Virtual agents are a new way to provide automated services to customers, offering a cognitive and conversational self-service experience with 24/7 support. This interactive tool works as a communicative robot that delivers analytical reporting and personalized support via email or live chat on business websites. With an expected cost savings of more than $8 billion annually by 2022, these agents provide inexpensive customer service solutions that automatically respond to customer questions, allowing for improved customer satisfaction, reduced support costs, and higher sales for businesses. Today, many of these agents are tied to specific platforms or technologies, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

Challenge

Customer expectations are growing, and businesses are increasingly challenged to provide faster, exceptional customer support. Historically, customer assistance has been managed by human employees who must be trained and compensated, and response times can be slow. Companies that installed early versions of an automated customer service platform were restricted by a slow, text-only response system that lacked intelligence and the ability to speak. With chatbots expected to power 85 percent of all customer service needs by 2020, businesses can expect to compete with more advanced chatbot technology.

Solution

Concentrix Catalyst developed a Proof of Concept that allows for a faster, more personalized, and more reliable virtual agent customer service platform able to operate on any web browser. Using its advanced AI recipe, Concentrix Catalyst created a highly intelligent virtual agent capable of answering even the hardest customer questions through speech-to-text, text-to-speech, or message communication options. Constructed exclusively with open source capabilities and APIs, businesses are now able to offer users automated virtual customer service through a web portal and can enable hands-free website navigation.

Concentrix Catalyst’s virtual agent automates a variety of agent-customer interactions, freeing time and resources for customer service organizations. It enables businesses to improve customer satisfaction rates, resolve customer concerns, reduce support costs and increase ROI. It also offers potential and promise for further industry innovation, including integration with facial recognition technology for a customized, in-person service experience.

Learn how to adopt conversational UI for a reliable customer experience.