Looking for AI tools to make your customer support more efficient? Luckily, you don’t have to start from scratch and develop your own large language model to use AI effectively. New AI as a service (AIaaS) solutions offer ways for businesses to reap all the benefits of AI—including more efficient support, lower expenses, and higher CSAT—without overspending on scattered, expensive point solutions.
Let’s dive into how AI as a service works, our top 5 solutions for customer support on the market today, and the next steps you should take to get started with AI.
What is AI as a Service?
AI as a service is a solution that helps businesses work more effectively with a suite of AI tools. These tools can range from chatbots to back-end process automation and beyond. AIaaS solutions typically use a mix of practical and generative AI to help businesses:
- Reduce costs with faster, more personalized self-service across channels
- Increase agent productivity with AI enablement tools and resources
- Scale the support process from beginning to end by automating repetitive, manual tasks
For customer support teams, AIaaS solutions have the potential to revolutionize the entire customer experience, without sacrificing high-level quality of service. Ready to explore a whole new way of engaging customers? Read on to learn more about our top 5 AIaaS solutions.
1. Capacity
Capacity is an omnichannel support automation platform. This AIaaS platform helps drive down support costs, improve knowledge access and increase employee and agent productivity with intelligent virtual agents, agent assist & employee enablement, and automated campaigns & workflows.
Capacity works across web, chat, SMS, voice, email, and more to enhance customer experiences and agent productivity.
Pros:
- 90% Deflection with AI: Capacity answers 9 out of 10 inquiries across multiple channels with personalized, context-aware interactions—enabling clients to scale support functions while reducing costs and maintaining high-quality service.Â
- Agent Assist and Employee Enablement: Streamline knowledge access, deliver real-time agent coaching, and offer assistive tools like generative AI Suggestions to enhance CSAT and improve efficiency.
- Smart Automations: Back-end process automation streamlines workflows, reduces time spent on repetitive, manual tasks to scale the entire support process, start to finish.
Cons:
- Learning Curve: May require an adjustment period for users to fully adapt to its vast functionalities.
For businesses hoping to improve both customer and employee experiences with AI, Capacity is a great choice. Not only does it eliminate the need for scattered point solutions, it helps to lower support burdens like call volume, reduce support costs, and boost satisfaction—all in one AIaaS platform.
2. LivePerson
Next on our list is LivePerson, which helps businesses offer omnichannel support with AI.
Pros:
- Omnichannel Engagement: Supports multiple channels, like SMS and WhatsApp, to ensure seamless customer interactions.
- AI-Driven Insights: Analyzes conversations in real-time, offering actionable insights to improve customer support strategies.
Cons:
- Pricing: Known for being quite pricey, especially for smaller companies just starting with AI or businesses with limited budgets.
- Complex Setup: Requires significant time and resources to set up and manage effectively, which may not be helpful for companies looking for an easy foothold into the world of AIaaS and automation.
3. IBM Watson Assistant
IBM Watson Assistant is another powerful AI as a service solution. Known for its natural language processing capabilities, it automates customer service functions across a variety of industries.
Pros:
- Versatile: Highly adaptable across different industries and customizable to specific business needs.
- Strong Language Support: Excels in understanding and interpreting complex language queries.
Cons:
- Integration Limitations: May require additional resources, implementation time, and team support to integrate fully with existing systems.
- Learning Curve: Steeper initial learning curve for setting up and managing the assistant effectively, which may interfere with service quality.
4. Kore.AI
Kore.AI is another AIaaS solution focused on creating intelligent virtual agents to enhance customer support functions.
Pros:
- User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies adoption with a comprehensive interface that empowers teams to create and manage chatbots.
- Codeless Configuration: Simplifies the creation of chatbot conversations with a conversation builder, reducing the need for hard technical skills.
Cons:
- Resource Intensive: Needs significant time and resources to be implemented effectively, and may be difficult to customize for specific business needs.
- Integration Issues: May face challenges integrating to current tech stacks, lengthening implementation time and possibly impacting performance and ultimate ROI.
5. Zendesk’s Answer Bot
Answer Bot by Zendesk drives efficiency and improves customer satisfaction by automating common support inquiries, as part of the Zendesk suite.
Pros:
- Quick Deployment: Easy to implement and deploy, with a smooth integration into Zendesk’s platform.
- Efficient Query Resolution: Great at handling frequently asked questions and resolving common issues quickly.
Cons:
- Limited AI Capabilities: Compared to other contenders on the list, the Answer Bot primarily focuses on simple queries. It may not be able to handle more complex customer interactions, lessening its ROI potential.
- Technical Requirements: Additional technical input may be needed to tap into more advanced features.
What is the Best AI as a Service Platform?
AI as a service solutions are changing customer support forever, offering profound new ways to enhance customer interaction while boosting team efficiency with AI. These five platforms all present unique advantages and challenges. Choosing the right one for your business will depend largely on your specific needs, budget, and the complexity of the queries you typically handle.
As you explore these solutions, think about your specific goals and the kind of experience you want to provide to your customers. With an AIaaS platform like Capacity, you can deflect over 90% of inquiries across channels, improve CSAT, and scale your support operations.
Ready for the future of customer support? We’re here to help you explore your AI options. Meet with us today!
