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.

Customer support leader, TP executive vice president of business solutions, Richard Valente 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,” he said.

“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.

“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.”

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 often. Personalising responses show customers you care and they aren’t just a number.
  • Be a customer yourself: Call into your own support experts to experience 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: Leverage AI for routine tasks, freeing up human agents to handle 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.