Embracing AI for customer experience (CX) can feel daunting, especially for growing companies that have so many competing priorities in their early years. It seems there’s always a new AI tool on the scene, and the pressure for leaders to stay on the cutting edge – and ahead of your competition – is real.
The options probably seem endless, but it’s OK to start small. You don’t need to jump into the deep end of the AI pool if you’re not ready. For many businesses, working in smaller increments can generate greater results.
Maybe you don’t have a huge budget to implement AI on a large scale. Perhaps you’ve been disappointed by lackluster first-gen chatbots and are wary of delving deeper into AI. Maybe you’re overwhelmed by all the options and unsure where to start.
Whatever your motivation, remember: the first step on your AI journey doesn’t have to be a huge leap.
Let the customer journey guide AI choices
With new AI tools constantly emerging, it can be tempting to grab on to the latest technology and then try to find a use case for it within your CX operation. But that strategy is backwards and adopting technology simply for technology’s sake usually backfires – costing you time and resources you don’t have.
Instead, let your customer journey be the basis for your AI-related decisions. Take a good look at what your customers experience when they interact with your brand. What’s easy about contacting you? What’s frustrating? Where do processes seem disjointed? What’s causing extra work for your customers (or your associates)? What are your customers trying to achieve when they reach out to you?
Diving into data and culling actionable insights is a key part of this process. If you’re unsure where your CX stands, AI-powered tools like conversation and business intelligence can enable you listen in to 100% of customer interactions in the contact center, giving you a clearer picture of your strengths and weaknesses.
Once you identify pain points in your customer journey then you’re well positioned to seek out AI-enabled tools that can help. A strategy that focuses on the people who stand to benefit from AI will drive better, faster results. Concentrate on the who, not the what, when making AI investments.
Tackle your most pressing problems first
Resist the urge to try to fix all your CX problems at once. Taking on too much too soon can quickly become overwhelming and frustrating.
Set your sights on one problem at a time, starting with the most urgent. Which issue is having the biggest negative impact on your contact center and customer experience? Start there.
Is your call volume leading to long wait times? If so, look for tools like self-service that can help you reduce volume and shorten average handle times. Are associates struggling to quickly find accurate information they need when interacting with customers? Consider investing in an AI-enhanced knowledgebase to put information at their fingertips. Are team leads spending so much time on administrative tasks that they don’t have ample time to coach associates? Seek out automation that can lighten their loads.
You likely have more than one issue causing friction in your customer journey, so prioritizing is crucial to keeping things manageable.
There are several benefits to focusing your AI strategy on one area at a time. You’ll make the biggest impact and drive the greatest ROI by using AI to solve your most-urgent CX challenge. It’s also easier to test tools and track results so you can pivot as needed when you’re focusing on one key area. And taking things one step at time helps ensure you won’t get overwhelmed by all the AI options at your disposal.
Seek help when you need it
The AI landscape offers many exciting opportunities, but you don’t have to go it alone. Working with a partner that specializes in AI-enabled CX is a great way to tap into expertise, plug-and-play solutions, cutting-edge technology, and proven best practices.
A good BPO partner can help you prioritize AI investments and uncover cost savings, efficiencies, and logistical benefits along the way – all while making your customers and employees happier.
Don’t let uncertainty about the unknown stop you from reaping all the benefits AI can bring. With an incremental approach, smart investments, and the right guidance you can drive big results even by taking small steps.
