workings of a contact centre will allow for better and more immediate management to reduce inefficiencies and tackle challenges.

“While contact centre employees are often expected to offer sympathy and courteously handle difficult clients, the main purpose of any call centre is to effectively resolve the queries and complaints as quickly as possible.

“Therefore, AI systems that improve this – such as AI systems that gather information during client conversations across multiple channels, including during a voice call, and fill out forms or trigger relevant processes using the information provided by the client – boost the efficiency of contact centres.”

However, AI systems are not homogeneous or broadly applicable and are used to perform many different specific and niche functions. Therefore, it is important to consider the different scenarios in which AI can assist contact centre agents, optimise the customer engagement environment and make the processes more efficient, says o’Connor.

“Typically, AI systems help contact centres to generate more revenue or to save money. While the development of AI ‘chatbots’ – automated contact centre agents that can handle basic queries – are still in the early stages, the main use of AI will be to empower customer engagement agents and customer experience management agents.”

Hi.guru does not see AI as a threat to contact centres. Conversely, it foresees a growing need for better and faster contact centres and customer engagement to support increasingly digital businesses and business models.

“AI systems will help companies to improve customer experiences, which are key to customer attraction and retention in digital business models. They will be increasingly crucial to unify digital business processes, customer self-help services and companies’ employees.”

O’Connor advises companies investigating AI systems to apply them selectively to address specific problems in their contact centres and in their customer engagement processes.

Additionally, AI systems will provide the ability to manage, trace and audit millions of data points that are expected to increase as business become more fully digital and exceed the capacity of people to manage. However, they remain and are predicted to remain aides for people, concludes O’Connor.

Story highlights:

* AI systems that function as agent-assistance systems or analytics engines are helping contact centres to more effectively meet client needs and resolve queries faster.
* AI are not a threat to contact centres and will provide better and faster contact and customer engagement to support digital business models.