Dive Brief:
- Nearly half of consumers don’t enjoy using chatbots, according to a survey of 1,000 people released Tuesday by Cogito. The most common reasons for reluctance were preferring to talk to a human and feeling like chatbots don’t understand their inquiries.
- More than half of consumers want a phone call with an agent for complex customer service questions or issues. Less than 1 in 5 who prefer using live chat technology, the research found.
- AI is still an important tool, even if most customers want a live agent. Nearly half of consumers who would prefer to speak to a live person said they would feel comfortable if the agent used AI to improve their interaction.
Dive Insight:
The latest advances in AI are changing the face of customer service, but organizations have to implement the technology strategically. Experts told CX Dive that the goal should be empowering and informing agents, not replacing them outright.
“While there is a growing emphasis on embracing AI in the contact center, organizations should not overlook the enduring significance of human-to-human interaction,” Josh Feast, CEO and co-founder of Cogito, said in an email to CX Dive. “Instead of considering it obsolete, the crucial approach is to concentrate on synergizing humans with AI to achieve sustainable efficiency gains in the long term.”
Most consumers overall said that having their issues resolved faster, whether through reduced wait times or quicker responses, would improve their next customer experience. This presents an opportunity for generative AI to work alongside agents, according to Kelly Pedersen, U.S. retail leader at PwC.
“Previously, agents would have to manually search for relevant information in different systems or screens,” Pedersen said in an email to CX Dive. “With the use of generative AI, agents can simply ask the question and receive an immediate response, eliminating the need to navigate multiple systems.”
Nearly one-third of those surveyed stated having a more personalized experience, particularly one where it feels like the agent knows them, would improve their next customer experience. This is another area where AI can power better human interactions, according to Pedersen.
“By analyzing a customer's previous order history or interactions with customer service, AI can predict the reason for their call or message before they even speak to an agent,” he said. “This allows the agent to have a more personalized interaction with the customer, as they already have some context about the customer's needs.”
There is still room for AI-powered automation, but audience matters. Baby boomers were the generation least open to chatbots, with 7 in 10 stating they don’t enjoy using them. In contrast, a majority of millennials said they enjoy or are interested in using chatbots.
