Will AI kill customer support as we know it?

Regardless of industry vertical, it’s the question on everyone’s mind: Will my job still be here in 20 years, or will it be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI)? The long and short of it is no, AI won’t wipe out customer support managers and customer service agents.

No matter how you slice it, AI is changing the course of many career paths, including customer support. And here’s the truth of it – AI is here to stay. For some business functions, it makes sense to adopt these technologies early to remain competitive and improve efficiency.

The real question is how will AI change customer-facing roles like customer support, or better yet, how has AI altered the customer support landscape.?

Keep on reading to dig into:

What is AI and how is it used in customer support?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, customer support has changed significantly over the last decade due to various factors, but one of the more seismic shifts is the dramatic developments in AI.

We live in the age of ChatGPT, radically altering how we seek out and receive information. However, much like the skepticism over adopting the World Wide Web in the late 1990s, any hardy change in the tech landscape requires a mindset change.

What is generative AI?

Generative AI, like GPT models, responds to questions or "prompts" in a human-like manner. Depending on the input, they respond to the user by creating text, images, or audio in a way that replicates human creativity.

Generative AI responses are a very new avenue in the tech world, and it's plagued with questions about the ethics and accuracy of its generated content.

Many companies have begun to harness the capabilities of generative AI to create human-like content to support their customer queries. But how do companies maintain a human touch while using AI to retain those coveted strong customer relationships?

Will AI replace customer support managers?

We’re firm believers in a balance between tech and human touch with it comes to customer success, and the same applies to support too.

AI can be a godsend in some cases, handling repetitive tasks to free up their time and resources so they can work on more complex cases where their empathy and know-how are needed.

The goal is for customer support managers and virtual chatbots should work together in harmony to create the best possible customer experience.

The evolution of AI in customer support

To understand where we're going, it's crucial to look at where we've been. The journey of AI in customer support is fascinating if somewhat slightly unnerving.

The days of rule-based systems

Remember the days when automated phone systems were the height of customer support technology? Those were the early iterations of AI in support.

These rule-based systems where you press “one" for billing and “two” for technical support were efficient, but let’s be real… they were about as personalized as a canned response.

But they still have their place. We still use these systems for accessing our voicemail messages and phoning up customer support for services like insurance when you want to speak to a human agent.

The rise of chatbots

As we moved into the digital age, chatbots became the new frontier, a brave new world.

These early chatbots were enthusiastic but often missed the mark. Sure, they could handle basic queries but struggled with anything complex. It was like trying to have a conversation with a parrot – lots of repetition, not too much in the way of understanding.

Natural language processing: The game changer

Yet the real revolution came with the advancement of natural language processing (NLP).

All of a sudden, AI could understand context, nuance, and even sarcasm (well, sometimes). It was like it was almost beginning to read between the lines and pick up on social cues – slightly unsettling.

The current state of AI in customer support

Today, AI in customer support is versatile, efficient, and surprisingly handy. Here's how it's reshaping the landscape:

24/7 availability

AI doesn't need sleep, coffee breaks, or vacation time. It's always on, always ready. This round-the-clock availability is like having a night owl and an early bird on your team simultaneously.

We’re not all that patient anymore. Everything is accessible at the click of a button and this has done nothing for our expectations. AI delivers instant gratification and results within seconds. Who can honestly say they would rather be on hold listening to Muzak?

Data analysis and personalization

A big part of the conversation around “AI taking over” is that people want AI to replace mundane and monotonous jobs rather than creative ones. People want to be artists, they want to write scripts. But masses of data analysis? AI can have that one.

The beauty of AI is that it can analyze vast amounts of customer data to provide personalized support that caters to the customer’s unique pain points. The human brain can only offer so much bespoke support to customers without

Multilingual support

Language barriers? What language barriers? Whether you’re in Baltimore or Bangkok, AI chatbots can communicate in multiple languages, making it the polyglot of customer support.

The human touch: Can AI replicate it?

Now, here's the million-dollar question: Can AI truly replicate the human touch in customer support? It's like asking if a robot can give you a warm hug – technically possible, but something about it feels ever-so-off.

Empathy: This is truly the final frontier. While AI has made leaps and bounds in understanding human language, empathy remains its Achilles' heel.
Complex problem solving: When it comes to thinking outside the box, humans still have the upper hand. AI excels at pattern recognition, but true creativity and lateral thinking? That's still very much our domain.

The future of AI in customer support

So, what does the crystal ball say about the future of AI in customer support? Let's gaze into it, shall we?

Predictive support

Imagine AI that can anticipate customer issues before they even occur. That’s what predictive support is.

Unlike reactive support, which relies on customers reaching out with issues, predictive support uses AI, data analytics, and design thinking to forecast and address potential problems proactively.

This approach aims to eliminate support tickets altogether by optimizing product design and user experience from the ground up.

“But can it be done?” you whisper. The answer is yes, yes it can.

To achieve this, businesses must integrate AI and design principles into their core strategy. AI-powered analytics enhance user engagement and automate interactions, while design thinking ensures products are intuitive and user-friendly.

This combination allows companies to identify and resolve potential issues in user flows before they become problems.

