Despite the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in customer experience (CX), consumers are far from ready to abandon human interaction.
A new Verizon report highlights a strong preference for the human touch, presenting a clear mandate for brands to adopt a hybrid approach to CX rather than seeking fully automated solutions.
Humans still reign supreme in customer satisfaction
The report’s findings are unequivocal: 88 per cent of consumers are satisfied with online interactions involving human agents, compared to only 60 per cent for interactions driven solely by AI. This significant gap underscores a fundamental truth: while AI can handle routine queries efficiently, complex or emotionally charged situations necessitate human empathy and problem-solving.
Also Read: Verizon report: Businesses hail AI in CX, but customers still prefer humans
Consumers are “broadly relaxed” about AI for tasks like purchase transactions and product inquiries, but “fewer are comfortable when AI handles their complaints”.
The most prominent frustration consumers cite in automated interactions, by a large margin, is the inability to speak or chat with a live agent when needed, affecting 47 per cent of respondents. Brands concur, noting a similar proportion of customer complaints regarding this lack of human access. Stacy Sherman highlights that even when human agents are eventually involved, “information about you/the customer is lost (must be repeated) at different stages of the interaction,” causing further “friction with customers”.
A hybrid future for CX investments
Acknowledging this preference, companies are not solely betting on AI. The report indicates that a substantial 44 per cent of brands intend to split their future CX investments roughly equally between AI-driven and human-driven improvements. This signals a recognition that a balanced approach, integrating the strengths of both AI and human agents, is the most effective path forward. Only 29 per cent foresee CX operations being mostly or fully AI-driven.
“Some challenges require more than just solutions—they require the empathy and care that only people can provide,” states Morlon Bell-Izzard from Exelon.
Upskilling the human workforce
For this hybrid model to succeed, customer-facing staff require specific upskilling to work effectively alongside AI. Executives are prioritising training in three key areas:
- Handling customer complaints about chatbots.
- Understanding AI prompts during interactions.
- Handling complaints about data privacy issues.
The report also stresses the importance of addressing the “emotional and psychological barriers” employees might have about AI, ensuring transparency about how AI will enhance, not replace, their roles. As Abhii Parakh, Head of Customer Experience at Prudential Financial, observed, employees initially sceptical of AI became excited “once they saw how beneficial AI is for them”. Companies can use AI itself as a “powerful simulation tool” for training, allowing employees to practice interactions and build confidence.
Also Read: AI personalisation isn’t working; more consumers say it hurts CX than improves it
In essence, while AI will continue to automate and optimise parts of the CX journey, the human element remains irreplaceable for delivering truly empathetic and comprehensive customer service, making a seamless human-AI collaboration paramount.
The post 88% of consumers favour human agents; AI alone fails to deliver CX satisfaction appeared first on e27.