One way to utilize AI is when companies leverage virtual assistants (VA). With virtual assistants, companies can streamline customer service needs and when it’s connected to a knowledge base, they can answer frequently asked questions faster and more efficiently.

This applies not only to customer front-end employees, but also as support to agents, while servicing customers.

This not only saves time but increases the standardization of the answer or solution for a customer. This is because most customer requests typically start at the front line, usually staffed by junior level, or inexperienced employees. Prior to VAs, an employee would have to wait for answers or the junior agent would have to distract busy higher-level employees with questions, or funnel through content to find the correct answers, leading to a loss of productivity and delays.

Instead, VAs with natural language and open dialogue abilities can provide faster customer service on one hand and help junior agents to better serve customers on another hand, while leaving high-level employees to focus on more complex business items. For this to occur, a knowledge base needs to be connected to an expandable range of topics. Only then can it widen its automation of several business processes and scenarios. This use of AI helps VA’s answer questions around the clock, 24/7, and not only relieves higher-level employees and their junior employees from spending extra time assisting customers with basic issues but it keeps all customer solutions in compliance with the company’s goals and regulations.

One example of this is with Reale Group, an international insurance company operating in Italy, Spain and Chile through the Parent Company – Società Reale Mutua di Assicurazioni, the largest Italian mutual insurance provider. Reale Group decided to improve its internal processes utilizing conversational AI based virtual assistants along with speech analytics,

By integrating conversational AI, Reale Group was able to provide agents who have less experience at the company with information relevant to their requests, increasing team efficiency. When conversational AI solutions, like Spitch.ai, integrate with company systems like Microsoft teams, it can access more data, analyze conversations, and use the speech analytics to help the AI to evolve and become more competent.

As more companies use single conversational AI platforms as a front-end business application, they can go beyond customer service automation. Speech analytics can also improve staff training, operations, and product enhancements. Automation doesn’t have to stop at customer support. AI can enhance a company’s entire operation.