AI
An AI-driven Approach to Call Deflection
A good call or IVR deflection solution that leverages the power of a digital AI assistant helps contact centers and helplines respond more efficiently to spikes in customer call traffic.
When call volumes surge in a contact center, shifting customers from a voice to a text-based or messaging channel where they can self-serve brings many benefits to both the consumer and the business. It doesn’t have to be a complex, costly or time-intensive solution, but it can be extremely effective in managing the additional volumes more cost-effectively and giving customers the information that they want in a more convenient and automated manner.
The Simplicity of Call Deflection: Shifting incoming Voice Calls to More Efficient Digital Channels
Think of this scenario. Call volumes are out of control, agents are frazzled, and customers are anxiously waiting long periods before they can speak to an agent. What about sending them a link to a digital assistant where they can engage and address their queries? If this can satisfy their immediate needs then there can be limited or no need for agent involvement while still offering the option of a path to human handover for customers that require further assistance.
By shifting customers from the traditional IVR channel to a more efficient conversational IVR or digital assistant channel, you open up more potential for automation, out-of-hours accessibility, and thoughtful call deflection.
Whether your IVR is based on legacy technology or is a modern cloud-based solution, the concept of shifting customers from an inbound voice channel to a messaging channel offers multiple benefits. We have delivered these solutions, even to clients who considered this impossible with their legacy on-premise IVR system. Spinning up a solution takes a matter of days but allows successful deflection of calls, automated responses, while still enabling a live agent to be looped in.
The Role of Conversational AI and Large Language Model (LLM) Technology in Call Deflection
The impact of artificial intelligence, both Conversational and Generative AI, has revolutionized the way contact centers operate by offering innovative solutions to deflect incoming calls and enhance customer service through text or messaging channels.
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can handle routine customer queries with remarkable efficiency. They can provide instant responses to common questions, such as account balances, product information, or basic troubleshooting steps, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex and nuanced inquiries.
Moreover, these AI systems continuously learn and adapt from each interaction, becoming increasingly proficient at understanding and resolving customer issues. They can recognize customer sentiment, personalize responses, and maintain a consistent tone, ensuring a seamless and empathetic customer experience.
Furthermore, they can facilitate proactive communication by reaching out to customers with relevant updates or offers through messaging channels. This not only improves customer engagement but also helps in preemptively addressing potential concerns before they escalate into phone calls.
Advances in Large Language Models (LLMs) and Conversational AI are empowering contact centers to streamline operations, reduce call volumes, and provide more efficient and satisfying customer support via text or messaging channels. This technology not only enhances customer experiences but also optimizes resource allocation, making it a valuable tool in the modern contact center landscape.
How AI Assistants can Automate Customer Service
Once a customer is willing to engage via a messaging channel, sending a bot or virtual assistant opens up a whole path to automation. Once the customer opens the AI Assistant and starts to engage, the bot can handle simple requests, point them to the place on your website to find information, or help them transact in a self-service manner. All this can happen without the need for them to engage with an agent unless they specifically request this or the bot escalates to an agent.
An AI assistant can simply be used to point a customer to an appropriate webpage or document or it can be a more extensive customer service bot that offers multiple capabilities. The point is that this is a highly effective way of deflecting incoming calls.
Call deflection using a virtual AI assistant makes a lot of sense. It takes the pressure off contact center agents but it also introduces an automation path, one that can help customers out of hours as well as in hours. The bot can even be integrated with your live chat systems and act as a live agent assist. By keeping a live agent in the loop, a superior customer service experience that combines the best of the human touch with AI-driven conversations is achievable.