If your business involves speaking on the phone with customers or interacting with them online via chat or email (most businesses!), it’s time to discuss some interesting findings by Nemertes Research (www.nemertes.com).
Nemertes’ research and subsequent data have found that artificial intelligence (AI), when deployed inside small to medium business’ contact centers and customer support lines, has had a notable impact on business success. And now, with costs decreasing, those smaller companies can keep up with the larger ones that have been using this technology for a while now.
How is AI deployed?
Mostly, AI comes in the form of apps. “Chatbots” assist customers without the need for actual human agents by using predictive analytics to answer common questions in real-time. These same apps can use analytics to educate real customer service agents on these same common questions and their answers. In other words, AI will train customer service staff in any field by learning about common questions and creating the best responses.
AI More Than Just a Tool for Client Interactions
And these days, programs are becoming less expensive and less time-consuming to implement. In most cases, AI can learn all about a particular business and be ready to efficiently assist staff in a matter of weeks.
AI implementation does a few things, according to Nemertes’ findings.
- Provide more efficient interactions through AI allows companies to focus their employees on more complicated issues while the AI handles routine interactions. Companies polled reported that AI chat is handling 30% of their basic warranty inquiries with 90% accuracy, allowing contact center staff to focus elsewhere.
- AI can also train employees. Analytics based on past customer responses can be used to prompt employees to suggest the most correct recommendations and perform better. When agents perform better, they don’t quit, which also reduces time and money spent on turn-over and new hiring/training.
Companies that deploy AI have seen a proven competitive advantage in their markets.
With AI assistance, small call centers are “supercharged” to seem much larger to customers than they actually are.
Small businesses can compete with larger ones simply by using smarter technology with proven, data-driven results.
TSAChoice works with Mitel to provide artificial intelligence to call center customers. Mitel’s apps can deliver the above and more. TSAChoice helps area companies analyze individual business-case issues (such as long call wait times, after-hours service needs, agent training issues) and recommends deployment of particular Mitel apps that solve those problems.
Contact TSAChoice for more information. As Nemertes’ puts it, “at some point, chat-bot enabled conveniences will become table stakes; today, they give companies an edge.” It’s time to really consider this technology now before small-medium businesses are left even further behind their larger counterparts.
To access the full report, click here.
