Communication automation is fast emerging as the next frontier in customer interaction, with the technology enabling businesses to offer 24/7 customer service and robust self-help options. The ability to easily escalate to a human agent also means that organisations can now adopt the ideal approach of “digital when you want it, but human when you need it”.
One of the primary benefits of automation is the ability to scale business communications without increasing costs. It also means that organisations can provide customers with immediate responses to queries, enabling 24/7 support, or even a ‘self-help first’ model. In addition, automating repetitive, low-complexity tasks frees up agents to attend to more complex queries that require human intervention.
Automation also leads to improved data collection: every customer interaction can be recorded, and this data, when analysed properly, will then be able to guide the organisation on how to best personalise their customer interactions and engagements. Personalisation is key to making interactions relevant to customer needs, becoming the “holy grail” once customer segmentation and data are established.
Finally, automation is a competitive necessity. It is not merely an option, or a nice to have, but a strategic imperative to remain competitive, provided the business is “systems ready” and able to integrate effectively.
Where businesses are using communication automation
Automation is being applied across various business functions to streamline operations and improve interactions. In Customer Service, automation encompasses providing 24/7 support with chatbots, automating ticket routing, sending proactive notifications, and collecting automated feedback to close the loop on customer experiences, thereby affirming the brand.
In Sales, highly visible applications include meeting scheduling. Automation is also having an impact in areas such as lead qualification, outreach campaigns, and logging all customer interactions into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. A growing area in popularity is the automation of creating sales proposals and quotes based on specific customer needs, which helps speed up the sales cycle.
For organisations involved in Online Commerce, automation has applications in communications around customer onboarding, providing first steps and resources. It also aids in audience segmentation, campaign planning and scheduling, lead nurturing, and other forms of personalised messaging like special offers.
In Internal Communication and HR processes, automation ensures a consistent and smooth employee onboarding process by providing necessary communications and resources, including training guides and company policy documents. This is now extending to the use of chatbots to deal with general HR queries around leave requests, company policies and workplace processes and procedures.
On the Operations side, automation can manage activities such as invoice and payment reminders. It can also streamline document workflows for approvals and better management. Similarly, internal chatbots can be used for IT support by making use of existing knowledge bases to provide immediate responses and reduce reliance on human support teams.
How businesses can tackle automation risks
Just as with any other technology, organisations need to be aware of not only the advantages but also the potential risks around adoption, and put in place plans to mitigate against them. The risks include:
- Customer frustration and alienation: The biggest risk is that customers become frustrated and alienated if they are unable to get hold of a human agent to speak to, if the automated system cannot understand their issue or is unable to resolve their query. Embarking on a customer journey mapping process will help an organisation better understand customer touchpoints, experiences, and pain points. In addition, providing the ability to speak to a human agent upfront avoids forcing customers into using automated systems.
- Bias: This can occur when working in the general domain with Large Language Models (LLMs). However, this risk is largely mitigated when the LLM engine is pointed to curated data within the business, unless the initial data itself is biased.
- Hallucinations: This occurs when LLMs generate incorrect or nonsensical information. This problem can be addressed through customer journey mapping, robust business processes, strong knowledge management, and thoroughly testing – and re-testing automation models for consistent results.
- Preference for human interaction: The reality is that some customers simply prefer human interaction and are resistant to tech-driven alternatives. This can be countered by offering a human engagement model upfront and not compelling customers to use automated systems. While text-based interactions are increasing, voice will remain important for complex matters, and customers should be given the choice to upgrade a support enquiry from text to voice, or even video, if needed.
- Technical issues: Like any technology implementation, technical issues can arise, and organisations should have a plan to mitigate against this.
Automation is a strategic imperative
Automation in business communications is not a technology upgrade but a strategic imperative that transforms customer interaction and operational efficiency. By embracing a “digital when you want it, human when you need it” approach, businesses can achieve 24/7 availability, consistent service delivery, and better resource allocation, ultimately leading to enhanced customer loyalty and profitability.
However, this shift has to be customer-led and technology-agnostic, focusing on where customers are and what channels they prefer to use. A proper needs analysis is essential to establish what the CRM and any integrated automation should achieve.
Working with an experienced partner can guide businesses through the complexities of developing a living customer journey map and integrating communication solutions with core business systems like CRMs. Companies like Telviva not only provide robust communication tools built on Open Standards and APIs, but also offer managed contact centre services and local development teams to customise solutions to specific business needs.
Such a partner can help evaluate the best fit for your requirements, ensuring that your digital journey is optimised for success. Contact us today.