Dive Brief:
- Customer service agents are becoming more comfortable using AI to do their jobs. Two in 5 customer service agents who use AI bots say the technology is invaluable for their workload, according to a survey of 4,000 desk workers released by Freshworks Monday.
- Four in 5 customer service teams want to hand off some of their tasks to AI, the survey found. The top tasks for AI-powered automation were managing online self-service portals, followed by monitoring customer interactions for quality assurance.
- However, customer service is behind other teams when it comes to adoption. Customer service teams were the least comfortable with AI of all departments covered by the survey. Even among those support teams using AI, 2 in 5 say they have no official AI use policy.
Dive Insight:
Customer service leaders are well positioned to introduce AI to their teams as interest in the technology grows, but how leaders introduce AI tools is just as important as the technology itself.
AI is best introduced as a tool for both collaboration and career advancement, according to Julie Geller, principal research director at Info-Tech Research. This is essential for getting ahead of concerns about job security, skill redundancy and the potential loss of the human touch.
“Leaders should start by demystifying AI through interactive workshops where teams can see it in action, solving real customer pain points,” Geller told CX Dive in an email. “Providing hands-on experience allows team members to familiarize themselves with the tools, making the technology less abstract and more approachable.”
This approach can include a focus on real-world examples where AI is enhancing, rather than replacing, agents to showcase how the tool can reduce repetitive tasks. They can also introduce ways working with AI will help agents develop career skills like data interpretation.
Many workers are interested in using AI to advance their career, the Freshworks survey found. Nearly half of respondents say they would consider swapping roles for an AI-focused role, while nearly 2 in 5 say AI helped them get a salary increase or promotion.
Leaders need to lead by example, according to Geller. In its current state AI is a tool that enhances thinking, not directly substitutes for it, making AI only as effective as the people using it. Leaders should be the ones showing how to ask the right questions, identify patterns and take informed action based on AI output.
One potential example is to introduce the technology by showing how a live agent used AI to solve a customer’s problem — something that took a person and an AI assistant working in tandem.
“Leaders must clearly communicate the ‘why’ behind AI adoption, connecting it to business goals while emphasizing its role as a partner, not a replacement,” Geller said. “Transparency is critical: Share specific use cases, involve teams in pilot programs and celebrate successes where AI supported smarter decisions or unlocked new opportunities.”
