AI in customer service? Expert explains how to use technology to improve customer experience

With the evolution of customer service, consumers today expect an instant response and an enhanced experience, regardless of industry, product, price or communication channel. However, despite the benefits of adopting artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies and tools, there is still a long way to go in terms of customer service and consumer loyalty.

In this context, Willian Pimentel, Managing Director of Freshworks Latin America, believes that the future of customer service will be brighter than ever, but requires industry leaders to systematically think about how, when and where to apply AI to improve the experience.

“The increase in customer expectations, which expect an efficient and permanent service, similar to that offered by companies like Amazon, has reduced the quality of CX at a time of great technological improvement.Customers want everything at their fingertips and expect minimal contact, so companies must adopt new tools to meet these expectations”, says Pimentel.

This approach often results in poor customer experiences, according to the Director of Freshworks.“An example is that when AI is applied indiscriminately, it can handle initial calls well but not solve more complex problems. Customers end up frustrated when their problems are misdirected or when AI solutions are insufficient

For Willian Pimentel, it is fundamental to apply AI systematically, starting with the simplest problems and gradually addressing the most complex ones. The expert explains that AI can perform excellent analyzes and quickly understand customer problems, but when it goes wrong, it can go wrong. “Therefore, human supervision is necessary to ensure that AI solutions are accurate and emotionally intelligent.This means allowing AI to deal with simple, everyday problems, while human agents deal with the most complex problems”, he commented.

As an alternative for companies that are lagging behind in customer service and want to upgrade quickly, the Freshworks executive highlights that they must first understand their specific challenges.“New SaaS companies can tackle complex problems that require careful management.Generative AI can help quickly build a robust repository of knowledge and establish an effective classification system using AI. This means categorizing problems based on their complexity and ensuring that the simplest problems are resolved quickly, while the most complex ones are flagged for human intervention”. 

Pimentel also emphasizes that clear policies and procedures must be implemented: “In a B2C environment, this is essential for AI systems to provide effective support. For example, AI can handle simple problems by following predefined protocols, but human agents must intervene when AI encounters problems that require greater” reasoning.