How Chatbots Can Deliver Better Customer Service

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Top Takeaways:

• Now more than ever, it’s incredibly important to pay attention to your digital customer experience. Most organizations have made the move to virtual, and all should understand how their customers are connecting with them.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated what was already starting to happen in terms of technology. We have been thrust 3-5 years into the future.
• Technology allows brands to reach customers where they are rather than forcing customers to come to brands. It also helps brands communicate more effectively with their customers for a faster, better experience overall.
• Both customers and chatbots must be able to decide when to switch from AI to a human being. And, it should be an easy and seamless transfer. Otherwise, customers may end up frustrated with the experience.
• People use AI all the time without realizing it. It’s important to remember that even big, well-known bots (such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home) that are powered by massive AI can still make mistakes.
• Bots can be just as—if not more—effective in supporting agents behind the scenes as assisting customers on the front line.
• Train your agents how to interact with and interpret your chatbot. Working together, agents and chatbots can provide a much better experience to the customer.
• Your chatbot should work side-by-side with your CRM to help agents better understand your customers. A single pane of glass, with all the customer’s information, is ideal!
• Chatbots will not replace agents. Instead, the roles of those agents will change and evolve alongside chatbots.
• Both humans and chatbots have their strengths. Chatbots are good at automation, speed and efficiency, whereas humans excel at critical thinking and relationship development. You can’t automate a relationship!

Quotes:

“Think about your customers’ digital experience as the first solution, the first frontier and the thing your company wants to solve for.”

“AI isn’t fully intelligent yet. We’re a long way out from perfect, so you have to be able to allow customers to break out of the system and talk to a human. Otherwise, it’s frustrating and it’s not a great experience.”

“What humans are really good at is that critical thinking component, versus the bot which is more automation, more capabilities and more speed.”

“When it comes to relationships and building that loyalty, that’s where humans like to have other humans around them.”

About:

Philippe Mesritz is the first VP, Customers for Life at Khoros, a tech company that helps companies better connect with their customers online. He has over 20 years of customer-facing experience and previously ran the support services organization.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions … and more:

1. How can I use technology to improve my customer experience?
2. Do customers like chatbots?
3. How do I balance AI with the human-to-human connection?
4. How can AI support employees?
5. Will chatbots replace customer service agents?