Let’s get things straight from the start: AI is not about to steal our jobs.
Point two: the hype is over. AI is now all about practical application in ways that make real processes, real easier.
And finally, point three: humans have an important part to play in ensuring the much-vaunted potential gains are realized by all concerned.
What does that all mean? Well, for enterprises of all verticals and all sizes, it means the trick is to deploy AI-powered tools that augment the human ability to capture, curate, and leverage customer knowledge in ways which empower agents to enhance service levels.
Get that mix of resources right, and any investment in AI is sure to deliver swift and significant returns – particularly when partnering with a solution provider that is on the same page.
“The best AI-powered outputs will always be the product of an augmentation of human functionality – the best strategy is to figure out where in your processes that approach will have the biggest impact,” says Keith Berg, Enterprise Software Solutions Executive at leading enterprise software provider Upland, which is helping organisations all over the world plot their AI journeys.
“I am continually surprised by the dramatic ways in which some organisations believe they should be deploying AI. I spoke to one prospect recently that had carried out a series of Proof-of-Concept experiments across its business and found that none of the proposed deployments proved anything nor delivered any added value. It shows that there has to be a strong use case for AI otherwise it can become an expensive and time-consuming exercise in solving a problem you think exists but which, in reality, may not.”
From a customer service perspective in particular, the human augmentation point is a compelling one. Any standard of service depends hugely on the quality and accessibility of information; whether that is customer-specific, product-related, or simply generally useful in the swift resolution of issues.
