Businesses and contact centres are increasingly looking to AI technology to improve both customer experiences and operational efficiency. However, effective AI implementation is about striking a balance between the need for efficiency and the requirement to ensure data accuracy. Getting that balance right is the tricky part.
This article explores some of the challenges businesses face in this ongoing battle, especially for things like automated call summaries and agent support bots. We examine best practices for striking this delicate balance, along with tips and strategies for ensuring AI adoption is successful without sacrificing data integrity.
The efficiency vs data accuracy dilemma
One of the greatest challenges everyone faces when implementing AI in business is that of accuracy. In a bid to improve efficiency with AI’s help, there is always the risk that the information it provides is not entirely accurate or correct. One prime example is when you use AI to perform any sort of research. While platforms like ChatGPT respond to a prompt in rapid time and churn out information at lightning speed, you need to be sure that the results are accurate.
Research is often a very time-consuming process when done manually, sifting through countless documents or reading information on numerous websites. AI definitely shortcuts this arduous process by a long way, but to maintain that important balance between efficiency and data accuracy, fact checking AI’s output is imperative.
Research is just one area of business where you need to strike a balance between the implementation of AI technologies for efficiency and time saving, and the continued need for human input in the equation. It’s a fast-paced business world nowadays and consumers expect a quality customer experience with rapid results. As more and more companies adopt AI to assist with day-to-day practices, the challenge is on to keep up. However, you need to be smart about it. AI often removes human error, but AI is not perfect either. It can make mistakes.
The real balance is to use AI effectively to shave off loads of time, but still commit some time to fact checking its output.
The importance of data accuracy in automated call summaries
Whether you operate a contact centre or your business fields regular customer calls, automated call summaries can be a real asset. In the past, a call centre agent or anyone receiving a call would have to scribble handwritten notes during the call or furiously clatter away on a computer keyboard while still paying attention to the caller. The challenge was efficiency and accuracy in note taking, while at the same time maintaining the conversational flow whilst talking with the caller. .
Today, there are numerous AI-powered call summary tools available that take care of note taking automatically. The AI bot transcribes your conversation, processes pain points, and delivers a comprehensive call summary once the call ends. Automated call summation tools provide an accurate account of the call. This saves time for agents, as they no longer need to write up a summary and all the important points of the call are there to pass on to other agents. This means if a customer calls back, they won’t have to repeat everything they said to the first agent.
Although these tools are innovative and make light work of call summation, agents should still read through the summary to ensure that the AI tool recorded everything with accuracy. Without due diligence in this area, any erroneous information could complicate future interaction with that customer and fail to deliver that all-important positive customer experience.
How efficiency impacts agent support bots
In any form of contact centre or customer support role, customer service staff are often inundated with calls, whether those calls are simple queries, complaints, problems, or people seeking detailed information about a product or service. This often results in long call wait times and the potential for a poor customer experience.
Assistant or support bots are an AI tool designed to help ease the burden on human customer support staff by providing self-service functionality. For example, a simple AI chatbot can answer common questions, leaving agents and customer service staff with extra time to handle more complex calls.
A basic customer-facing chatbot generally sticks to a script when responding to customer enquiries, whereas smarter support bots, powered by generative AI, are more intuitive in their responses. These bots have more natural conversations with customers and can even learn from them.
The potential downside to AI assist-bots that don’t read from a script is whether they are providing the customer with accurate responses. While these bots enhance efficiency, it’s important to check their responses and to train them to produce accurate results.
Strategies for balancing efficiency and data accuracy
To balance efficiency with data accuracy, it’s important to spend some time determining what you need AI to be able to handle. Once you understand this, then you’ll need to research available AI tools and decide which tools are best suited to your requirements. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, ask for demonstrations of the tools.
While artificial intelligence can lighten the workload and speed up processes for a better customer experience, AI should never be entirely left to its own devices. People still need to oversee and analyse everything AI does, ensuring that data, responses and call summaries are accurate.
Furthermore, everyone involved in the business or contact centre will need training regarding the implementation and use of AI tools. A lack of staff training, or inadequate training, may result in data inaccuracy due to a lack of knowledge about how AI tools work and how best to use them.
To ensure a smooth AI tools integration process, establishing clear objectives and metrics are essential. Define what you need AI to accomplish so everyone comprehends its functionality and benefits.
Discover more about AI tools
At Premier Contact Point, we provide businesses, contact centres and customer support staff with cutting edge multi-channel communications technology, including AI tools, to assist in increasing efficiency with data accuracy. Schedule a demonstration today and see for yourself, or contact us for more information – 1300 85 11 11.
