AI has become the buzzword that everyone’s talking about through countless conversations with business leaders, but there’s a critical misunderstanding about what AI should accomplish in customer service.
When executives say “I want AI implemented in the next six months,” what they’re really asking for is a better customer experience. They believe AI will automatically deliver this. But will it?
The answer isn’t always yes. It depends entirely on what you’re implementing and the outcomes you hope to achieve. Are you looking for better efficiency? An improved customer experience? Both?
Why AI Projects Fail
About 80% of AI projects fail. This statistic might shock you, but I’ve seen it play out repeatedly. The primary reason? Companies approach AI with a tech-first rather than an outcome-first mindset.
Many organizations jump into AI implementation without a clear vision of what they want to accomplish. When a salesperson promises the moon to hit their quota, and the company hasn’t defined what success looks like, disappointment is inevitable.
To succeed with AI, you must be crystal clear about your objectives. As the saying goes, “If you can describe it, you can probably do it.” But that description needs to be precise and aligned with your customer service goals.
The Danger of Over-Automation
One of the biggest mistakes I see companies make is over-automating their customer service. They get excited about the technology and forget about the human element.
I remember an airline that proudly announced customers could no longer speak to humans because their AI would “take care of everything.” It failed miserably. While I applaud their courage to innovate, they missed a fundamental truth: you can’t go 100% AI.
Why? Because AI can’t script empathy. It can’t hear what’s not being said. It can’t pick up on emotional cues that human agents instinctively recognize.
Our research shows that 68% of consumers prefer talking to a human as their first point of contact for customer support. However, 34% will stop doing business with companies that don’t offer digital automated support options. The key is finding the right balance.
Building Trust Through Better Metrics
Most companies measure success through traditional metrics like customer satisfaction scores or Net Promoter Scores. While these are important, they don’t tell the whole story.
I believe we need to add trust metrics to our evaluation toolkit. When you create a good experience, trust increases. In fact, 83% of consumers we surveyed said they trust a company more after a positive experience.
Trust creates confidence. Confidence creates repeat business. And repeat business can lead to loyalty. Instead of just asking “How did we do on a scale of 1-5?” try asking “Did you trust the answer you received?” or “Do you feel confident in our system?”
These questions might give you answers you need rather than ones you want, but they’ll guide you toward creating truly customer-centric AI solutions.
Making AI Work for Humans
The most effective AI implementations support both customers and employees. Here are some approaches that work:
- Co-service models where AI assists human agents with next best actions
- Agent summarization tools that reduce after-call work
- AI that handles simple tasks while escalating complex issues to humans
- Systems that transfer context when moving from AI to human support
The goal should never be to replace humans but to make them more effective by handling routine tasks so they can focus on complex problems requiring empathy and judgment.
The Path Forward
AI in customer service isn’t a “set it and forget it” solution. It requires continuous adaptation and improvement based on feedback from both customers and agents.
Always focus first on outcomes, then on the technology that can deliver those outcomes—not the other way around. The most successful companies recognize that AI is about mindset and adaptability, not just specific tools that will likely change within months.
As AI continues to evolve, the companies that will win are those that find the perfect balance between technological efficiency and human connection. They’ll use AI to handle the routine while preserving the human touch for moments that matter.
The future of customer service isn’t about choosing between AI and humans—it’s about bringing them together in ways that enhance the customer experience while building lasting trust.
