Put Plans Into Action: What to Consider When Adopting Generative AI in the Contact Center

If there’s one thing that is certain about the state of customer experience, it’s that generative AI is here to stay. Its incredible growth over the past year has resulted in a major uptick in its presence in the CX spaces across industries.

As companies continue to explore and adopt emerging technologies, it is important to recognize the challenges that come along with utilizing new tools to deliver exceptional customer experiences. According to CMP Research, 57% of customer contact leaders cite their technology suite as the most difficult aspect of creating frictionless customer experiences. With that, understanding how generative AI can have the most impact, integrating it into the existing technology & tools, and successful agent adoption have become priorities for CX executives going into 2024. Below are questions to consider as contact centers move from ideation to action:

What area of the contact center will generative AI impact?

Generative AI has limitless potential when it comes to its usage in the contact center. Understanding what specific functions AI will support is necessary in order to ensure effective implementation. Leaders know that AI can be applied to almost every stage of the customer journey, but it could be detrimental to work with advancing technologies in such a wide scope.

Consider the benefits of implementing AI into one specific role or function in the contact center, rather than attempting to bring multiple new tools into the space at once. The technology may be advancing quickly, but trying to keep up with every piece of it simultaneously could result in lackluster integration and inefficiencies.

Will generative AI technology replace or provide additional support to existing tools?
Once you’ve indicated an area of focus for AI in the contact center, it is imperative to evaluate how this technology will interact with other tools within the technology suite. Can multiple pieces of technology be integrated or automated to work together on a specific function? Will AI replace existing tools that are less effective? 

Asking these questions will help customer contact leaders further clarify the purpose of generative AI in this space, while also confirming that the contact center’s technology suite is up to date and uncluttered.

What does agent training look like?
Agent training is a major component to consider as CX leaders put their AI plans into action. Leaders must look at how agents are being prepared for AI becoming a part of their day-to-day work. Evaluate your agents’ technology literacy to determine the level of training necessary for them to successfully adapt to using new tools. Then, discover what resources and upskilling opportunities exist for agents to continue to develop their skills and expand their breadth of technology knowledge as AI evolves. Finally, be sure to check in with agents on a regular basis to address any pain points or challenges they may face as AI is implemented over time. Taking these things into consideration will not only create a culture of success in tech integration, but will also improve agent experience overall. 

By asking these questions, customer contact leaders can create a strategic roadmap to guide the decisions, investments, and goals of your organization as they take their plans and make them an exciting reality in the contact center. 

Don’t miss your opportunity to take a deep dive into optimizing customer experiences with AI at CCW Austin this January 2024.