This month, we at Prospect have been delving into the subject of Assisted Services and Automated Help because in the near future, AI powered virtual assistants will become synonymous with the customer service experience.
From project management to health care, assisted services and intelligent assistants will effortlessly guide us through complicated processes that previously could only be done by a person. While it’s doubtful that AIs and chat-bots will replace humans entirely, in 3 to 5 years they will work seamlessly with human customer support agents and even facilitate more personal human-to-human interactions.
QUARTZ
The best way to think about Forward, the new clinic in San Francisco, is like a smartphone app. First, there’s the front end: a slick, seamless, Uber-like experience, a bit like a luxury health spa on the starship Enterprise. At the clinic in San Francisco’s financial district, patients glide from the lobby to an infrared body scanner that reads their vital signs. In a warmly lit examination room, the doctor flicks on a black wall-size screen visualizing the data...
Our take: Paperwork means that GP’s spend only 27% of their time seeing patients. Assisted services will undoubtedly benefit us all, however human interaction still needs to be built into the service design.
SMITHSONIAN
In June of 1956, a few dozen scientists and mathematicians from all around the country gathered for a meeting on the campus of Dartmouth College. Most of them settled into the red-bricked Hanover Inn, then strolled through the famously beautiful campus to the top floor of the math department, where groups of white-shirted men were already engaged in discussions of a “strange new discipline”—so new, in fact, that it didn’t even have a name...
Our take: The future of AI is here, but it is essential to use it for good. Empowering employees, listening to what consumers want, and ultimately making the world a better place.
ECONSULTANCY
In the past decade, brands have invested heavily in digital and mobile experiences that reduce friction and let customers do more on their terms. Today, it’s possible to have Alexa summon a Lyft and design a pair of custom Nikes without leaving the house. But in this era of mobile-first, do-it-yourself, digitally-driven experiences, some brands have forgotten that consumers still need a helping hand...
Our take: Within the FinTech industry, digital empowerment is all very well, but it should never alienate the user, nor should human touch be forgotten.
PSFK
From access to 24/7 tech support to live chat with in-store associates, retailers are focusing on providing personal service and aid for customers, retaining a human element in a virtual world. In an increasingly digital economy, consumers can feel left out in the cold, sometimes requiring more personalized assistance with their online transactions. Accordingly, brands are leveraging virtual human-to-human interactions to add value to their services and products...
Our take: Putting customers first in retail means designing exceptional service, leveraging technology, and providing a direct line to human experts.