Welcome to the Juice Newsletter: EP 10!

Welcome back to the Juice Newsletter! I’m Brian, Head of Growth & CX Insights at Kustomer, and this week I reveal how AI Agents are gaining momentum across the entire customer service industry. As companies adopt these advanced tools, customer service is becoming faster, smarter, and more efficient. But while AI Agents can handle routine tasks, human interaction is still crucial when things get complicated. This balance is key to delivering a seamless customer experience.

Let’s dig in!

CX INSPIRATION

Why Data and Action Are Critical for AI Agents to Succeed

When it comes to the success of AI Agents, two pivotal variables stand out: access to internal customer data and the ability to perform actions on behalf of customers.

The first key is data

AI Agents will truly begin to exceed expectations when they can personalize conversations based on who the customer is.

To do that, AI needs to have a deep understanding of customer interactions:

• Their purchase history,

• How often they engage, and
  

• How valuable they are to the business.
  

When AI Agents can access this information in real-time, the conversations they have with customers become far more relevant and personalized.

The second key is actions

AI Agents need to do more than just provide information—they need to take action.

Imagine an AI Agent that can generate a return through a returns platform, complete a purchase on an eCommerce site, or send a confirmation through email or SMS. This ability to act on behalf of the customer is what will set AI Agents apart and meet growing customer expectations.

CX SPOTLIGHT

Moving Beyond Chatbots

As businesses explore AI to enhance customer service, a common question arises when I talk to brands: What’s the difference between AI Agents and traditional chatbots? While both tools automate interactions, AI Agents go far beyond the basic capabilities of chatbots. Here’s how I understand the difference.

AI Agents Handle Complexity

Chatbots typically follow predefined scripts and handle simple inquiries like “Where’s my order?” or “What are your hours? For example, check out how Salesforce uses their current chatbot. It is set up with predefined scripts. On the other hand, AI Agents, like those powered by Kustomer, can engage in complex conversations and make decisions autonomously. Check out the Kustomer AI agent on their site.They can understand context, analyze customer data in real-time, and answer questions without the need of humans in certain scenarios.

AI Agents Improve Efficiency and ROI

Investing in AI Agents can lead to significant returns. With their ability to handle a wide range of tasks, AI Agents reduce response times, improve first-contact resolution, and free up human agents to focus on higher-value interactions. Brands can expect an increase in customer satisfaction and a reduction in operational costs—two critical factors for long-term growth.

AI Agents Offer Personalization at Scale

Unlike chatbots, which often provide generic answers, AI Agents can tap into customer data to provide personalized support, delivering recommendations and solutions tailored to individual needs. This personalized experience drives customer loyalty and can eventually open up new revenue streams through upselling and cross-selling.

As brands continue to explore the possibilities of AI in customer service, the transition from basic chatbots to intelligent AI Agents is a crucial step in creating a more efficient and customer-centric operation.

INTERVIEW INSIGHTS

3 Key Takeaways on AI Agents with Nupur Bhade Vilas

Last week, I had an insightful conversation with Nupur Bhade Vilas, Head of Product Marketing at Kustomer, where we talked about the future of AI Agents and her point of view as a CX platform expert. Here are 3 key takeaways from our discussion:

1. AI Agents as a Co-Pilot for Humans

AI Agents aren’t just customer-facing (even though that’s all we see right now!) Nupur explained how AI Agents can also be designed to work alongside human agents, acting as co-pilots.

Co-pilot AI Agents can assist human agents by providing answers into product catalogs or services, giving human agents the information they need to answer questions more efficiently. This could mean agents don’t have to spend time searching for data or escalating every question to support managers, saving time and improving overall team productivity. Support managers can focus on more strategic tasks, rather than getting involved in product inquiries that AI co-pilots can handle.

2. Multiple AI Agents for Maximum Efficiency

One of the unique approaches tech companies are exploring is to offer multiple AI Agents, each specializing in specific tasks. Nupur compared this to a team working together in a fast-food kitchen—each AI Agent has a specialized role, which leads to more efficient and accurate service. By using multiple agents, businesses can automate a broader range of tasks while ensuring smoother workflows.

3. The Importance of Human Oversight

While AI Agents are incredibly powerful, Nupur emphasized the importance of keeping humans in the loop. Even as AI grows smarter and more capable, certain tasks require human judgment and empathy—especially when it comes to nuanced customer requests or resolving issues that fall outside the norm. I believe fully that the future of customer service lies in a hybrid model, where AI handles routine tasks, and humans step in when necessary.

Check out the full interview here.

GOLDEN NUGGETS

Must-Read Posts:

• Salesforce to Release Autonomous AI Customer Service Agents
  
• ServiceNow Introduces a Library of Enterprise AI Agents You Can Customize to Fit Your Workflow
  
• Ada uses GPT-4 to deliver a New Customer Service Standard
  
  

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Join Us for #EndBadService

On October 30th, we’re hosting a LinkedIn Live event that you won’t want to miss—#EndBadService, Kustomer’s official launch of AI Agents. This live stream is designed for anyone looking to understand the evolution of customer service and how AI Agents are about to change the game.

Here’s the agenda:

Kick off with Gabe Larsen, CMO of Kustomer, discussing the challenges facing customer service today and why it’s in need of a major overhaul.

Next, Kustomer’s CTO and Co-founder, Jeremy Suriel, will take you behind the scenes with a demo of Kustomer’s brand-new AI Agent product offering.

Finally, Brad Birnbaum, CEO of Kustomer, will wrap things up with a powerful discussion on the importance of disruptive pricing in customer service, ensuring that the future of CX is both innovative and accessible for all brands.

This is your chance to learn firsthand how AI Agents will start changing how we think about the solutions of creating a great customer experience.

Register now and join hundreds of attendees of the #EndBadService movement.