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As Generative AI develops, businesses and organisations are boosting productivity and are slated to benefit from tech developments in this space – however it’s not replacing human staff anytime soon, according to the experts.
Richard Valente, Executive VP of Business Solutions at TP, one of the global leaders in customer support, says when asked if humans are being replaced by AI when it comes to customer experience, his simple answer is no.
“While AI enhances efficiency and helps meet customer needs, it can never replicate the emotional intelligence (EI) that fuels trust, connection, and loyalty,” says Mr Valente.
“AI has played a role in customer service for years and will continue to support routine tasks like answering FAQs, providing order status updates, or offering basic support. It’s available 24/7 so it makes sense to quickly and efficiently handle high-volume inquiries through tools like chatbots and automated responses.”
“Major banks use virtual assistants to help customers with basic banking inquiries, while major Australian retailers use AI-driven chatbots to track orders and returns.”
“When it comes to the basics, AI has it covered. But what it can’t do is replicate emotional intelligence. Humans have empathy and compassion. They can creatively solve problems particularly when addressing sensitive or personalised customer requests.”
Mr Valente shares tips on how businesses can balance AI and Emotional Intelligence:
  • Personalised responses: Go back to basics and address a client by their name. This is often missed by most organisations and research shows it’s overlooked shockingly often. Personalising responses show customers that we care and they aren’t just a number.
  • Be a customer yourself: Call into your own support experts to experience for yourself what your clients’ engagement experience is like. Customers need to feel understood.
  • Cultural sensitivity: AI may misinterpret language and cultural nuances, but human agents adapt and respond naturally.
  • Balanced approach: TP leverages AI for routine tasks, freeing up human agents to handle the emotional and complex aspects of customer service.
  • Engage with the client in a timely manner: Long wait times do not make your client feel important or that they are a priority. Ensure wait times are as short as possible.
“Recently, retail giant Country Road witnessed the limitations of its chatbot when a long-term customer complained that an outfit they’d ordered for a special occasion hadn’t arrived on time. The AI chatbot’s suggestion was a refund or credit. However, when a human agent took over, they recognised the emotional weight of the situation and quickly organised for express delivery and a discount as a gesture of goodwill. It was a customer service decision based on empathy which cemented customer loyalty far beyond what AI could ever achieve,” says Mr Valente.