It fascinates me to write about trends in the world of customer service –AI, inventions, startups, flops, etc. Now, my writing has more often than not leaned heavily on how and what AI has done to help the CRS assist customers. Thank God for AI.
There are, however, innovations and tests fashioned for the said goal that I have come across from time to time that have made me wonder and think aloud- Warrrathiss!
Top on my list is a Japanese-made AI program that is meant to monitor the tone and demeanor of its customer-facing staff. This AI, “Mr. Smile” solution aims to gauge and standardize the smiles of customer service employees across AEON’s 240 stores (AEONS is a chain of stores in Japan). So, Mr. Smiles is wired to coax agents to smile in the “standard’ way to customers to achieve a set target for customer satisfaction. The tool claims to be able to analyze over 450 elements, including facial expressions, voice volume, and greeting tone.
The AI-powered program then uses this data to rate a customer-facing employee’s overall attitude. It also contains a competitive game element that encourages staff to achieve higher scores by improving their attitudes.
Well, in a three-month trial conducted by AEON across eight of its stores, the supermarket chain reported that the attitudes of its customer service staff had improved by 1.6 times, I find serious flaws with this development.
One, the data collected does not specify if this information (of agents’ attitudes improving) is garnered from the My Smile solution or direct feedback from AEON employees. This means that it is true that the attitudes’ have improved, but they have not. You get it, right?
The other grave flow I see with this is this: by pressuring agents to act in a particular manner that is deemed agreeable by the company, they are losing their individuality and freedom to express themselves as they see fit. You agree with me, that smiles should be a beautiful, heartfelt thing, and not be treated like a product. Additionally, people are different, and they express their affections differently. Using a machine to ‘standardize’ people’s attitude sounds cold and silly, honestly.
I agree that a company has targets to hit and as many would say- the end justifies the means. However, me thinks that the ideal customer experience comes from genuine human interaction. It is the rich tapestry of language, woven with threads of emotion, and a sprinkle of sincerity that gives customer service its vibrant hue, leaving a sweet, lingering taste in the hearts of your customers.
Away with the gimmicks!
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