Many companies consider proactive customer service through the lens of cost reduction.
After all, if they can solve issues before customers reach out, they can lower demand on the contact center and – in doing so – cut costs.
Yet, proactive service also enables businesses to reimagine customer journeys, improve the experience, and boost loyalty.
As more brands have recognized this over the past decade, bolstering proactive customer service has become a primary aim of their contact centers.
However, with the advent of AI agents, it has recently risen up the agenda.
Indeed, AI agents can detect signals in systems that indicate an issue, consider who the problem impacts, and communicate the problem to customers.
It’s a game-changer that will make executing proactive customer service strategies simpler.
Here are ten of those strategies – across ten industries – which may inspire leaders to advance their service experiences.
1. Supply Chain Alerts (Retail)
Here’s a common retail scenario: a customer attempts to purchase an item, only for it to be out of stock.
With AI agents in the supply chain, the business can alert waitlisted customers when the product is back and connect them to a commerce experience.
In doing so, the business keeps customers engaged and informed, so they don’t need to chase up. It can also generate revenue that may have been lost.
Other examples of proactive customer experiences in retail include proactive cart recoveries and automated post-purchase assistance – i.e., sending setup information or scheduling a tutorial.
2. Network Outage Updates (Telco)
When a service drops in a specific region, customers can bombard telcos while they desperately try to get to the root of the issue and offer service agents guidance.
Thankfully, AI agents can monitor the network for outages, consult the CRM to isolate impacted customers, and share an update before customers contact the business.
Moreover, the business can send updates as they solve the issue, keeping customers in the loop and managing their expectations.
3. Journey Recoveries (Travel)
Airlines must often delay flights, putting many customers at risk of missing their connections.
Still, many force customers to talk to service staff, who must authenticate and manually rebook a long string of fretting customers.
Yet, by keeping up with delayed flights, AI can automatically rebook the customer's connection, update their itinerary, and notify them.
The solution may not be perfect for everyone. However, these seamless travel adjustments will offer most travellers peace of mind.
Additionally, this strategy is ideal for transport services struggling to operate during crises, like a weather emergency.
4. Personalized Itineraries (Hospitality)
Customers often book holidays via apps like Airbnb, Booking.com, or Hopper.
These offer details of a customer's travel history, and – with AI – the hospitality sector can use AI to proactively provide them with a customized itinerary.
Such an itinerary may include suggestions for local experiences, tours, and restaurants to enhance each visitor's experience and lower planning efforts.
5. Medication Reminders (Healthcare)
According to a paper published by the National Library of Medicine, approximately 50 percent of patients don’t take medications as prescribed.
Often, that’s due to forgetfulness. Proactive medication reminders can help here.
Indeed, AI agents can monitor prescribed medication schedules, remind patients to take their doses, and proactively check for refills to keep customers on track.
As such, healthcare organizations can minimize human error, improve health outcomes, and boost patient satisfaction rates.
Alongside simpler use cases like check-up reminders, another more advanced use case is for AI to monitor telehealth conversations and escalate when the patient raises abnormal symptoms. This strategy could save lives.
