It’s been hard to ignore the recent furore surrounding the advent of AI in tools such as Chat GPT and the multitude of practical applications that have been identified to make our lives easier. With fears that the latest technology will replace human counterparts in the workplace, Gareth Rowlands, IT Director at JB Leitch, asks whether artificial intelligence will be truly intuitive enough to provide emotional intelligence in the way we interact with colleagues, clients and each other.
New Technologies, Old Fears…
It is a long-established trope in science fiction. Our own creations outgrow us, supersede us and subsequently decide to dispense with us. It is the fear at the heart of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – right up to 2001 and the Terminator films. New technology brings a new paradigm, yet the concerns surrounding AI mirror age old concerns about automation in industry and the consequent redundancy of human skills.
There’s little doubt that new technology brings benefit to our personal and professional lives. The PC, the mobile phone, the internet – all have helped reshape our lives within a single generation. We rely on technology, but are we wholly dependent on it? No. Why?
Because the human animal is a social creature. We have endured and flourished because we learnt to communicate through language, cheated time by creating the written word and became civilised through relationships of mutual benefit.
The Personal Touch…
It is perhaps the relationship element that is most worthy of further consideration. Although AI and intuitive software can provide more efficiency, it can not yet provide judgment, discretion and emotional intelligence. From a client service perspective, the ability to engage directly with another person provides assurance, empathy and context. We build trust, understanding and sensitivity to others needs, and discretion and judgment in the way we communicate in delicate or stressful situations. We manage and balance a host of factors. Importantly this helps nurture a client relationship which is authentic. You are demonstrably making the time to foster and develop a relationship with a client and in terms of perception, not relegating them to an “artificial” substitute or automated response.
Balance & Benefit…
Research continues to indicate that “engaged” clients are more loyal, have more touchpoints with their chosen brands, and deliver greater value over their lifetime.
The adoption of new technologies and systems can undoubtedly enhance the client experience (CX) – particularly in a world of real time information retrieval via apps for shopping, banking, goods tracking, and more. AI powered chatbots are increasing in prevalence and can positively reduce the level of time and resource needed to direct and satisfy enquiries. The operational benefits and cost efficiencies are obviously compelling to businesses.
However, research also indicates that despite today’s technology-dependent environment, many clients still prefer human agents to chatbots for their service engagements. The research for the annual Global Consumer Customer Service Report found that only about half of all respondents said that they would turn to a chatbot for a quick client service need. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more complex or technical question, the more clients preferred a live support agent.
In short, people can react and adapt to the complexity of individual problems and resolve issues. An important point is that artificial intelligence programs and self-service applications only demonstrate value and benefit according to the information that resides inside their databases. If the client requires data only in a transactional fashion, so be it, however the more complexity, the more the need for the “human touch”.
A Hybrid Way of Working…
Perhaps our main consideration should be how to best leverage new technologies alongside direct and personal engagement in client service. We can build integrated and intelligent connections that draw on the best of both worlds – providing clients with enhanced service and greater convenience. We can reflect on what is appropriate and where to deploy these solutions – for example, a chatbot or AI solution may work for channelling general or frequent enquiries, or providing a primary interface for information or data retrieval, but, should be able to intuitively filter and escalate complex matters when needed.
Final Thoughts…
In building our business cases for adopting and benefitting from these advances, we need to establish clear parameters and scale the personal or technological solutions against our client service standards. We should apply the litmus test of asking “what should a client expect in relation to a matter” and given the relative infancy of the technology, rigorously and repeatedly test our rationale. Technology is a tool, and we should still wield these new tools with care, precision and control.
And finally, if the super computers do get too powerful and seek to become our robot overlords? Maybe we should consider turning them off at the wall first?
About the Author:
Gareth is an accomplished Technology Leader with over 25 years’ experience of leading and managing a large service and product portfolio in complex, global environments, primarily within the Supply Chain sector and latterly the Social Housing sector.
Gareth is highly experienced in building and running global IT functions, selecting and managing offshore and onshore partners, delivering large-scale transformation programmes, managing all commercial aspects of IT functions and transforming infrastructure and operating IT environments. This has resulted in a long record of success in delivering best in class results for a large portfolio of global customers through combining a strategic, innovative and entrepreneurial approach and driving Customer First business solutions.
JB Leitch Ltd is a limited company, registered in England & Wales. This firm is Authorised and Regulated by The Solicitors Regulation Authority (registration no 498140) to provide legal services in England and Wales. A copy of the SRA Code of Conduct is available at: https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/handbook/code/.
