In our digital world, automation seems to be involved in almost everything. From increasing the energy efficiency of homes to helping consumers find the best local services, automated tools help run the world. They’re also becoming a game-changer in the B2B customer support industry. Organizations are implementing technology that utilizes artificial intelligence to provide a better customer experience.
However, making the change from outdated systems to an automated setting doesn’t come without challenges. Customer support departments have to be prepared to adapt if they want to grow alongside these powerful tools. If you’re about to incorporate more automation into your infrastructure, it helps to know what to expect. That’s why we’re going over some common obstacles support departments encounter.
Indecision Over What to Automate
When introducing AI-powered tools in your operation, you need to know what functions necessitate automation. Keep in mind you can’t automate everything. You’ll need to decide what could benefit from a more streamlined process. This can be a hard decision to make, especially for managers or executives who don’t work directly with customers on a daily basis.
A great way to figure out where you should place customer support automation is to gather feedback from your agents. Ask them where they tend to get bogged down in the customer support process. You’ll also need to pay attention to menial tasks your agents are spending large amounts of time dealing with. These jobs are good candidates for automation.
High Agent Workload
If your agents are currently under constant pressure from support inquiries, it may not seem plausible to implement new automated tools. The last thing you want is to experience customer churn as a result of shaking up your current operation. The ironic thing is, once these tools are up and running, your customer experience will flourish. The key is getting over the transitional hump.
Analyzing your team’s workload is the first step. You can then determine which agents can take on new responsibilities while others maintain your current workload. It’s important you free up enough agents to help get these new tools off the ground. You can then cycle your team through the training process to effectively transition to full customer support automation.
Reliance on Current Systems
Yes, there will be some growing pains when switching to automated tools. However, that doesn’t mean you should hold on to the technology you’ve been using for years. It’s important to remember that once artificial intelligence is a part of your operation, clients and agents will benefit. You’re going to have to let outdated systems go. If you do decide to keep certain systems, it’s important you confirm they’ll work with your new automated tools. The last thing you want is a complete shutdown of certain functionality because you failed to plan. To avoid this problem altogether, make a complete switch to automated tools and say goodbye to your outdated system.
Make Automation Your Next Move
If your B2B organization isn’t providing the level of support your competitors are, you need to make changes right away. Moving to an automated environment will give your agents the tools they need to provide a seamless customer experience.
PhaseWare can help by implementing customizable customer support software into your operation. Contact us today to learn more.