The Reality of AI in the Contact Center
Many CX leaders have gone “all in” on artificial intelligence (AI), from AI chatbots to AI agents. While AI is great at data analysis, improving efficiency, and speed of service, have we stopped to ask what people really think about AI in the contact center? According to our research, optimism seems to be chiefly confined to executives, while consumers and employees have differing opinions about expectations versus reality. It is this disconnect that could damage consumer trust and hamper initiatives to extract the most ROI from AI technology. That’s why it’s important to discern the truth, and how we can best use technology to bring business gains, while also preserving customer satisfaction, because the price of a lopsided AI strategy could be costly.
Why Business Leaders Are the Most Optimistic About AI
According to a recent IBM study, more than half of U.S. companies already use AI for customer service tasks and many plan to accelerate the pace of deployment, with AI ‘voice bots’ at the top of the list for the coming year.
Driven by intense competition, inflating costs, and a desire for greater efficiency, more than two-thirds of customer support leaders say they felt intense pressure to implement GenAI as soon as possible.
The IBM study shows that some organizations have seen huge benefits from GenAI deployment, with some reporting a nearly 10% increase in revenue and one company claiming that AI has helped them respond to customer complaints 10 times faster.
This may be why 85% of business leaders say that AI adoption is essential for their business, with high expectations of increased customer satisfaction (65%) and lower cost per contact (46%).
Start-ups also see the benefit. One Census Bureau analysis revealed that smaller businesses had the second-highest increase in AI usage since 2023 because it allows them to optimize resources and scale customer service teams economically without adding head count.
Why Customers Are Cautious About AI Adoption
Customers may have a different view. In a survey of over 15,000 global consumers, only one-quarter say they like AI interactions. Many report that it falls short on complex or emotionally sensitive issues that require empathy and creative problem solving, and given the choice, 82% would still choose human support over AI agents. So, what does this mean?
It’s not as simple as a rejection of technology. It’s more to do with the lackluster results of current AI solutions. Though three-quarters of customers are open to using AI chatbots and think it can improve service, the reality seems to be very different, as nearly a third say it has not actually improved their customer experience.
Half of U.S. customers have received incorrect information from an AI chatbot, which makes them less likely to trust the technology, and 60% believe that AI adoption will make it impossible to reach a human agent, though nine out of ten believe that companies should always provide that option.
One study found that even knowing a human representative is available can reduce customers’ anxiety in self-service encounters. For one credit union, having the option to connect with a human loan agent via email increased their loan uptake rate by 24%.
Why CX Employees Are Feeling Mixed Emotions About AI
Where do employees fit into the picture? Many seem to have conflicting feelings about AI in the contact center. One Forrester study showed these conflicting attitudes, how many employees think that AI can be a time-saver, freeing up energy for other high-value work, but its rapid deployment can sometimes lead to “AI overload”, as employees face steep learning curves.
Still, there is an eagerness to learn new AI skills. In one Gallup survey, nearly half of employees believe that AI tools will increase their personal productivity. Yet, the reason why adoption can be hindered is often a combination of fear and a lack of formal training.
One study from ADP Research showed that nearly 31% of global workers were fearful that AI would replace them and another workplace survey showed that many employees (44%) have no idea how AI will change their job.
When McKinsey surveyed employees, only half say they received any kind formal AI training, even though workers generally believe it could improve technology uptake.
Why Adopting a More Balanced Approach Is Key
What does this research tell us? While business leaders may embrace AI for its efficiency and cost savings, it’s important to not lose sight of what consumers want. A majority seem to prefer a hybrid approach that leverages technology but still feels human at its core.
For CX companies, a balance must be struck between technology and people if we don’t want to erode customer satisfaction, because when asked if customers value speed and convenience over empathy, 86% of customers say that they value empathy above all.
The “sweet spot” is when AI is integrated smartly and strategically across a client’s CX operations, from call routing to QA to post-call data analysis. That’s when your choice of CX partner makes all the difference. The ideal provider not only understands how to play to AI’s strengths, but also when to preserve human touchpoints that build loyalty and trust. They also know how to seamlessly integrate AI solutions with clients’ existing technology, as well as how to measure AI performance against real outcomes, like CSAT scores, to make sure that clients are getting the maximum ROI.
They also offer AI training across their workforce, so employees can take full advantage of AI’s productivity boost, while instilling confidence that they can navigate rapid technological changes, which is something we have already started implementing as we upskill our workforce for AI-driven careers.
That’s when we get the best of all worlds: engaged, productive employees, augmented by technology, for CX that is more efficient, more cost effective and more human.
Want to combine the best of people and technology? Learn how we augment QA, CX and data analysis through itelligence®.