Chatbot to Generative AI: The evolution of customer service

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba 

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it” — Alan Kay

DO you know that 75 percent of customers expect a response within five minutes of reaching out to a business?

With such high expectations, it is no wonder that most companies are turning to generative artificial intelligence (AI) to provide more efficient and tailored services.

Generative AI is a game-changer in the delivery of customer service.

It has the potential to revolutionise how businesses interact with their customers.

Nonetheless, have you ever wondered about the benefits and challenges of generative AI in customer support?

Well, I certainly have.

And so have may readers who requested that I write an article on this topic.

In this article, I will explore the unique advantages of generative AI in customer service, as well as the challenges it presents.

Generative AI – also known as Generative Adversarial Networks – is a type of artificial intelligence that can generate new data based on patterns learned from existing data.

Suppose you are a customer who has a question about a product. You reach out to a company’s customer service team via chat, and a generative AI-powered chatbot responds to your message.

The chatbot uses natural language processing to understand your question and generate a response that is tailored to your specific needs.

Benefits of generative AI in customer service

Generative AI technology is a powerful tool that can help businesses provide a more efficient up-to-date and personalised support.

1.     Predictive customer engagement

Unlike traditional AI bots, generative AI can anticipate customer needs by analysing past interactions and data trends. This allows for more proactive and relevant customer support.

2.     Customised experiences

Generative AI in customer service goes beyond standard personalisation. It crafts responses and solutions that adapt to the unique context of each customer, thereby offering a level of customisation that feels genuinely human.

3.     Creative problem-solving

This type of technology is not only limited to predefined scripts. Rather, it can generate creative solutions to customer issues, offering innovative and sometimes unexpected solutions that traditional bots cannot offer.

4.     Learning and evolving over time

These AI systems continually learn from each interaction, becoming more sophisticated and effective in handling complex customer queries.

5.     Scalability with a personal touch

Generative AI combines the scalability of traditional AI with a personal touch, managing large volumes of queries, while maintaining the quality of each interaction.

Challenges of generative AI in  customer service

While generative AI promises great benefits, it, too, has its potential issues.

A significant challenge in deploying generative AI in customer service is its tendency to produce incorrect or nonsensical information, a phenomenon commonly referred to as “hallucinations”.

This issue arises when the AI misinterprets data or generate responses that are out of context, leading to confusion and potentially damaging customer trust.

Another challenge is the need for extensive training data.

Generative AI models require large amounts of data to be trained effectively.

This can be a challenge for businesses that do not have access to large datasets.

On the other hand, small businesses with limited capital can also leverage on generative AI technology in their customer service processes.

While it is true that implementing generative AI can be expensive and time-consuming, there are several ways that they can use to overcome these challenges.

One option is to use off-the-shelf generative AI systems for high-value use cases, such as boosting the accuracy of chat channels.

These are more affordable and easier than custom-built solutions.

Secondly, small firms can partner with a vendor experienced in deploying generative AI technology in customer service.

They can start small, like by automating simple tasks such as note-taking or assisting agents as they type.

As they gain more experience and data, they can move on to more complex use, such as generating creative solutions to customer issues.

However, businesses that are considering implementing AI generative technology in their customer service processes should carefully weigh the benefits and challenges.

They should also consider partnering with a vendor that has experience in deploying generative AI technology in customer service.

By doing so, they can ensure that they are getting the most out this powerful technology, while minimising the risks.

 

*Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer service. For comments, suggestions and training, she can be contacted on [email protected] or on 0712 979 461 / 0719 978 335