In the last decade, automation has brought about considerable changes in simple and complex processes for quicker output. In the call center industry, programmed automation has enhanced customer experience and made a significant impact on support efficiency.

With artificial intelligence being at the forefront of change, there is apprehension over whether AI will take over end-user support completely. Although AI aims to make systems more intelligent, it cannot replace the human element in support and instead must be used in harmony with agents. Here we will throw light on how AI will enhance the work of agents without trying to replace them.

With modern contact center solutions, it is easy to streamline the process of basic inquiry may be through an IVR where customers are redirected to the appropriate department’s agent through an automated system. For the user, this change translates to higher customer satisfaction, whereas, for the service provider, this means greater efficiency of work.

Irrespective of the domain of service, most contact centers receive repetitive questions or requests daily, and AI can be used to deliver responses to such queries. At the first point of contact, AI can bring down the customer response time, thereby aiding call centers in maintaining their service level agreements.

The basic concept of AI is such that it takes in data(often in large quantities) and then learns how to interact with it. Humans have to program it with a specific set of knowledge to enable performing a given task.

To understand this better in the context of contact centers, let us consider an example. A contact center may have a bot that delivers a group of relevant answers as responses to the customer’s questions. The logic here is that it identifies specific keywords in the issues, and based on them, groups and presents the most appropriate answers. However, there is an infinite number of questions possible with a given keyword.

Forcing the user to choose from a bunch of related answers will lead to customer dissatisfaction. An ideal course of action will be where the customer types in a question and based on the keywords; the AI system will give a specific answer. If he is not satisfied with the response, he will be led to a human agent. The seamless handoff is a win-win situation for everyone as it ensures customer satisfaction while ensuring workplace efficiency for contact centers.

Technological advancements bring with them a host of complex problems that require human intervention for prompt resolution. Leading global contact centers see better handling of complex issues through agents rather than a machine. As per a report(Time), the average hold time for calls handled by automated systems in KPI(a leading global contact center) is 1 min 51 sec.

The average values for live agents handling a call stand at 51-sec. It is clear to see that AI systems are best for handling repetitive and straightforward technical issues, leaving the complex issues for humans to take up. Based on the performance of AI, it would not harm businesses to assign L2 and L3 tickets in the future, only if they do not require human intervention.

Any form of communication relies heavily on the emotional response of the two people involved. For support that is entirely satisfactory to the end-user, the customer service industry would do well to maintain a balance in the communication from man and machine.

Although efforts are made to make responses more natural and conversational using AI, a good number of millennials admit preferring human interaction over intelligent automated live chat during lengthy conversations with support. Enhancements with AI can only be used where tasks are routine. AI does not have the understanding of emotion as a science and, therefore, cannot be empowered to replace humans for every form of communication.