B2B organizations are beginning to fully understand the power of artificial intelligence and incorporate it into their customer support tools. This makes sense, as any B2B entity has a responsibility to their clients to provide product assistance when service level agreements are in place. If they don’t, they could start to see customer churn, which is always a step in the wrong direction.
However, integrating AI into an existing infrastructure comes with some growing pains, and often support agents are the ones feeling the pressure. The good news is, these are healthy challenges that will eventually lead to a more effective support operation along with agent growth. If a B2B organization can anticipate these changes, it will make the entire process easier and more enjoyable for everyone. That’s why we’re going over some ways support agents will be impacted if you integrate AI-powered tools into your support department.
AI Requires an Evolution of Agent Skill Sets
It’s important to understand that adding AI to your support operation doesn’t mean you’re eliminating agent roles and responsibilities. However, you’re definitely changing them. Agents must now work in collaboration with AI, which means they’ll need to learn a whole new set of technical skills. Tools such as configurable customer support software employ the power of AI and will come with a learning curve. And while this may be met with resistance at first, your agents are actually getting an opportunity to learn valuable skills. It’s up to you to provide the necessary training that will position your agents for future success. Knowing how to work alongside AI-powered tools will allow them to better serve your client base while also honing their management skills. This is much more productive than having agents bogged down with menial support tasks.
Career Advancement
AI-powered support tools aren’t going away anytime soon. In fact, they’re going to become more and more advanced. This means that agents who get in on the ground floor will be setting themselves up for a successful career in the support industry.
One of the most positive ways AI will impact your agents is by providing a springboard for career advancement. This could mean within your organization or beyond. Not only will this make each person on your team more valuable, but you’ll also have a group of employees who are proud of what they’re doing for a living. This positive attitude will come through in the level of service your agents provide your client base.
A Better Work Experience
The happier your agents are at work, the better service they’re going to provide. Artificial intelligence can make this a reality in several ways. First, AI will eliminate the need for agents to field every single request your clients send in. Instead, chatbots can cover a lot of the workload while agents supervise. This means they only need to get involved if an issue requires live human interaction. Second, because AI-powered tools speed up resolution times, your clients will be more satisfied. This is always a good thing in the customer support industry. Finally, AI will give your agents the tools they’ve always needed to perform at maximum capacity. This results in team members who are happy to come into work each day.
Let AI Help You Grow
If artificial intelligence isn’t part of your support operation, you’re only holding you and your agents up. Implement customer support automation that utilizes AI and start growing your business today.
PhaseWare can integrate configurable customer support software tools into your existing infrastructure. Contact us today to learn more.