Whether managing remote workers or operating a retail store where your team comes in daily, you also need to deal with the occasional customer service issue. However, there are only so many customers you can help in person at once, which is where your customer service team comes in.
Yet, many customer service setups are not as efficient as they could be, especially if you have embraced chatbots over real people. You may have discovered your customers don’t want to speak to a robot. They’d much prefer a real person on the other end of the line, so why is this?
Solve Problems Faster
While AI chatbots are plugged into the system and are trained to respond to simple prompts, they can also suffer from timeout issues if the customer becomes frustrated with them and abandons the chat. This does not do the customer any favors because they still need to start all over again. When working with a real person, there will be fewer issues related to connectivity issues or timeouts. Instead, customers can get their problems solved much faster, which will improve their experience and maintain a good relationship with the company so you do not lose clients.
More Natural Conversation
Speaking one-to-one with a genuine person also generates more natural conversation and is one of the reasons hiring a virtual medical receptionist can be so successful. This is especially important for more sensitive issues. Robots won’t understand the true nature of health issues, but a real person will. This can help them take the best approach to get information or direct callers to the most appropriate channels to ensure the optimal treatment.
Better Understanding
Similarly, real people are more equipped to understand frustrations. Chatbots and AI-trained systems are not authentic. They often have a tone that an unhappy customer will not like, which will only worsen their experience. Using real people on the other side of the chat guarantees better understanding and even encourages your service team to take notes surrounding customer problems. Not only does this help you find the best resolution, but it also keeps a record of their issues ready for the next time they call so whoever picks up the phone feels more prepared.
Not Going Around In Circles
As advanced as some AI systems have become, there are still some issues that require ironing out. If your AI customer service is not fully trained, or ready for customers to use, they will go around in circles without reaching a satisfying resolution. Much like other problems, this will not do your company any favors as the customer will become increasingly frustrated. Such issues could affect their opinion of you and damage your reputation.
More Confident Escalation
Sometimes, customers need to escalate problems, but before all that, they need to speak to a customer service agent. They can rarely get a direct line to the manager, which is why speaking to a real person is so effective. If you set up a team of customer service agents, your customers can explain their issues, outline any previous solutions, and then request they speak to the manager personally. When working with chatbots, there could still be uncertainty about who is on the other end, but hearing a real voice can ensure confidence in your service.
Answers to Multiple Questions
Your customers may have a variety of tough questions they need to bring to your customer service team, and there’s a strong chance a new AI system will not be able to answer these questions confidently. There is a reason why real-life customer service workers ask if there’s anything else they can do for customers at the end of an interaction so having trained agents ready for these questions can improve the solutions and provide a more supportive experience for the client.
Conflict Management
It’s not unusual to answer the phone to a screaming customer. This issue is something you can expect if they have been switched between multiple chatbots or agents, but you can promote conflict management to ensure they do not remain upset. People are much better at resolving conflict than robots, so you should train your team to identify solutions that will prevent significant issues between your company and customers.
Real
While having someone on the other end of the phone line or screen may seem like it could cost your business more, it can also vastly improve your reputation to ensure your company thrives and gets ahead of the competition. While AI and chatbots can be beneficial in some circumstances, they are not a genuine replacement for real people, especially when dealing with real customers.
