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Balancing Human and AI in Contact Centers

Customer care leaders are at a crossroads. AI offers major benefits—cutting costs, boosting speed and personalization, and easing agent churn. But cultural and real-world hurdles mean automation must be balanced with the human touch that customers still value.

Based on McKinsey research and expert insights, this summary explores the two forces shaping customer care: AI’s growing power and the enduring need for human agents.


The Surge of AI

AI is transforming customer care:

  • Virtual assistants handle repetitive tasks like payment inquiries and order updates, freeing agents for complex cases.
  • AI draws from knowledge bases to deliver personalized responses, cutting wait times and raising satisfaction.
  • One energy company cut billing calls by 20% and reduced authentication time by 60 seconds using AI.


Gen AI adds more power:

  • Summarizes interactions, reducing After Call Work
  • Supports live translation and 24/7 replies
  • Offloads repetitive work, easing burnout
  • Powers training simulations, cutting onboarding time by 20–30%


The Enduring Value of Human Contact

Despite AI’s rise, people remain critical in complex or emotional interactions.

  • 71% of Gen Z and 94% of baby boomers prefer live calls.
  • In industries like telecom and healthcare, human contact builds trust and loyalty.


Two Future Scenarios


1. Slow AI Adoption – Humans Stay Central

 AI adoption may remain slow due to:

  • Legacy system challenges
  • Real-time voice complexity
  • Preference for empathy and clarity
  • Personal AI assistants increasing demand for business engagement


2. Fast AI Adoption – AI Leads the Way

 Some expect a faster shift:

  • Customers are growing more comfortable with AI
  • 50–60% of calls are transactional—ideal for AI
  • Agentic AI can manage entire workflows
  • Per-call costs drop by 50%, even as volumes rise


To reach this future, companies must:

  • Fix data quality and system integration
  • Navigate cybersecurity and regulations
  • Help customers embrace AI channels


The Path to a Hybrid Future

  • Set bold, customer-centered AI goals tied to real pain points
  • Treat AI as a transformation—beyond IT
  • Upskill agents to be empathetic, AI-savvy advisors
  • Use AI to enhance—not replace—human empathy
  • Stay ahead of evolving compliance needs




For details on how to integrate @salesforce, @vonage in your contact center, please contact @comways.
 
 
 

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