AI-powered selling revolutionizes contact centers, Cogito study finds
MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES — Consumers are increasingly favoring AI-powered personalized sales experiences in customer service interactions, said real-time AI coaching provider Cogito.
According to its latest survey, contact centers are significantly shifting from traditional service resolutions to leveraging AI for sales opportunities.
Customized sales offers emerged as AI’s top positive impact, surpassing faster issue resolution and extended support hours. Over half of the respondents (53%) appreciated AI’s role in suggesting tailored upgrades or deals, with Millennials showing the highest receptivity at 62%.
Josh Feast, CEO and co-founder of Cogito, stated, “AI ushers this movement forward by helping identify the right proposal to make based on the customer’s personalized history and needs, while simultaneously enhancing the agent’s capabilities by recommending the best moment and language to seamlessly integrate into the service experience.”
Human connection remains crucial in the AI era
Despite the growing acceptance of AI in sales, the human element remains crucial. The survey revealed that 77% of respondents prefer interacting with human agents who use AI tools in the background rather than relying solely on self-service options like chatbots.
The loss of human-to-human connection was cited as AI’s primary negative impact, followed by a lack of empathy and concerns over job loss.
Interestingly, while 39% of respondents viewed AI-driven customer service as inferior to human interaction, 47% felt comfortable with agents using AI to automate tasks. This reflects a broader trend where AI is seen as a tool to enhance rather than replace human capabilities.
Generational differences in AI acceptance
The study also uncovered generational differences in AI acceptance. Gen Z, for instance, places a higher value on human empathy compared to older generations. About 38% of Gen Z respondents identified a lack of empathy as the most significant downside of AI in customer service, compared to 23% of Boomers.
Additionally, 27% of Gen Z respondents are comfortable with AI aiding agents in understanding emotional intelligence to foster empathy, a sentiment shared by only 8% of Boomers.
Cogito’s integration of Emotion AI, Conversation AI, and Generative AI aims to bridge these gaps by providing agents with real-time guidance and support. This approach ensures that essential human connection and empathy are maintained in customer interactions, aligning with the preferences of diverse generational groups.
Cogito’s research underscores a pivotal transformation in contact centers, where AI-powered selling is gaining traction. As contact centers continue to evolve, the synergy between AI and human agents will be key to delivering exceptional customer experiences across generations.
Meantime, Cogito ranked #150 in the OA500 2024, an objective index of the world’s top 500 outsourcing companies.
