Researchers have now proven what customer support outsourcing firms have said for years. Chatbots are not ready to take over customer service completely yet.
A recent study showed that customer perceptions play a huge role in how satisfied they feel with service when it comes to AI. In the study, the researchers made the bots more charming to see if it would increase the client’s willingness to rate the service as good.
Instead, it had the opposite effect, as the unexpected cheerful behavior from the chatbots made the clients feel uncomfortable. This raises another interesting question in how consumers will react to bots that are more realistic.
The answer is likely to be that clients may feel equally uncomfortable dealing with AI that is more easily able to pass as human. For now, at least, companies are better served by employing a human/chatbot hybrid model and improving their efficiency with customer support outsourcing.
They can further capitalize on these benefits by allowing clients to decide whether to deal with a human or a bot. This choice would allow clients to maximize efficiency with easy queries while avoiding frustration with difficult ones.
Table of Contents
The Benefits of Using a Hybrid Model
Better Efficiency
Chatbots can handle simple and repetitive tasks effectively without feeling bored by them as a human consultant would. Therefore, they would deliver consistent answers continuously and quickly.
Lower Costs
One of the primary reasons that chatbots are so popular is that they are inexpensive, work 24/7, and can handle many more transactions than a person. However, that comes at the cost of lower client interaction rates and less empathic service. Therefore, being able to hand off some queries to consultants makes good business sense.
Around the Clock Support
Manning a help desk with a full complement during off-peak periods may prove costly. Chatbots can fill the gap, providing support when human consultants cannot.
Furthermore, bots can produce automated responses to messages across various platforms. For example, when a client uses a specific keyword when posting a comment on Instagram, the chatbot could analyze the post and answer the customer.
Better Scalability
A hybrid model customer support outsourcing model makes it easier to scale operations up or down as necessary. Scale up human support during peak periods like product launches and reduce it again when the rush dies down.
Chatbots can provide bridging support so that customers don’t notice a drop in service quality. As the bot learns, it will also be better able to handle more complex tasks. You can then slowly begin to shift the focus from the humans in these instances, freeing them to perform more important tasks.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
With humans and chatbots working together, customers can get the best of both worlds. Chatbots can provide instant responses to basic questions, and humans can provide empathy and the personal touch to complex issues.
By giving clients their choice of the type of consultant, you show them that you value them and their input. Over time, they will be willing to trust AI more and be more open to using self-service options.
One of the largest customer complaints when it comes to chatbot technology is that they have to answer endless questions but see no results. They then have to repeat their query to a consultant anyway.
Giving them that option immediately may increase the number of calls initially, but this will naturally balance out as customers look for quicker results.
In Conclusion
A hybrid human/chatbot service model that incorporates customer support outsourcing improves the experience for companies and clients. You may further improve customer satisfaction by allowing them to choose when to upgrade their contact to a person.
