More than half of Americans anticipate future enhancements in customer service due to the integration of artificial intelligence, despite previous negative encounters with AI-driven customer support. This trend signifies a growing expectation among consumers regarding the impact of AI on their overall customer journey experiences.
Infobip survey: The survey, carried out by Propeller Insights on behalf of Infobip, a global omnichannel communications platform, gathered feedback from a demographically balanced sample of 1,000 U.S. adults. Key insights from the survey include:
- 52.4% of respondents believe that AI implementation will enhance customer service, with expectations centered around round-the-clock support (34.7%) and reduced wait times (19.5%). Additionally, respondents foresee a decrease in phone-based interactions.
- A significant 70.5% of participants express indifference towards the gender of chatbots. Among those who do express a preference, 56% consider male chatbots to be more reliable.
- Surprisingly, 18.2% of individuals claim to have formed friendships with chatbots, while 19.5% admit to engaging in flirtatious interactions with them.
- The general sentiment leans towards a more optimistic future, with over 40% believing that past engagements with AI-driven customer service had a negative impact on their experiences.
Significance of the findings: It is reassuring to note that the MarTech audience, for the most part, does not attribute gender to chatbots. Personal interactions with chatbots remain a subjective choice. However, the broader implication is that consumers are increasingly embracing chatbots as a vital customer service conduit and are counting on AI to address previous service shortcomings effectively.
For those responsible for managing customer experience within your organization, it is evident that customer engagement extends beyond mere transactions. Both pre- and post-sale interactions hold significant importance, and traditional modes of communication, such as telephone support, are no longer deemed sufficient. The evolving landscape calls for the adoption of tools that cater to consumer expectations, including the deployment of AI solutions like chatbots (acknowledging Infobip’s AI chatbot offerings).