intelligent

EVERY INTERACTION NEEDS TO BE

IMPACTFUL

WHEN CUSTOMERS EXPECT FAST

OUTCOMES AND EVERYONE IS

SHORT ON TIME .

burden on their support teams while living up to customers ’ expectations .”

AI has become a powerful aid in customer service , working behind the scenes to raise insights and recommendations , populate data and trigger processes . But there ’ s room for growth .

• Fewer than 50 % of service teams currently report using AI , but a majority of service decision makers say they have a fully defined AI plan

• 33 % of service decision makers report their organisations use AI , representing a 37 % increase since 2018

• 71 % of service decision makers said they ’ re accelerating automation initiatives

Customer service teams are looking to automation for relief from escalating workloads . Time-consuming manual processes , like collecting background information and conducting after case work like follow-up actions , can frustrate both the customer and the employee .

• 57 % of customers say COVID-19 has raised their standards for customer service .

• 73 % of service professionals say managing case volume has become more challenging .

• 39 % of service organisations use chatbots , representing a 72 % increase since 2018 .

AI goes mainstream in sales

According to sales leaders , AI helps reps better address customer needs . AI has been rapidly growing in the sales realm , helping to improve forecast accuracy and customer insights , but leaders say AI ’ s most significant impact ties directly back to the customer relationship . Put simply , AI helps sales reps spend more time with each customer and better understand their unique needs .

• 33 % of sales organisations use AI , which is a 49 % increase over 2018 numbers

• 52 % of customers expect offers from companies to always be personalised

• 90 % of sales reps say current economic conditions make it important to anticipate customers ’ needs

“ We saw a new type of buyer emerge in 2020 who is looking for a trusted partner and similar business values before a transaction can even take place . Every interaction needs to be impactful when customers expect fast outcomes and everyone is short on time ,” said Taksina Eammano , SVP of Product Management , Sales Cloud . “ As sales teams are tasked with getting businesses back to growth , sellers are turning to AI to understand their customers ’ needs faster , and in turn , creating stronger partnerships that last beyond a one-time transaction .” �