AI, digital channels are revolutionizing customer service — Verint study

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — A new study by customer engagement company Verint reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) and digital channels are driving automation strategies for contact centers.
In a survey of 300 contact center leaders, only 10% believe legacy telephony systems will impact customer experience in the next year. In contrast, 53% pointed to AI and 23% to digital channels as key drivers of automation.
The results show that first-generation, telephony-centric Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions are failing to create a more efficient contact center and underperform in three ways:
- Poor support for omnichannel engagement;
- No effective mechanism for reducing administrative burdens on the contact center, and
- Engagement data isn’t leveraged or optimized.
“Our research underscores the imperative for contact centers to embrace openness in their technology platforms,” said Verint VP for Marketing Insights, Experience, and Enablement Jenni Palocsik.
The report also noted that many leaders are not satisfied with the performance of their CCaaS solutions.
For example, while 80% of those surveyed felt that using AI, automation, and bots for self-service and agent-assisted tasks are important features, only 41% are satisfied with their current solutions.
Along the same lines, 82% feel easy integration into third-party systems is important, but only 46% are satisfied with this capability in their organization.
“The shift from telephony-first to AI-driven solutions is evident, and organizations that prioritize flexibility and innovation will lead the way in delivering exceptional customer experiences now and in the future,” Palocsik added.