With the evolution of customer service, consumers today expect an instant response and an enhanced experience, regardless of the sector, product, price or communication channel. However, despite the benefits of adopting technologies and tools based on artificial intelligence (AI), there is still a long way to go in terms of customer service and consumer loyalty
In this context, Willian Pimentel, General Director of Freshworks in Latin America, believes that the future of customer service will be brighter than ever, but it requires industry leaders to think systematically about how, when and where to apply AI to improve the experience
The increase in customer expectations, that expect an efficient and permanent service, similar to that offered by companies like Amazon, reduced the quality of CX at a time of great technological improvement. Customers want everything at their fingertips and expect minimal contact, therefore companies should adopt new tools to meet these expectations, says Pimentel
This approach often results in bad experiences for customers, according to the Director of Freshworks. "An example is that, when AI is applied indiscriminately, she can handle the initial calls well, but does 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 essential to apply AI systematically, starting with the simplest problems and gradually addressing the more complex ones. The specialist explains that AI can perform excellent analyses and quickly understand customer issues, but when it makes a mistake, can make many mistakes. Therefore, human supervision is necessary to ensure that AI solutions are accurate and emotionally intelligent. This means allowing AI to handle simple and everyday problems, while human agents deal with the more complex problems, commented
As an alternative for companies that are behind in customer service and wish to quickly update, the executive of Freshworks emphasizes that they must first understand their specific challenges. New SaaS companies may face complex issues that require careful management. Generative AI can help quickly build a robust knowledge repository and establish an effective classification system using AI. This means categorizing problems based on their complexity and ensuring that simpler problems are resolved quickly, while the more 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, finished
