Verizon Study: AI Can Enhance Customer Service When Done Right

Share:

Offering both AI and human support is as or more satisfying to consumers than human-only interactions for customer service, according to a global study conducted for Verizon Business by researchers at Longitude.

More than half (56%) of the consumers surveyed said they are comfortable with a fully automated interaction if the company demonstrates a good understanding of their preferences, attitudes, or other personal interactions. But when it comes to resolving a customer service issue, 62% of respondents would prefer a direct interaction with a human—voice, real-time chat or in-person—to a fully or partly automated interaction. In comparison, 37% of respondents preferred the fully or partly automated interaction.

Customer Service AI

Although many are comfortable in dealing with AI-powered bots, nearly two-thirds (65%) of consumers said they want a company to be up front about the usage of the technology, with more than four-in-10 (41%) indicating that they would cut down their involvement with a company if it were not forthcoming about that.

Among other survey findings:

  • Nearly half (48%) of those between the ages of 18 and 34 (and 41% overall) said it is entirely possible to have a “human connection” in a fully automated interaction, while 47% said that interacting with machines online is a more positive experience for them than it was two years ago.
  • Only 13% said that a company obtaining information about them from a third party is a factor in a negative interaction, but 34% of customers have ceased interacting with a brand completely if the company has obtained information about them from a third-party.

“In today’s hyper-connected world, where consumers are willing to switch brands after one bad experience, providing good customer service is crucial for driving business continuity and growth,” said Aamir Hussain, Verizon Business senior vice president of business products, in a prepared statement.

“Finding the right balance between machine and human intelligence can give businesses a competitive advantage,” he said.