Why AI and omnichannel go hand in hand
Learn how AI and omnichannel work together to generate positive customer interactions
Add bookmark
In today’s world of CX, we have seen an increasing focus on the use of contact center data to inform CX decisions and empower agents to deliver better experiences. With omnichannel contact centers generating enormous amounts of data, analyzing it can be somewhat challenging without the application of artificial intelligence (AI).
When AI and omnichannel combine however, brands can harness the power of their data and apply it to improve the level of positive customer interactions a contact center generates.
CX Network’s Artificial intelligence for an omnichannel world report explored the interaction between AI and omnichannel experiences, offering advice and examples for the successful implementation of both. Below we highlight some of the key points raised in the report.
Building an omnichannel experience
The omnichannel customer journey does not follow a linear path, but instead incorporates multiple channels at various points in the journey. In order to create a competitive and truly omnichannel experience, brands must move away from offering only traditional customer support channels. As well as including the traditional channels like phone and email, experiences must offer a hybrid element with digital touchpoints and channels incorporated alongside them.
Related content: Three real-world ways to advance a contact center
According to Shirley Campbell, customer experience director at financial services company Payoneer, it is not enough to simply acquire digital technologies, they must be implemented in a way that offers ease for customers:
“When customers choose our digital channels they look for easy, simple, personalized, fully self-service experiences. They do not care if your chatbot has the best AI or natural language processing (NLP) engine if the bot is not designed with the right tone, personalization or simplicity.”
Campbell adds: “If your company is looking to stay up to date with digital CX trends, I strongly suggest making it about choice. Focus on personalization, on end-to-end self-service and automation that will simplify the process for customers and reduce their efforts while interacting with [your brand].”
How AI enables data-driven omnichannel experiences
When offering truly omnichannel experiences brands make use of a wide range of customer support channels, which provides a level of choice that enhances the experience for the customer. The use of so many channels can be an issue for data-driven organizations, however.
While data-driven organizations are better able to enhance experiences by personalizing experiences and empowering agents with visibility and insight, when dealing with omnichannel experiences there can be too much data for the brand to effectively utilize
Related content: Nike’s Andrae Kirkland on the power of artificial intelligence
This is where AI comes in, as its ability to enable speedy, in-depth analysis of enormous data sets offers brands visibility over customer insights across all of their channels. It is therefore unsurprising that we are now seeing widespread industry adoption of smart omnichannel routing, which uses AI to intelligently connect customers to the right channel and enables hyper-personalized experiences.
In 2016, the largest healthcare provider in a populous US state utilized the analytical power of AI to focus on generating predictions that would aid in maximizing the effectiveness of existing resources. The initiative reduced average talk time for agents by 24.8 percent, with members receiving a more personalized and timely experience due to the predictions.
Generating positive customer interactions with AI
Another way that data can improve customer experiences when applied alongside AI is through the generation of positive customer interactions, which can lead to a reduction in both employee and customer churn.
Lauren Maschio, senior team manager of product marketing for NICE, explains how this is achieved:
“Contact centers can empower agents to deliver exceptional service while reducing costs with an AI-based real-time interaction guidance solution. Agents receive contextually relevant guidance while interacting with customers on processes, compliance and behaviors to improve their performance. The result is that interactions are shorter, responses are more consistent and friction is reduced.”
With AI in place, brands also have the option to automate some of the simple, rote tasks, such as the production of agent summaries, that they would typically be required to complete alongside their duties assisting customers. With AI taking some of the manual work away from agents, they are left with more time to focus on dealing with customers and helping them to find the solutions they need.
Related content: The secret to Metro Bank’s award-winning EX strategy
The application of AI for tasks like producing agent summaries has the added bonus of reducing errors and inaccuracies, as the AI captures all relevant customer intents, actions and outcomes on all interactions with a high level of accuracy.
Has your business explored the power of AI and omnichannel experiences? Let us know in the comments below.
