Research by Kore.ai has revealed a seismic shift in the preferences of both contact centre agents and consumers towards AI-driven solutions. The annual 2024 Agent Experience (AX) and Customer Experience (CX) Benchmark Reports demonstrate for the first time the prioritisation of advanced AI technology and automated tools over competitive salaries and fair work environments by customer service agents.
The reports also highlight consumers' increased appreciation of AI for its precision and reliability. One considerable factor behind this transformation is the ability of intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) to provide round-the-clock assistance and transition fluidly between tasks without asking for repeated information, a factor that considerably enhances consumer comfort and satisfaction.
In partnership with Farrell Insights, Kore.ai surveyed 1,200 customers and 600 agents across multiple regions and industries for the research. Key findings reveal that 72% of agents express a strong desire for IVAs, while 62% report contact centres lagging in implementing AI use cases. Agents trained in AI reported 92% job satisfaction and engagement levels, and 71% see increased automated assistant usage as mutually beneficial for both consumers and them.
On the consumer side, the findings further showed that effectiveness and accuracy ranked more essential than the ability to access a live agent, with 68% of customers valuing an AI assistant's ability to continue conversations seamlessly across channels. There's also only a 4% gap in the US between customer ratings of IVA performance vs their expectations for live agents, and in the APAC region, there's no difference in the ratings.
Precisely 77% of consumers are drawn to around-the-clock access to customer service. Other key elements boosting consumer acceptance include a conversational voice and the assurance of secure communication for personal information provided by enterprise-grade IVAs. Even the older generation recognises the benefits of self-service's constant access, with 68% acknowledging this.
Michael Farrell, President and Chief Strategist at Farrell Insight, noted the significant shift in agent preferences for automation overcompensation. "As effectiveness, accuracy, security, ease of use, and trust increasingly become the top priorities for both agents and consumers, the method of achieving these results becomes secondary. People are leaning towards outcome-focused interactions in customer service, driven by their positive experiences with IVAs and contact centre AI solutions," he said.
CEO of Kore.ai, Raj Koneru, emphasised that adopting AI technologies in call centres not only enhances service quality for customers but also streamlines routine tasks and improves work conditions for agents. He expressed the hope that this research will guide organisations looking to elevate their service interactions with AI-powered automation.