Overcoming language barriers and improving CX with AI

Customers contact your call centers because they have a problem, and your goal must be to provide solutions quickly, accurately, and with as little friction as possible. After all, in today’s world providing quality customer experience (CX) is a business imperative to retain customers.

So when your customers get routed to an agent in another country or region, problems can arise. Customers generally do not like feeling as though their requests are being outsourced. And when the customer service agent’s native language does not match with the customer’s, it may be difficult for the customer and the agent to understand each other.

But there are many reasons why locating call centers in different regions make sense, not the least of which is being able to provide customers with services around the clock. Voice AI solutions are now making it infinitely easier for customers and agents from different regions to successfully communicate. Implementing voice AI strategies can increase the likelihood that your customers will feel valued and understood, enhance efficiency, and save your company money.

Choosing the right AI technology for any aspect of your business is critical, and this is no different when it comes to Voice AI. Importantly, we already know that the best AI implementations complement your human agents and enhance their capabilities. They don’t replace them altogether.

Now, let’s look at some of the innovative AI technologies that are transforming call center operations.

Voice Virtual Assistant

Voice Virtual Assistant solutions are essentially chatbots that turn text to speech (TTS). It is a straightforward AI implementation that can create an immediate improvement in your CX journey.

 For example, it is possible to feed a script into your voice virtual assistant. The assistant will then convert that text to speech that can be delivered to customers automatically based on inputs into the CX system. Many customer questions and concerns can be addressed without a human agent interaction; TTS is a great way to deliver that information quickly and seamlessly.

TTS is also useful for creating personalized interactions with your customers, even if an agent is not available to facilitate it.The voice virtual assistant can be preloaded with several TTS prompts that will deliver information to customers depending on their specific needs.  It’s even possible to load the voice virtual assistant with the customer’s personal information—like their name, account information, order status, and much more. Using AI for personalized interactions can actually make your customers feel recognized and valued, improving their satisfaction. 

TTS can facilitate seamless omnichannel communications too. For example, a conversation starting on the phone can be transitioned to an app on mobile or desktop platforms. All the information that was exchanged on the phone call remains intact and is delivered on the web or on mobile—no new information inputs from the customer are necessary to bring an agent or chatbot up to speed on the issue or question.

TTS also offers versatility and increased accessibility. It can be implemented in many different languages, and it can even facilitate cross-language communications by passing text through a translation service. Additionally, customers who cannot read text such as vision-impaired users, nonnative speakers, and others may find purely text interactions to be frustrating or even impossible. TTS canserve these audiences and fill a significant communications gap.

Live Translate

Global companies must  meet customers on their home turf. English is spoken in many countries, but it is by no means a universal language. Live Translate AI solutions can help customers from different regions communicate with your agents, even if they speak a different language.

This technology reduces or even eliminates miscommunications due to language mistranslations. Customers can speak in their native languages. When the customer has finished their sentence, AI then translates the information into the customer service agent’s native language. This works in the opposite direction too, as the customer service agent has their speech translated for the customer in return.

Live translate AI supports over 25 languages, making it an exceptionally versatile tool for reaching new and established customers more efficiently and quickly around the globe.

Accent Localization

Customers often report dissatisfaction when they are unable to understand a customer service agent for any reason, and accents tend to be common barriers to understanding. Accent localization addresses this by shifting an agent’s accent to accommodate the customer.

Providing information in the customer’s home accent can remove a barrier to effective communications, and shorten the amount of time a customer and an agent spends on a call. This, in turn, stands to cut overall costs.

Applying accent localization can happen in real time. For example, if a customer says, “I can’t understand you” while on a call the agent can activate accent localization to eliminate the accent barrier.

Accent location can also reduce costs, with less need for accent neutralization training, which may also improve employee satisfaction and reduce turnover!

Implementing and scaling voice AI services in your CX systems

As is the case with all AI implementations, the best place to start is with a clear analysis of your current CX journey and customer service capabilities. Identifying pain points will help reveal which AI tools will serve your customers and therefore prove to be most valuable.

Once you have a clear sense of what the pain points are, and you have researched tools that can help alleviate those pain points, you should start small and integrate plug-and-play tools into your current CX tech stack. This approach cuts costs as custom tools take time and other resources and may require plenty of money to build. Plug-and-play tools can get you started with voice AI solutions quickly and often seamlessly.

Keep in mind that the best voice AI implementations do not serve to replace your human agents. In fact, your human agents remain among your greatest CX assets. Voice AI tools should serve to make their jobs easier and more efficient—and your customers’ interactions with them more pleasant and less frequent.

Investment in AI is expected to increase over the coming years, and those businesses that adopt purpose-driven AI tools early are more likely to thrive. By harnessing the power of AI technologies,  your CX will rise above the competition.

CGS can help you analyze your current CX and partner with you to decide which AI tools will help your business thrive. We’ll help you avoid missteps and apply AI technologies with less frustration, ultimately improving your bottom line. Get in touch today to find out how CGS can help you succeed with voice AI.

For more actionable recommendations on how to unlock efficiencies with automation and optimize your CX, download our latest e-book.