How AI Agent Assist helps reduce resolution time

On the support agent side of things, longer resolution time is akin to inefficiency, which is why in the age of AI, it’s important to keep customers satisfied.
Author:
Priyanshu Anand
Last edited:
September 2, 2024

Support has always been KPI-dependent - the impact of support agents is directly based on metrics like customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), resolution time, first response time (FRT), and more. In the digital age, self-service has given customers the avenue to resolve their concerns on their own but at the same time, has diminished their appetite for having to wait for support agents to respond. Longer wait times equate to dissatisfied customers, which of course, is undesirable for any company. The longer a customer has to wait, the longer it takes to resolve a query. On the support agent side of things, longer resolution time is akin to inefficiency and unproductivity, which is why in the age of AI, it’s important to keep customers satisfied, and reducing resolution time is one of the most important factors in doing so.

Direct Impact on Resolution Time

The integration of AI Agent Assist into customer support systems marks a pivotal shift in how businesses approach resolution times. This technology isn't just about incremental improvements; it's about redefining the very benchmarks of efficiency in customer service.

At the heart of AI Agent Assist's impact is its unmatched speed in understanding and processing customer queries. Unlike human agents who need time to read, comprehend, and respond to each question, AI systems analyze and provide solutions in fractions of a second. This instantaneous processing capability means that the moment a customer submits a query, the AI is already formulating the best possible response.

But the speed of AI Agent Assist goes beyond just understanding queries. It's also about the rapid delivery of accurate, relevant solutions. Powered by vast databases of knowledge and learning from each interaction, AI Agent Assist ensures that responses are not just quick but also precisely tailored to address the customer's specific concern. This level of accuracy and speed combined significantly cuts down the back-and-forth that can often prolong resolution times.

Threado AI Agent Assist, for example, provides support through Chrome extension that can sit on top of web app tools like ticketing tools such as Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, etc., and help agents by summarizing long tickets to help save time on understanding context, providing response suggestions based on customer tone and voice for better personalization and help agents provide answers faster, expand or shorten an answer, and also rephrase existing answers for more personalized options. These factors can single-handedly help reduce resolution time tremendously. In a way, Threado AI has been designed specifically as a tool for improving support metrics such as the one in question.

Moreover, AI Agent Assist's ability to handle multiple queries simultaneously is a game-changer. Traditional support setups can get bottlenecked during peak times, with each additional query adding to the wait time. However, AI systems can engage with countless customers at once, ensuring that each one receives immediate attention. This scalability dramatically reduces the overall average resolution time across all queries.

The impact extends to after-hours support as well. Traditional customer service channels might slow down or become unavailable outside of business hours, leading to a buildup of unresolved queries. With AI Agent Assist, customers receive the same prompt service regardless of the time of day, ensuring that resolution times remain consistently low around the clock.

In practice, the direct impact of AI on resolution times is most evident in the metrics. Businesses that have adopted AI Agent Assist report significant reductions in their average resolution times. For instance, a query that might have taken several hours or even days to resolve through traditional means can now be addressed in minutes or even seconds with AI. This level of efficiency not only enhances customer satisfaction but also sets a new standard in customer service, where waiting becomes a thing of the past.

With and without AI

Let's talk numbers. In scenarios without AI support, a single query might take minutes, if not hours, for a human agent to respond to. With AI Agent Assist, and the same query is resolved in seconds. When we juxtapose traditional customer support systems with those augmented by AI Agent Assist, the differences in resolution times are not just noticeable; they're striking.

Before AI integration: The traditional approach

Traditionally, customer support has been heavily reliant on human agents. While effective, this approach has its limitations. Human agents can only handle a few queries at a time, and each interaction requires reading, understanding, and manually typing out a response. This process, inherently time-consuming, leads to longer resolution times, especially during peak hours or in the face of complex queries.

Moreover, the traditional model is constrained by operational hours. Queries received after hours accumulate, awaiting attention until the next business day, further elongating resolution times. This delay can be frustrating for customers, especially when dealing with urgent issues.

After AI integration: The AI-enhanced approach

The integration of AI Agent Assist into customer support systems marks a paradigm shift. AI doesn't face the same constraints as human agents. It can process and understand queries almost instantaneously, pulling from a vast database of pre-existing knowledge and prior interactions to formulate the most accurate response.

AI's capability to handle multiple queries simultaneously is where the contrast becomes even more profound. While a team of human agents might be overwhelmed by a surge in queries, leading to a bottleneck effect and extended resolution times, AI can help shorten the time taken to handle all queries, drastically improving efficiency regardless of volume.

Quantitative impact

The numbers paint a clear picture. In a traditional setup, the average resolution time could range from hours to even days for complex queries.  Implementations of AI Agent Assist have been shown to reduce resolution times by up to 70%, a figure that not only signifies efficiency but also translates directly into higher customer satisfaction rates. For instance, a customer service team without AI might take an average of 24 hours to respond to a query. Post AI integration, the response time could drop to mere minutes or even seconds for straightforward queries, significantly lowering the average resolution time.

Lower resolution time = happier customers

The one thing no customer really likes is too any back and forth leading to delays in resolution. Time is the most valuable currency and, like it or not, having to speak to support agents isn’t something a customer wants to do, let alone spend hours or even days trying to get their concerns resolved. The differences are clear - in the age of AI, replying not empowering your support agents with AI Agent Assist means longer queues and impatient customers. Rather, give your support agents access to the right tools that offer much higher efficiency than manual labor and help resolve tickets faster than ever.

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