What is Conversational AI and How is It Changing Customer Support? with Peter Mullen

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Top Takeaways:

• Conversational AI technology, powered by artificial intelligence, has revolutionized customer support by providing efficient and personalized assistance to customers. This technology can understand customers’ queries, provide relevant answers, and guide them toward a resolution. 

• Combining AI and human agents can create a seamless and effective customer experience. When AI detects that a customer is not getting the desired answer or experiencing difficulties, it can seamlessly transfer the conversation to a human agent who can provide further assistance. This collaboration between AI and humans can reduce customer frustration and lead to quicker problem resolution. 

• Conversational AI solutions can be beneficial in voice-led customer interactions. By recognizing ambient noise, heavy accents, or other challenges, AI can identify when a customer’s intentions may not be fully understood. In such cases, the conversation can be seamlessly transferred to a human agent, minimizing any disruption in the customer experience. 

• By automating routine inquiries and tasks, AI allows human agents to focus on more complex or specialized customer needs. This allows contact centers to handle more inquiries while maintaining service quality. 

• Conversational AI technology has the potential to improve customer satisfaction by reducing the number of interactions required to solve a problem. Studies show that customers often become frustrated after a few unsuccessful attempts to resolve an issue. Therefore, companies that can address customer concerns with fewer engagements will likely see higher customer satisfaction rates. 

• Plus, Shep and Peter answer the question: Will AI take away jobs? Tune in!

Quotes:

“Generative AI has brought about a mix of excitement, fear, and confusion since the beginning. When we emphasize the importance of involving humans, it helps us anchor ourselves as we move forward.”   

“AI is going to make the birth of the Internet look quaint. That’s how large, distributed, and massive this shift in business and life is.”  

“AI will take away some jobs faster and more dramatically than most are ready for or anticipate. We’ve got to get on our toes. We’ve got to be thinking about what the new world looks like. How can you take AI technology and maximize it for your benefit?” 

“Within the next ten years, the number one predictor of enterprise recurring revenue will be customer success and satisfaction.”

About:

Peter Mullen is the Chief Marketing Officer of Interactions, a company specializing in intelligent virtual assistants and conversational AI. He is a seasoned marketing executive with 20 years of experience. Before his role at Interactions, he also held prominent marketing and communications roles at VXI Global Solutions, Comcast, and Netflix. 

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

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

1. How can conversational AI be used to improve customer support experiences? 
2. How can AI-driven platforms help streamline customer service processes? 
3. What are the benefits of having a human in the loop in AI-driven customer service? 
4. How can AI technology help reduce customer frustration and increase resolution times? 
5. What are the potential future developments and advancements in AI for customer service?