Automation has the power of transforming the customer experience as firms focus more on technological interactions to enhance customer service. Through automation, there is a potential to transform the unpleasant experiences and improv e how clients interact with a given brand. Notably, instead of wasting time queuing, automated customer service is faster and offers clients what they need with minimal resources ( Dallessandro et al., 2012) . Through the implementation of an automated client service portfolio, firms can offer high-quality and lasting experiences instead of wasting time on simple tasks that can be accomplished by programmed machines. A utomation of customer service eliminates the need for humans to serve and interact with client s which results in numerous benefits for the firm in question . For instance , unnecessary errors, redundancy, and wast age of resources are minimized. The main aim of improving customer service through automation is th e need to remov e possible friction when a client is interacting with the brand or inquiring about the products and services offered by an organization ( Schneider, 2017 ) . This essay describes how a company can implement a n automated customer service to improve its operations. The discussion covers a description of the problem, objectives of the report, the benefits of automated customer services, and how this service can be implemented .
Problem Statement
The lack of automated client service portfolio has forced companies to incur financial losses and lose customers due to lack of a consistent communication system. Due to overreliance on human interventions to address client needs, the cost of hiring human customer support representatives has also increased. This challenge has also resulted in redundancy, human errors, and client dissatisfaction with customer care services.
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Objectives
T his essay aims to describe how a company can implement an automated customer service. To achieve this objective, the essay will discuss ;
The benefits of automated customer service
How to implement the automated customer service
The Benefits of Automated Customer Service
Automation facilitates the execution of numerous business activities without human interventions. Notably, technological advancements have continued to transform the customer service sector making it possible to have client interactions without human agents. Automation is beneficial because it offers a level of responsiveness and interaction that is not possible through human agents. Automated systems are able to monitor a massive amount of information to identify the core customer experience issues and how the problems can be addressed (Schneider, 2017). According to Dimensional Research ( 2013) , w ith the maximum responsive rates, a company can enhance its revenue because client abandonment before purchase is minimized, complaints are reduced, and client satisfaction is improved .
Numerous messaging apps can be automated to improve client interactions. Organizations can leverage these automated messaging platforms to connect with clients and facilitate transactions. Moreover, the automated customer service is beneficial because it is not constrained by time zones. This ensures that organizations can deliver client service issues within a limited amount of time (Schneider, 2017). On the other hand, the service enhances client trust because the system is able to respond to pertinent issues within the shortest time possible. With the prompt response to client issues, a brand ’s reputation is enhanced, and individuals become loyal customers for the company .
An automated client service portfolio offer s reliable services that cannot be compared with any human interventions. This is accomplished with minimal human biases . The innovation also eliminates unnecessary costs and enhances the amount of revenue generated . Moreover, the need for speed in the resolving issues can only be achieved through automation. Consequently, enhanced issue resolution improve s client satisfaction . Progressively, clients demand self-service opportunities where they can control and make decisions based on their preferences (Schneider, 2017). Therefore, it is essential for businesses to automate their customer service portfolios to ensure that their clients can make choices that are affordable, convenient, and address their specific needs .
Implementing an Automated Customer Service System
Successful implementation of an automated client service portfolio requires listening to the needs of clients and aligning the business objectives with these needs. The automation strategy employed should ensure long-term benefits as well as warrant exceptional client experience (Fitzgerald, 2018). To build a sustainable client service portfolio, four primary strategies are necessary for success and improved customer experience .
Client Outcomes: The proposed artificial intelligence (AI) solution must enhance client outcome. The focus should be the creation of frictionless experiences at every stage of contact (Fitzgerald, 2018). This means that customer experience should be prioritized over costs, which warrants retention and trust for a sustainable success .
Accuracy and Speed: The automated systems must be created to warrant quality rather than quantity. This is achieved through the eradication of client waiting times and addressing client concerns at first contact (Fitzgerald, 2018 ; Schneider, 2017). The systems should be created in a way that issues can be solved using an AI agent . In the event that the virtual agent is incapable of resolving the problem, the system must automatically transfer the concern to a human agent without forcing the client to start the process ane w.
Employee Retention: The entire i mplementation process must focus on retaining workers while eliminating unnecessary costs. This requires the management to engage employees during the implementation process to eliminate unnecessary resistance. Ultimately, t he whole process is beneficial to both the company and the workers. It is worth noting that teams possess vast amount s of information because they have firsthand experience when dealing with clients. When the automated systems are installed, the team members can focus on high-level issues and invest more time to grow professionally (Fitzgerald, 2018). There will also be a reduced need to employ more customer service agent s and call center representatives because clients’ issues can be addressed through the automated system .
Managing the Automated Systems: A utomation is a long-term investment that require s continuous assessment and upgrading. A firm ’s leadership should think about incentives necessary to manage and update the automated system for sustainability of the systems. This requires constant budgeting for software development managers . The managers are responsible for ensuring proper maintenance of the systems so as to avoid failure and disruption of client services. Therefore, th e responsibility for the customer service managers becomes the expansion and maintenance of the system. The aim is to ensure that there are customer service solutions that are efficient and cost-effective to avoid unnecessary losses to the organization. Therefore, the automation of customer service portfolio should be part of the internal business processes and decision making.
Conclusion
The ongoing advancements in technology have transformed client expectations , particularly in client service interactions. A utomated customer service systems have a massive potential of enhancing client service and ensuring sustainability of c lient retention. Successful implementation of these systems must focus on the core aspects that will warrant improved client outcomes, accuracy and speed, employee retention, and management of the automated systems. This calls for organizations to rethink how they implement or install these systems. The process should entail identifying the client needs, minimizing waiting time, eliminating unnecessary costs, and enhanc ing trust in the brand. When successfully implemented, automated systems are bound to result in numerous benefits to a compan y . These benefits include responsiveness to client need s, reduced waiting times, increased revenue, and elimination of human errors and biases during customer interactions. A utomation also allows the customer support department to keep up with the increasing demands of a growing client base .
References
Dallessandro, L. N., Mahoney, K., Britt, J. A., Bruun, J. D., Garcia, R., Paden, J., ... & Wiatt, T. (2012). U.S. Patent No. 8,223,954 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Dimensional Research (2013). Customer Service and Business Results: A Survey of Customer Service from Mid-Sized Companies. Retrieved from https://d16cvnquvjw7pr.cloudfront.net/resources/whitepapers/Zendesk_WP_Customer_Service_and_Business_Results.pdf
Fitzgerald, K. (2018). 4 Steps to Successful Automated Customer Service. Total Retail . Retrieved from https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/four-steps-to-successful-automated-customer-service/
Schneider, C. (2017). 10 reasons why AI-powered, automated customer service is the future. Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/blogs/watson/2017/10/10-reasons-ai-powered-automated-customer-service-future/
