Artificial Intelligence and the Customer Support Call Center

No matter how advanced technology becomes, it will never be a proper substitute for human-to-human connections. That is especially true for high-stakes customer interactions. Automation is wonderful when we need to schedule an appointment or make a payment. However, there is nothing like a real human agent when disputing a hospital bill, filing an insurance claim or committing to a purchase agreement.

Misuse of Artificial Intelligence

Unfortunately, some call centers are repeating errors made with early chatbots. They are viewing the current generation of AI applications as viable replacements for human agents. Needless to say, this is causing a power struggle between people and machines.

Helping Agents Improve, Without Replacing Them

Technology really does affect the way human beings work. Automation of key contact center processes in recent years has streamlined workflow. However, it hasn’t improved agents’ ability to satisfy customers once they’re connected. That is essentially because they’re still handling direct customer engagement and also processing and interpreting the data needed to resolve customer problems.

Artificial Intelligence Complements Human Intelligence

We all want our customer service experiences to be quicker and more efficient. AI customer support can help make it so without losing our primal need for compassion at high-stakes moments. We recognize the reassurance in a firm handshake, a steady gaze and the cadence of a confident voice. Artificial intelligence may get there one day. However, until it does, we should focus on leveraging its enormous potential to complement human intelligence.