The Benefits Of Conversational AI For Contact Centres

There is no question that Artificial intelligence – and in particular, conversational AI – is having a moment.

In 2022, 69% of consumers admitted to being open to the use of AI in the interest of an improved customer experience. It is good news that the majority are in favour, considering the prediction that AI interactions are set to save contact centres approximately $80 billion a year in labour costs by 2026.

But what exactly is conversational AI and why does its use within a contact centre environment hold such promise?

In this article, we delve further into this cutting-edge technology and discuss its many benefits.

 

What is conversational AI?

 

Conversational AI mimics human interactions by utilising data analysis practices such as machine learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to automate typical conversations. This technology uses algorithms and data to process contextual information and feed it back to an individual in a relevant and results-driven way.

Simply put, its core function in the context of customer service is to imitate a human agent in both conversational style and its ability to answer queries and troubleshoot issues.

While chatbots have played a significant role in changing the face of operations within contact centres in the last decade, conversational AI has taken this to a whole new level. Thanks to groundbreaking automation practices, traditional chatbots have evolved into far more interactive, intelligent and intuitive tools – and something that today’s oversubscribed contact centre can’t do without.

 

What are the benefits of conversational AI for contact centres?

 

The pandemic-inspired move to a hybrid working model paired with low unemployment is two issues facing contact centres at present. Heavy staff turnover and the inability to retain top talent in the field have been troubling results of such problems.

With employees at breaking point due to heavy call volume and dissatisfied customer engagement – not to mention businesses fearing for the future given the repercussions of this perfect storm – Conversational AI has become an invaluable tool used to ease the burden on all involved.

A recent McKinsey survey, which delved into customer care priorities from a company point of view, found that the core focus for respondents in the coming years would be on “retaining and developing the best people, driving a simplified customer experience (CX) while reducing call volumes and costs, and building their digital care and advanced analytics ecosystems”.

It is not insignificant that each box to be ticked has the potential to be greatly improved through the effective implementation of conversational AI.

 

 

Let’s delve deeper into how exactly this technology can address the most pressing areas of concern for company leaders, and benefit the overall day-to-day operations within a contact centre environment:

 

Boosts employee job satisfaction

 

The mental strain that can go hand-in-hand with diffusing difficult customer complaints, paired with a never-ending workload will quickly take its toll. This is undeniably one of the prime reasons contact centres are experiencing such a dramatic rate of staff turnover at present.

By creating a collaborative work environment in which AI capabilities ease the burden on human agents, freeing them up for more pressing and high-value tasks, job satisfaction and employee well-being are automatically increased. It’s a win-win situation.

 

Increases productivity

 

Another pressing challenge faced by contact centres is their inability to cope with a significant number of queries daily. By handing over a large volume of this workload to an AI-powered workforce, you are increasing productivity and keeping the cogs of the business turning at a faster pace. Remember, customers don’t like to be kept waiting, so this is an integral benefit to keep in mind.

 

Conversational AI is favoured by the modern consumer

 

Most post-pandemic consumer surveys all lead to the same conclusion: the vast majority of customers don’t have time to wait around for human interaction. It may be a sad fact to swallow, but such is life in our fast-paced, consumerist society.

To keep up with the times – and the increasing demands of customers – contact centres need to be continuously updating their AI capabilities to offer the best service possible and increase their chances of business success.

 

It offers an omnichannel experience

 

Arguably one of the main reasons businesses tend to favour machine-led interactions nowadays is the opportunity it holds in terms of managing the omnichannel experience. You program once and deploy across every channel. From SMS to WhatsApp and beyond, conversational AI practices enable customers to engage with brands on the go, on any device and at any given moment they choose.

Many companies worldwide are now turning to customer engagement platforms such as Twilio to help them provide their customers with an omnichannel contact centre experience and more importantly, do so in a highly personalised way.

 

It offers a personalised experience

 

Engaging with customers whenever and wherever they are is one thing, but doing so in a way that is meaningful and builds trust is a whole other ballgame. This is where Kaptea’s partnership with Interactions allows customers to deploy proven Conversational AI solutions integrated with Twilio Flex.

Interactions utilise conversational AI to produce relevant and insightful engagement based on specific contexts and prompts. In the context of customer service, it serves several functions from answering queries to problem-solving, with an emphasis on creating a smooth, human-in-the-loop customer exchange that is tailored to the individual customer and ultimately reinforces brand loyalty.

 

 

Boost your business with conversational AI

 

Integrating Interactions and Twilio Flex has plentiful benefits for both customers and business owners. This combination offers the customer a far more personalised experience, which spells only good news for a business.

Thankfully, with the help of Kaptea, it is possible to seamlessly integrate Twilio with Interactions and apply this winning combination to your business operations. Allow us to become your Twilio partner and provide resolutions for your unique business needs. Contact us today to get the conversation started.

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