Nowadays, we all work in a business environment where consumers make decisions based not just on a brand’s products or performance, but also on how they feel about the brand, as well as how they feel about themselves, as a result of the brands they patronize.
A very similar thing is true of employees – these days, they’re choosing where to work based not only on compensation and benefits but also on how working for an organization is likely to make them feel. In an industry like customer experience (CX), where the ability to provide and maintain a skilled, honed workforce is a critical requirement, employee experience (EX) is everything. As we’ve all heard, happy personnel make happy customers.
So what does that have to do with artificial intelligence (AI)? Plenty, as it turns out. Far from champing at the bit to replace their employees with AI, CX leaders worldwide are seeing the maximum benefits from a synergy of human and machine intelligences and abilities. Let’s explore a few of the areas where that collaboration is, right now, revolutionizing EX in CX:
Training
AI is all but eliminating the prior, one-size-fits-all classroom instruction model, replacing it with customized virtual coaching and microlearning modules, which can be adapted to fit each trainee’s expected role, preexisting skills, performance gaps, and best personal learning style. This has already been proven to reduce onboarding time by up to 60%. Moreover, unlike traditional training, AI-powered platforms can continuously monitor agent performance and development, evaluating whether there’s a need for closer coaching or potential for advancement to positions of greater responsibility. AI can help human employees reach their real potential, leading to job satisfaction and career advancement.
Task Automation
AI can automate low-impact tasks such as data collection, lead qualification, appointment scheduling, interaction summaries, and basic information queries, allowing human agents to focus on complex matters that require interpretation and empathy. AI is also able to smartly route inquiries to the agent best qualified to handle them, driving quicker, better resolutions that can be fulfilling for both customer and agent. All this helps human personnel not only be more productive but also more dynamic, resulting in a sense of accomplishment, expertise, and engagement with the job and the organization.
Tools
Minute by minute, AI can provide humans with real-time guidance and knowledge, eliminating the old, time- and labor-intensive process of looking up information about the customer, their history, and their current issue. On top of that, AI can continuously monitor process and regulatory adherence, not only protecting the customer and company but also saving agents from having to second-guess themselves. Finally, AI can provide suggestions for the next step, based on established protocols and precedents. AI tools make work easier, more efficient, more effective, and even more enjoyable for humans.
As we’ve covered, AI can significantly enhance the employee experience, fostering a more productive, positive, and loyal workforce. By leveraging human-AI collaboration, organizations can reap significant benefits from a cohesive and harmonious team, where AI and employees work together to enhance outcomes.
