A Guide to Automated Customer Support 

Have you ever been stuck on hold, listening to elevator music that would make a dentist wince, all because you just had a simple question? Yeah, us, too. 

Nobody enjoys waiting around for customer service, especially not your customers. But what if there was a way to get them the answers quickly, without the hold music torture?   

Automated customer support might just be the option for you.  

Chatbots that answer your questions to knowledge bases packed with info, automation is changing how we offer help.  

So, buckle up, as we’re about to explore what automated customer support is, its benefits and limitations, and how you can automate your customer support to make your customer’s experiences a whole lot smoother. 

What is Automated Customer Support? 

Automated customer support is using technology to handle routine customer inquiries without requiring human intervention. 

Automated customer support includes chatbots, self-service portals, and customer-facing knowledge bases, freeing agents to focus on more complex issues.

Examples of Automated Customer Support 

1. IVR Software 

IVR software is a tool that helps automate a customer’s incoming call and divert it to the right person or department.  

This software is used to answer common questions using pre-recorded responses and can be customized based on the customer’s needs and preferences.  

2. AI-powered Chatbots 

AI-powered chatbots are virtual assistants that can understand customer inquiries through natural language processing (NLP).  

They can answer common questions, provide solutions, recommend articles, and even troubleshoot basic issues in real time. 

Unlike rule-based chatbots that follow pre-defined scripts, AI chatbots continuously learn and improve their responses through machine learning (ML), making them more versatile in handling customer interactions. 

3. Automated Ticket Routing 

With automated ticket routing, customers’ concerns can be categorized and prioritized based on predefined rules or keywords, ensuring that each issue is addressed promptly by the appropriate support agent. 

4. Automated Notification 

AI automation technology can set up automated reminders/notifications for agents and customers.  

For agents, automated alerts are created to remind them about an unaddressed service ticket pending for a long time, and for customers, notifications about their order confirmation, shipment status, and delivery details. 

Advantages of Customer Support Automation 

1. Reduces Wait Times and AHT 

Customers get answers to their questions or resolve simple issues anytime, anywhere through chatbots or self-service portals. This reduces waiting time and AHT.  

If the chatbot doesn’t know the answer to a question, it can create a ticket at the service desk so that the customer can be contacted by one of the customer service agents directly. 

2. Increases Customers Satisfaction 

Automating customer support can significantly improve CSAT as it offers 24/7 availability. 

Faster resolutions, immediate self-service options, and proactive communication from automated customer service cause a more positive customer experience. 

3. Reduces Costs 

Automating customer support reduces operational costs by eliminating the need for human agents’ intervention. 

Chatbots and knowledge base can handle repetitive questions effectively, freeing agents for more complex issues. Automating tasks like sending notifications or resetting passwords also reduces manual work. 

This translates to lower labor costs and the ability to handle higher customer volumes without needing to expand the support team.

Limitations of Automated Customer Support

1. Data Integration Complexities 

Integrating data from CRMs into automated platforms can get tricky when automating customer support, as automated systems rely heavily on accurate and up-to-date data. 

Issues such as outdated information, duplicate records, or incomplete data can lead to errors in customer interactions. 

2. Inability to Handle Complex Issues 

Complex issues often require creative problem-solving approaches that automated systems may not handle seamlessly. They rely on structured algorithms and predefined responses, which can be inadequate for addressing unforeseen problems.  

3. Lack of Empathy 

Automated systems are typically programmed to follow predefined rules and workflows. They lack the ability to understand emotions, nuances in language, or unique customer circumstances that may require empathy.  

Automation can’t replicate the human touch, which is crucial for resolving some customer issues.

How to Automate Customer Support? 

1. By Identifying Areas for Automation 

While selecting the customer service automation features or requirements, you need to identify which customer service area needs more attention. 

For example, if your email is loaded up with customer concerns, you can go for email automation, or if calls are piling up and customers are serious about long hold times, you can opt for IVR software for call automation, which will free the load of your agent. 

2. By Identifying the Mind-Numbing Tasks 

Determining the most repetitive tasks in customer support can immensely boost efficiency. Repetitive tasks could look like repeatedly answering the same FAQs, data entry for ticket creation, assigning tickets to specific teams, and sending status updates. 

Simple customer requests, such as password resets and account updates, are also repetitive and usually require a simple solution.  

All these tasks can be automated, which allows agents to focus on more complex customer issues. 

3. By Building Up a Knowledge Base 

Building a knowledge base is like having your own central repository where agents, as well as the customers, can find their own solutions.  

Automating the knowledge base in your customer support can help you in crucial ways, where your customers and agents can find answers to their questions by looking at FAQs, find suitable articles, product descriptions, how-to guides or visual guides without falling into pitfalls. 

After automating the knowledge base, make sure to check its compatibility with both mobile devices as well as your computers. 

Ace Customer Support Automation with Knowmax 

Ditch the customer service hamster wheel with Knowmax. 

Let chatbots handle mundane inquiries and free your agents to focus on what they do best, satisfy customers. 

Knowmax helps automate customer service by powering your chatbots and providing a customer-facing knowledge base for a seamless customer experience. 

By deflecting common inquiries with AI-powered chatbots and a robust knowledge base, Knowmax frees up your agents to tackle complex issues. 

The result? 

Increased customer satisfaction and a more efficient support operation.