Survey of 1200 US consumers explores the delicate balance between AI and Human Agents and the growing demand for intelligent automation as part of the overall customer support experience
Kustomer, the innovative AI-powered customer service platform known for personalizing every interaction through connected, efficient and proactive customer service, unveiled its “2024 AI and Customer Service Index,” which provides an in-depth analysis of how AI is transforming customer service, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for businesses. From the growing acceptance of AI across generations to the need for integrated solutions that combine technology with human expertise, the findings provide a roadmap for companies looking to thrive in this new era of customer service excellence.
“The insights show that businesses really have a prime opportunity to differentiate themselves by blending AI-driven efficiency with human empathy. By effectively integrating AI with human interaction, companies can meet the growing demand for personalized, empathetic customer service, positioning themselves to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.”
“At Kustomer, we’re leveraging the transformative power of AI in customer service, and our study highlights just how immense the business potential of AI is in driving the future of our industry,” said Brad Birnbaum, CEO and co-founder, Kustomer. “The insights show that businesses really have a prime opportunity to differentiate themselves by blending AI-driven efficiency with human empathy. By effectively integrating AI with human interaction, companies can meet the growing demand for personalized, empathetic customer service, positioning themselves to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.”
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Kustomer surveyed 1,200 U.S. consumers representing all generations in August 2024 to gauge their perspectives on the state of customer service in general, and specifically how they view AI within the customer experience.
Key findings about how AI is reshaping the customer service landscape include:
- Excellent Customer Service Remains A Must, Not a Nice to Have:
- 69% of respondents prioritize quick and timely responses as the most important aspect of excellent customer service.
- 62% value effective problem resolution, indicating that customers expect their issues to be resolved satisfactorily.
- Professionalism (61%) and clear communication (53%) are also key factors in customer service.
- Roughly half (47%) say that addressing their specific concerns with care and compassion is important to them.
- The Future of AI is Now:
- 50% believe that AI has improved customer service to some extent and 59% believe that customer service in the future will be improved with AI.
- 78% are somewhat or very willing to interact with AI agents with 24/7 availability seen as the primary benefit of AI (69%).
- Even With AI, Brands Can’t Afford to Lose the Human Touch:
- 79% of people believe that humans will always have a role in customer service.
- Consumers are most comfortable with AI handling routine and straightforward tasks like order tracking (49%), service cancellation (35%), and technical support (33%).
- Fewer than 1 in 5 would prefer an AI agent for more complex tasks like complaint resolution and account management.
- AI Across the Generations:
- One-third of 16-54-year-olds believe AI can already resolve more than half of their customer service needs and there’s a growing consensus (over 50% across all age groups) that AI’s capabilities will continue to improve customer service in the future.
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Over the past year, Kustomer has seamlessly integrated AI into its platform, revolutionizing customer service for both agents and customers. Kustomer’s AI-powered self-service bot, Customer Assist automates accurate responses to 45% of inbound inquiries, significantly reducing response times. Agent Assist, its agent co-pilot, helps customer support representatives resolve issues 65% faster.
Recognizing the growing needs of savvy consumers, Kustomer is preparing to launch a next-generation AI reasoning engine powering specialized AI Agents, which will empower its clients to elevate the customer experience to new heights.
This survey, conducted August 9-12, 2024, was commissioned by Kustomer and conducted online by the polling platform Pollfish. Overall, 1200 U.S. consumers completed the survey. Respondents answered scale-based and multiple-choice questions regarding their experiences and perceptions around AI in customer service. Demographics of the respondents: Male (43%) female (57%) ; Ages 16-17 (13%), 18-24 (17%), 25-34 (17%), 35-44 (17%), 45-54 (17%), 55+ (19%).