Augmented reality integration

We’re seeing this creep into the customer support picture, but given time we predict this will really take off.

Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience whereby a computer-generated artificial image is superimposed on the user’s reality.

AR allows businesses to offer tailored, immersive experiences, such as virtual product try-ons or interactive guides. The benefits of AR in customer service include increased engagement, faster problem resolution, reduced costs, and enhanced brand reputation.

As AR technology continues to evolve, its applications in retail and customer support are expected to grow, offering more interactive and efficient ways to serve customers and drive business growth.

Emotional intelligence

The holy grail of AI in customer support and customer success is developing true emotional intelligence. Can it be achieved by a computer? Possibly. Can it match a human’s emotional intelligence quota? No.

Even in the world of deep fakes, there will be no replacement for human contact and understanding. We’re a long way off an AI that can not only understand emotions but respond to them appropriately.

How companies can use AI to complement their support functions

The key word here is "complement," not "replace." It's about finding the sweet spot where AI and human support can coexist, like peanut butter and jelly – great on their own, but even better together.

Triage and routing: Use AI as the first point of contact to direct customers to the right human agent.
Knowledge base management: AI can continuously update and optimize your knowledge base, ensuring it's always current and relevant. Think of it as a librarian who never sleeps and knows every book by heart.
Performance analysis: AI can analyze support interactions to provide insights on improving service quality.

Examples of companies using AI for their customer support

Salesforce

Salesforce is drinking its own Kool-Aid with its platform Einstein AI, an AI-powered assistant produced by Salesforce to handle customer inquiries and respond to them more naturally and effectively.

Here's how it works: Einstein analyzes a wealth of data – every customer interaction, purchase, support request, you name it. Instead of relying solely on predefined scripts that typically pigeonhole the variety of customer responses, Einstein can generate dynamic responses based on the context of a conversation, using data from customer interactions like phone calls or website visits.

This allows for more efficient resolution of customer issues by generating relevant and personalized content in real-time.

Armed with these insights, this AI support bot can work alongside your customer success team who can reach out with personalized solutions, address pain points, and shower at-risk customers with a little extra TLC.

The result? Happier customers who stick around for the long haul, maximizing their lifetime value.

In fact, according to a study by IDC, Salesforce customers using Einstein saw an average 38% increase in employee productivity and a 25% increase in revenue.

Sephora

Sephora's chatbot assists customers with product recommendations, order tracking, and returns. It's designed to provide personalized experiences and enhance the overall shopping journey.

Sephora’s commitment to digital innovation, exemplified by the Sephora Innovation Lab established in 2015, has led to the development of AI-powered tools such as Sephora Virtual Artist, Color Match, and Reservation Assistant.

These innovations, combined with an omnichannel retail strategy, have significantly boosted Sephora's e-commerce sales from $580 million in 2016 to over $3 billion in 2023. Key factors in Sephora's success include partnering with tech companies like ModiFace, leveraging inter-departmental collaboration for rapid innovation, and maintaining consistency across all customer touchpoints.

Sephora's AI transformation offers valuable lessons for brands seeking to enhance their digital strategies and customer experiences.

How to stay ahead of the AI curve

So, how can you ensure your customer support team doesn't go the way of the dinosaurs? Here are some strategies:

Embrace continuous learning: The only constant in the world of AI is change. Encourage your team to stay updated with the latest developments. Our virtual conference, Customer Support Summit, and webinar, AI-driven customer support, are just the ticket you need to keep abreast of the latest developments in AI.
Focus on soft skills: While AI handles routine tasks, human agents should focus on developing skills that AI can't replicate easily – empathy, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. It's about being more human than the humans.
Collaborate with AI: Teach your team to work alongside AI, not against it. Customer support is changing, but in a way that frees up the routine tasks that take away from your more complex jobs.

The ethical considerations

As we rush headlong into this brave new world of AI-powered customer support, we need to pause and consider the ethical implications.

Here are some of the most common criticisms of the widespread adoption of AI:

Privacy concerns

AI systems process vast amounts of personal data. With data collection already being a fragile thing, how do we ensure this information is protected?

Transparency

Customers have the right to know when they're interacting with AI. It's about honesty – you wouldn't want your blind date to turn out to be a robot, would you?

Job displacement

As AI becomes more sophisticated, what happens to human support agents? It's the elephant in the room that we need to address head-on.

But will AI kill customer support?

After quite a deep dive, we circle back to our original question: Will AI kill customer support?

The short answer? No. The long answer? It's complicated.

AI is not the grim reaper of customer support jobs, but rather a powerful tool that's reshaping the landscape. Much like the invention of the calculator – it didn't eliminate mathematicians, it just changed how they work.

The future of customer support lies in the synergy between human agents and AI. It's about leveraging the strengths of both – the efficiency and data-processing capabilities of AI, combined with the empathy, creativity, and complex problem-solving skills of humans.

As we stand on the brink of this new era, the key is not to resist the change but to adapt to it. Embrace the technology, but don't lose sight of the human touch that makes customer support truly effective.

In the end, the question isn't "Will AI kill customer support?" but rather "How can we use AI to make customer support better than ever?" And that is a question worth exploring.