Customer support is the lifeblood of any company offering a service. Yet, some fail to see the significance of ensuring customers receive the proper support and information.
Contact centers are part of an ecosystem and the last stop on the consumer’s purchasing journey for SaaS startups. But what happens when AI forms the core of your customer care platform? Is it a sustainable model that meets customer needs and demands?
We’ll answer both questions below.
Cost Effectiveness
Ever since AI exploded onto the scene, the never-ending question plays on our minds: Will AI replace humans in the workplace?
The debate ranges from “never” to “maybe” to “we’re not quite sure.” Even more telling is that AI technology is quietly infiltrating the customer care space.
By 2029, Gartner predicts agentic AI will resolve 80% of common customer service issues autonomously. The astonishing part is that it will do so without human intervention.
This will presumably result in a 30% reduction in operational costs.
What is agentic AI?
It’s a complicated term. Harvard Business Review uses the analogy of an AI-powered agent that can plan your next overseas trip while making all your travel arrangements.
Traditional AI assistants are rules-based and limited in their ability to perform independently.
Agentic AI is empowered to do more, and as AI expert Enver Cetin says, these are AI systems that can act autonomously without human guidance.
The Human Touch
No matter how you spin it, humans are needed to do the hard work.
SaaStr says big companies like Intercom, Gorgias, and Zendesk report that AI can close 40% of tickets. However, only a small percentage of the tough ones are resolved. The complex tickets are escalated to humans.
Personalized customer interactions foster more than transactions. They want to feel a connection with the company they’re doing business with.
Statista states that almost three-quarters of global customers value improved personalization when sharing sensitive information.
You can invest in the latest AI technology to scale your business, but it’s all for nothing if you don’t have a well-trained customer service team with a human touch.
Automated SaaS Customer Support
Building a loyal customer base requires knowing them on a psychological level. Start by investing in a global payments partner that emphasizes personalized support.
PayPro Global suggests partnering with a platform for selling SaaS where proactive and tailored integration is possible. Inquire about dedicated multiple online channels that include instant messaging and direct contact points.
Can the payment platform manage complex B2B inquiries like payments taxes and regulations, subscription management, and becoming a compliance expert?
All these factors are huge contributors to increased revenue streams and can help optimize recurring revenue effortlessly on your global growth journey.
Research API protocols. REST API offers simple endpoints to automate subscription, product, order, customer, and affiliate data.
Enhanced Efficiency
AI-powered chatbots have proven to be quite the busy bees, handling simple customer inquiries while their human counterparts tackle more complex issues.
These chatbots instantly handle FAQs, process transactions, and provide technical support. Additionally, the more they learn, the smarter they become.
Continuous machine learning (ML) allows AI chatbots to analyze past customer interactions and improve their response and accuracy for future exchanges.
CustomerThink says one of the standout features of AI in customer service is to provide personalized experiences. ML analyzes customer data to personalize interactions, from product recommendations to tailored communication.
Predictive AI
Remember when predictive text was introduced on our phones? Everyone marveled at the feature that could read our minds before typing in the last few words.
Predictive AI works on the same principle. It allows you to anticipate your customer’s needs. By analyzing data, the technology identifies patterns and predicts future customer behavior.
According to a McKinsey study, businesses using predictive analysis reported a 20% increase in sales.
Predictive capabilities translate to proactive support in the customer service space by proactively alerting customers to potential issues and offering solutions.
Key Takeaways
Is AI-powered customer support the right move for your SaaS business? Judging from the research, the answer is “absolutely yes.”
We’ve seen what agentic AI is capable of. Within a few years, it could help run your customer support teams with human intervention and skills. No matter how far AI has advanced, it can never replace human-centered touchpoints.
Customers yearn for a personalized experience, so give it to them while leveraging AI to scale your business.
Where possible, automate features that require mundane actions. Lean into AI-powered chatbots to handle simple tasks. Use predictive AI to identify patterns and future customer behavior.
There’s no hiding from AI technology. Instead, embrace it to increase customer acquisition and sales.
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