Mixed messages from Klarna about plans for more AI, fewer humans

She said, “over the past few decades, we’ve lost the human touch with the rise of dead-end chatbots and offshore call centers. In fact, during this time, automated and remote customer service has led to a significant decrease in satisfaction and plummeting [customer satisfaction] scores: 67% of customers report hanging up out of frustration, one in 25 report rage-clicking, and 65% say they’ve left a brand after just one bad experience.” 

It does, she said, “take 12 positive experiences to make up for just one bad one. That’s how costly a service failure can be. Klarna’s move to reintroduce human interaction is not surprising. Customer service AI really is about providing an excellent experience to both employees and customers, and keeping a human in the loop increases trust, enhances usability, and helps build a stronger, more dynamic workforce.”

In a recent report,  Higginson wrote that that the 4th evolution of customer service is “dramatically reducing wait times, personalizing customer experiences, and giving agents the tools they need to perform their jobs better. Over the next year, AI will revolutionize customer service by improving the experience for both agents and customers, driving efficiencies and potential cost savings. This rapid evolution of traditional call centers and chatbots means that those who don’t adopt will fall behind.”