Every day, AI’s potential to revolutionize customer support grows more exciting. But just what kind of questions can AI answer? How can AI-powered support trim costs, enhance operational efficiency, and boost overall customer experience? Let’s dive into how using AI to answer inquiries across channels will reshape customer support forever.
How Does AI Answer FAQs?
Once, an AI chatbot could only answer a question if the phrase exactly matched its internal database—leading to lots of mismatches and errors, as well as customer frustration and distrust of self-service.
Now, practical and generative AI make it easier than ever to leverage AI answers. Natural language understanding (NLU) and machine learning enables the system to recognize not just phrases, but intent. When a customer asks a question, the AI can use context to answer more helpfully.
Repetitive inquiries that once consumed hours of time and effort now take mere seconds. Without distracting a human employee, AI can answer questions about:
- Store hours and locations
- Order statuses and return policies
- Account updates and management
Plus, AI answer solutions are powerful enough to work across multiple channels, leading to even greater support efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Consistent Omnichannel Support with Every AI Answer
When it comes to support, most customers want two things: speed and convenience. Omnichannel AI answers deliver on both fronts.
Today, self-service goes beyond chatbots. AI can answer questions over SMS, voice calls, email, helpdesks, and more. Whether helping to troubleshoot technical issues over the phone, or reschedule an appointment via text message, AI can support customers instantly, wherever they are.
Plus, AI never takes a break. It can answer questions 24/7, ensuring that no customer is left waiting, regardless of time, day, or agent availability. With more effective and always-on self-service, businesses can easily boost customer satisfaction while reducing overall call and ticket volume.
And instead of single point solutions for each channel, which usually don’t integrate with each other, support automation solutions like Capacity consolidate them all into one single platform. This makes it easier to leverage full conversation history, personalize interactions, and offer a more seamless experience.
With faster, more convenient self-service across channels, businesses can help their customers feel more heard and valued—while reducing the burden on their support teams.
AI Answers Can Reduce Costs
Using AI to answer low-level questions can significantly boost your bottom line. It’s no secret that support is expensive. In fact, human-assisted support interactions cost on average $13.50, while self-service interactions only cost $1.84, per Gartner Research.
Stronger self-service dramatically reduces overall call and ticket volume. Solutions like Capacity deflect over 90% of inquiries with AI answers, which can completely revolutionize support strategy—even going so far as to reduce phone expenses by 20%.
Tools like voice biometrics and automatic speech recognition, which reduce time spent on a call, or SMS support that eliminates the need for a call in the first place, offer significant cost savings in ways that prioritize CX.
Plus, AI is consistent and scalable, with lower margins of error. This eliminates costly misunderstandings and mistakes, helping to create more reliable service and healthier bottom lines overall.
Additionally, by shifting simple inquiries and tasks to AI, businesses can free up their teams to offer human-led support where it’s really needed. It empowers teams to strengthen training initiatives, reduce team stress, and boost retention (which is a consistent challenge in the contact center space and only getting worse).
Ultimately, AI can handle high volumes of low-level inquiries, reducing expenses, while empowering human agents to dedicate their time to creative problem-solving and enhancing customer relationships.
Transform Customer Support with AI
All in all, the question isn’t what can AI answer, but how AI can transform the way businesses think about customer support as a whole.
By using AI to answer customer questions across channels, support teams can reduce call volume, average handle time, and overall costs—while maintaining an exceptional standard of customer service. Plus, AI support platforms empower agents with the tools they need to do their best work. It’s a win-win.
AI-powered support isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s a necessary technology to meet today’s high call volumes and rising customer expectations.
So why wait? Embrace the future of customer support today. Explore how AI can turn your contact center into a true revenue driver with our guidebook, The Future of AI for Contact Centers.
The Future of AI for Contact Centers
Discover:
- The different types of AI
- A framework for applying support automation
- Tips for choosing solutions