For improving customer experience, AI can be used to automate the underlying functions to proactively address issues and improve communications with customers. The ultimate goal is to create a seamless integration that aligns systems to processes and customers for better service—and better customer experience outcomes. After all, customers and CSRs don’t particularly care about the underlying technologies or systems. They just want them to work, so they can effectively and efficiently address customer experience issues and provide a higher level of customer service. 

Etiya sees additional business benefits of automation using AI for improving the customer experience too. Automatically orchestrated workflows and automated processes enable faster transaction handling, quicker processes, and more rapid problem resolution. Transformation through automation also raises operational efficiency and productivity. Moreover, automation can enable self-service opportunities for customers via multiple digital channels and through such tools as chatbots, virtual assistants, voice assistants, and interactive voice responses. This can increase the number of first-call resolutions with automated self-service, as well as provide an uninterrupted, seamless, and superior customer experience across multiple integrated channels and processes.

Mutual benefits of improving the customer experience with AI

Using AI for improving customer experience provides mutual benefits to the company, and the customer. No one wins when frustrated customers must navigate interactive voice response (IVR) systems with irrelevant prompts asking for information, to only then wait on hold for an uninformed CSR who has no idea who the customer is or what issue they are experiencing, just to have to ask for the information the customer has already provided, or to recommend actions the customer has already taken. We’ve seen how this plays out time and again: the customer is then put on hold again and transferred to another CSR, who must ask the same questions, but may not have the appropriate tools to address the issue the customer is facing (or open a ticket that takes days or weeks to resolve).

AI can eliminate many negative customer experience touchpoints like these through proactive resolution and communications before the customer hits the call center. For customer experience issues that cannot be addressed with automation, empowering CSRs with intelligent insights into customer journeys allow CSRs to be more informed and efficient. With integrated automation in place, CSRs have the tools they need to quickly address customer issues and robust information to provide a KYC experience in a single system, ultimately providing superior customer experience. Further fueled with additional insights, including behavior and sentiment, CSRs can better serve their customers by providing relevant recommendations for cross-sell, upsell, loyalty, and churn-reducing opportunities.

This marriage of people and technology improves both the customer experience and employee satisfaction. Enhanced employee satisfaction increases productivity, and a superior customer experience increases customer loyalty, retention, and spend.  Doing this efficiently with AI and automation also decreases costs, maximizing the bottom line. It’s precisely the kind of transformation Etiya helps CSPs achieve through its flexible, scalable, AI-driven Digital Business Platforms.

The future application of AI for improving the customer experience

AI offers great promise in humanizing, enriching, and improving the customer experience. The many benefits of using AI for improving the customer experience are already being realized, and innovators like Etiya are helping their customers harness the power of AI and automation to provide a superior customer experience as the world accelerates its adoption of AI technologies. 

As the next decades unfold, the role of AI and people will certainly evolve. But, with the help of AI technology, customers can benefit from a better experience, and workers can be more informed, efficient, and productive—allowing them to focus on their core strength: being human.