AI ‘changing everything’ about customer experience

Nearly four-fifths of technology leaders think traditional customer experience (CX) technologies “will be dead” in the next three years, prompting not just a revamp, but a radical overhaul of the industry, according to a survey from Zendesk.

The customer experience technology provider’s Future of AI-powered CX report surveyed over 1,300 senior CX leaders, those at the vice-president level or higher, from countries including Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, the UK and the US, to gather insights into their perspectives and predictions for the next three years.

Among the top-line findings of the study was the emergence of a new CX organisation. In this paradigm, CX organisations will become leaner, faster and more effective, with artificial intelligence (AI) at the helm to streamline processes, personalise engagement and handle a higher volume of customer interactions. The study noted that this evolution will likely lead to smaller CX teams, as 64% of industry experts predict a downsizing due to AI’s ability to simplify operations while delivering high-quality service to customers.

A fivefold increase in customer service interactions is also anticipated by the study, with IT leaders confident in AI’s ability to maintain quality service. This shift, said Zendesk, will make operations smoother, decisions sharper and boost market competitiveness. As AI takes over routine tasks, it will enable teams to be more efficient and control costs, allowing for effective scaling of business operations even as customer interactions increase.

Another key expectation was that tech-savvy agents will become the new norm. It said AI’s impact on CX organisations promises to be significant, reshaping the roles of agents, admins and leaders to prioritise specialised skills. Agents will see their roles expand to include enhanced technical skills and a deeper understanding of technology.

The report also plots out AI playing a pivotal role in every customer interaction, stepping in to handle initial inquiries and maintain consistency across all service platforms. It will also track the performance of both human and AI agents to deliver exceptional service.

With AI projected to resolve 80% of interactions, the study predicts that as a consequence, human agents will turn their focus to more complex tasks, with AI using data to tailor and improve each customer’s experience.

Ultimately though, the survey said industry leaders will transform into customer-centric visionaries, equipped with a deep understanding of the offerings that truly resonate with customers. This transition, it said, will empower CX leaders to deploy AI strategically, make smarter decisions, and effectively guide their teams through emerging tech trends and evolving customer behaviours.

“In the near future, AI will play a role in all customer interactions, moving us beyond traditional, manual service to more advanced, technological-driven experiences,” said Craig Flower, chief information officer at Zendesk.

“That’s why leaders are proactively adjusting their strategies now to navigate the anticipated changes and leverage AI to its fullest potential. A transformation won’t happen overnight, but there will be a steady progression that develops over time. It’s going to redefine roles and improve experiences for CX teams and their customers.”