The types of industries experiencing long wait times during the COVID-19 period stretch from travel to telecommunications; and from healthcare to finance. This is partly a consequence of the current reality is that everyone, including customers, patients, professionals, and so on, are most likely to be kept waiting on hold until they get the information they need during this tumultuous global pandemic.
However, long hold times can be quickly resolved when companies adjust the way they look at delivering support services. as soon as one business tackles this issue, they will start to create a competitive advantage against other firms operating in the same sector.
According to Louis Tetu, Chairman and CEO of Coveo, an AI company personalizing digital experiences: “It’s no secret that even the most digitally savvy and well-prepared companies are dealing with a shortage of customer support staff and struggling to keep up with the overwhelming volume of callers seeking information and assistance. Whether it’s the healthcare, airlines, insurance, or other industries, hold times are longer than ever before.”
In terms of how this situation can best be tackled, Tetu explains: “Now, consumers more than ever are asking for businesses to create self-serve intelligent experiences so they can interact with companies in a post COVID-19 world. Businesses that implement self-service capabilities online through AI can create improved digital intelligent experiences for those in need of quick and thorough answers.”
By deploying artificial intelligence, Tetu notes that: “Customers can locate the instructions they need for cancelling a flight online. Employees working from home can troubleshoot their computer issues without having to call their office IT person at home.”
Furthermore, Tetu adds: “Companies often know the answers to 80 percent of the questions they typically receive but have not taken the time to write those knowledge points down for others to access. By doing so, and making them an accessible resource online, information seekers can search a company’s website to discover the answers they seek efficiently and effectively.”
