Despite the hype, AI isn’t here to replace your human agents. On the contrary, when human agents and AI join forces, they form a powerful CX team – one that builds on their strengths, while minimising their weaknesses. Your agents shouldn’t be bogged down by busy work. With AI in their corner, they can instead focus on the tasks that make a difference. Which results in a better experience for all involved.

Building software that delivers value to customers comes naturally to us at Freshworks. Sometimes, it also comes “artificially”—such as through innovations in artificial intelligence, including generative AI. Businesses around the world are already realizing the transformative potential of generative AI through automation and productivity-enhancing tools.

In today's turbulent economy, businesses across the nation are grappling with challenges such as reduced staff, hiring freezes, and budget cuts. In fact, 91% of CEO’s firmly believe we are on an imminent path towards a long lasting recession. Compounding these hurdles is the fact that providing excellent customer support is facing its own set of challenges.

Article originally published in the Altfi report, jointly sponsored by Zendesk. The landscape of customer service has never looked more different, shaped by shifting consumer behaviour and expectations that have rapidly changed over the past two years, driven in turn by the shocks and aftershocks of the pandemic, economic uncertainties, and ever evolving technology trends. Consumers’ voices are growing louder, and bolder, and what customers want is clear: immersive customer experiences.

As businesses continue to evolve and compete in today’s highly digital and connected world, the importance of excellent customer experience management cannot be overstated. With the rise of social media, review sites and platforms such as marketplaces, customers now have more power than ever to share their experiences with others. As a CX Trends 2023 case study by Zendesk found out, 66 per cent of customers said that a bad interaction with a business can ruin their day.

If the last year taught us anything, it’s that we must stay flexible and agile in response to market conditions. From the ongoing effects of the pandemic to the war in Ukraine and cost of living crisis, 2022 saw customer service businesses rocked by new obstacles and challenges that forced them to evolve their customer experience (CX) approach to navigate the changing landscape.

Despite the accelerating pace of Generative and Conversational AI innovation disrupting contact centers, today’s customer experience (CX) agents are under the same pressure points as always – business performance pressures from one side and demanding customer expectations from the other.

There are many moving parts in play when trying to explain, let alone execute, an exceptional customer experience. It truly takes a village and a good customer experience strategy to get things done effectively. Staying on top of your CX strategy is vital as customer behavior and digital channels of engagement continue to change how business is done. But it’s easy to be overwhelmed even before you get started.

With 92% of consumers expecting to continue to contact customer service at or above pandemic-era rates, we are facing a future where companies that aren’t customer-centric will have a hard time surviving. This is why companies must keep up with customer service trends so that they’re able to cater to these evolving customer needs.