AI (Artificial Intelligence) development is progressing like never before, and today, artificial intelligence has achieved a significant role in our everyday lives.
ChatGPT is being used more than ever, and new AI systems are being launched one after another by some of the largest IT giants (just look at Adobe’s FireFly, Google Bard, and Microsoft CoPilot).
AI also plays a major role in customer service. Today, in most cases, consumers can expect to be greeted by a chatbot ready to guide them when they visit a website.
Chatbots and the AI systems that power them have become part of our daily lives and have influenced how we view customer service today.
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Good customer service is essential
We now operate in a market that can be described as saturated, to say the least.
Consumers today can find the same product or service from many different vendors, resulting in a very different customer journey compared to what we’ve seen in the past.
In other words, consumers expect more from the products they invest their money in.
The consideration phase is longer, and there is a greater need for information and guidance before making a purchase.
This is where customer service comes into play because when consumers are uncertain about which product to choose, it’s customer service that provides the guidance they need, making the difference between whether a consumer converts or not.
It’s all about being there throughout the customer journey and ensuring that consumers’ needs are met and their questions are answered.
How chatbots add value to customer service
The value of customer service depends on several factors.
The primary factor that can quickly turn customer service from a great idea to a burden is the volume of inquiries, which also directly impacts wait times for consumers.AI systems behind chatbots play an incredibly important role in automating some of the most common processes, ultimately reducing wait times.
This can include 2-3 initial questions in the chat that, depending on the nature of the question, guide the consumer to the right place on the website or the right person who can answer their query.
Availability
Another critical factor is the availability of customer service.
If consumers are asked to reach out within specific timeframes that don’t align with their schedules, this will often result in them converting with a different vendor.
A chatbot system, on the other hand, is always available to consumers, meeting them when they need guidance.
Moreover, chatbots today are equipped with language processing systems that can respond to simple questions, further increasing the availability of customer service as it doesn’t require 100% staff involvement.
Efficiency and customer satisfaction
Automated processes like these ultimately increase efficiency and ensure that consumers experience the company’s availability throughout the entire buying journey.
These efforts naturally boost customer satisfaction, creating a positive experience every time consumers visit a website.
A vital source of information
Today, customer service has become a key source of information about customer behavior and product performance.
Here too, AI systems behind chatbots can collect valuable data, which can be used for further analysis, providing insight into potential pitfalls in the customer journey through your business.
In other words, continuous improvements in customer service allow a business to build the relationships with customers that are essential for repeat purchases and positive reviews.
Interested in learning more about customer management? Read my post about CRM systems here.
The future of customer service
AI and chatbots will undeniably play an even larger and more advanced role in customer service in the future.
We’ve already seen the first examples of chatbots programmed to recognize voice-based requests through phone customer service systems, as well as chatbots that provide personalized recommendations based on previous orders.
We can rightly expect customer service to become a much more efficient service that takes into account consumers’ customer journeys and their need for guidance along the way.
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