Welcome to the Juice Newsletter: EP 5!
Welcome to the Juice Newsletter, your go-to source for weekly CX and CS thoughts! I’m Brian, Head of Growth & CX Insights at Kustomer, and I’m excited to share the latest strategies and insights in the world of customer experience. This week, we’re diving into how AI can revolutionize customer service and the essential steps needed to implement it effectively.
CX INSPIRATION
Ever felt like the latest AI features are being promoted everywhere, but you still struggle to see real results?
You’re not alone. During a recent panel at CommerceNext, Melanie Cummings from Fabletics shared with me a crucial point:
“If you don’t have a strategy and a plan on how to amplify that AI tool and people to manage and optimize it, it’s never going to be successful.”
This is a reminder that while AI tools can be game-changers, their true value lies in how well they are supported and integrated into your existing processes.
How big of a problem do you think this is?
CX SPOTLIGHT
Aligning AI With Customer Expectations
I recently came across an CS report on Capterra that confirmed a hypothesis I’ve had for the past two months. While today’s AI in customer service significantly boosts productivity and handles common tickets efficiently, there’s a crucial aspect often overlooked:
Consumers aren’t yet ready to embrace AI on their own.
According to the Capterra report:
- 44% of respondents say maintaining customer trust is the biggest challenge.
- 38% are concerned about ensuring accurate information.
- 37% worry about alienating customers.
These challenges highlight that tech companies like Kustomer are outpacing consumer readiness.
To address this, CX leaders should focus on three key areas:
- Clearly label AI interactions and maintain open communication about its use.
- Provide customers with clear instructions and demos on interacting with AI bots.
- Ensure there’s always an option to connect with a human agent across every channel.
By aligning customer service technology with consumer expectations you’ll drive more effective customer retention.
INTERVIEW INSIGHTS
I moderated a panel at the CommerceNext Conference in NY with Jess Cervellon and Melanie Cummings from Fabletics, where we discussed the integration of AI in customer service. I boiled down my conversation with them into 2 key takeaways for CX leaders:
CX Support is Key to Successful AI CX Implementation:
Mel emphasized that promoting new AI features as game-changers isn’t enough. Brands need a clear AI strategy and dedicated support for these tools. Without proper guidance and onboarding, even the best AI will fail to deliver its full potential and might make your experience worse off.
Balancing AI and Human Interaction:
Jess shared her experience at Feastables, where AI was used to deflect 80% of customer inquiries, allowing human agents to handle more complex issues. This balance between AI efficiency and human empathy is crucial for maintaining high customer satisfaction.The world is not ready for 100% AI but it’s okay to experiment.
GOLDEN NUGGETS
Must-Read Posts:
- Cutting Customer Experience Investments Now is a Mistake: Here’s Why
- How Generative AI will Jobs in Customer Support
- Booking and Priceline chief Glenn Fogel wants you to yell at AI chatbots, not humans
BRAND SPOTLIGHT
AI-Agent Readiness
Join me on a LinkedIn livestream this Friday (August 9th) with Kiki Chocklett, a builder of CX strategy for merchants of all sizes, as we discuss AI-Agent readiness.
Kiki believes that companies expecting AI agents to solve all their problems are mistaken. There are critical steps that VPs of CX need to achieve before integrating AI into their technology stack.
Kiki will share her insights on what needs to be done before turning on that AI agent. This includes ensuring your team is well-trained, your processes are optimized, and your AI tools are fully integrated and supported.
