How Tech Can Speed Up Customer Service Responses

Last week, I talked about the possibilities of AI to make work easier. This week, I want to share a clear example of how we are doing that at HubSpot. We’re focused on helping our customers grow. So naturally, we take customer support seriously. Whether it’s a product question or a business challenge, we want inquiries to be answered efficiently and thoughtfully. We knew AI could help, but we didn’t know quite what it would look like! We first deployed AI in website and support chat. To mitigate any growing pains, we had a customer rep standing by for questions that came through who could quickly take the baton if things went sideways. And, sometimes they did. But we didn’t panic. We listened, we improved, and we kept testing. The more data AI collects, the better it gets. Today, 83% of the chat on HubSpot’s website is AI-managed and our Chatbot is digitally resolving about 30% of incoming tickets. That’s an enormous gain in productivity! Our customer reps have more time to focus on complex, high touch questions. AI also helps us quickly identify trends—questions or issues that are being raised more frequently—so we can intervene early. In other words, AI has not just transformed our customer support. It has elevated it. So, here is what we learned: Don’t panic if customer experience gets worse initially! It will improve as your data evolves. Evolve your KPIs and how you measure success- if AI resolves typical questions and your team resolves tricky ones, they will need more time. Use AI to elevate your team's efforts How are you using AI in support? What are you learning? 

I get it—keeping up with rising customer expectations can be challenging, especially for business owners managing lean teams. In my experience, and through countless conversations with leaders across various industries, I’ve found that with the right tools, improving the customer experience doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are three tools I consistently recommend: 1. AI chatbots: Chatbots can handle everyday inquiries like booking appointments or answering FAQs, freeing your team to focus on more impactful tasks. Plus, they’re available 24/7, ensuring your customers get help when they need it. 2. Automated customer feedback tools: Many business owners I speak with want faster insights into customer experiences. Automated surveys sent immediately after an interaction offer real-time feedback without putting extra strain on your team. 3. Customer relationship management (CRM) software: A good CRM keeps customer interactions organized, reducing the chances of missed follow-ups or overlooked details. Smooth, timely communication is what truly makes customers feel valued. These tools not only reduce pressure on your team but also create a better, more seamless customer experience. If you haven’t tried them yet, now’s a great time to start.

Can AI Grow Your KPI? (super short answer: Yes!) I am often asked how exactly Gen AI can improve productivity. And which tools are ideal to start implementing first. Departments set Specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) To be in line with their company’s objectives and goals. The easiest tools are often data AI tools: - The data team is not customer-facing. - Productivity is easier to quantify in code. - Coding related KPIs can grow quickly with AI tools. However, the biggest ROI on AI tool investments Is seen in Customer Service enhancing tools: - Customer Support Agents who use AI tools work faster. - Multiple academic studies find quantitative support. Sometime ago, I worked with a client to reduce waiting times For their customers by providing faster service. I created this example to demonstrate how the KPI for Customer service can improve with AI tools. ----- Example of IMAGINARY Company, Inc. Employee type: Customer Service Representatives (CSR) Company Objective: Helping more customers without compromising quality. KPIs: 1. Average Service Time (in minutes) = AST 2. First Call Resolution 3. Customer Satisfaction Score Focusing ONLY on AST right now: --> 10 CSRs given access to AI virtual assistants. --> AI offered real-time information. --> AI suggests responses during customer calls to CSR. --> 4 week testing period. --> Before AI and After AI service time per call measured. Results: * AST before AI = 8.6 minutes per call. * AST after AI = 6.4 minutes per call. * Mean Difference = 2.2 minutes less per call. * Paired Differences t-test score = 4.71. * P-value = 0.001 implies significant change. * Total customers served per hour before AI = 70. * Total customers served per hour after AI = 94. ______________________________________________ Results indicate that 26% of time was saved, 35% more customers were served each hour by the CSRs, After a robust implementation of AI Tools to assist them. _______________________________________________ Actionable Insights: 1. Other KPIs also need to be tracked. 2. AI training and ongoing support are essential. 3. Call volume and other variables need to be included. 4. Adopting relevant AI Tools can improve productivity. 5. Track CSR performance to identify bottlenecks. Follow Dr. Kruti Lehenbauer & Analytics TX, LLC on LinkedIn #PostItStatistics #DataScience #AI insights. ------------- P.S.: What is your experience with an AI tool implementation?