AiThority Interview with Bill Patterson, EVP and General Manager, Applications at Salesforce

The hype related to Generative AI tools continue to influence the board room discussions. Customer service industry is one of the most disrupted ecosystems as far as recent advancements in generative AI and conversational AI tools are concerned. According to Salesforce, 60% of Sales and Service professionals cite generative AI as a major enabler in improving the quality of service provided to customers. However, they still lack the skills and expertise to use and manage the outcomes of generative AI responses safely. Salesforce AI solutions such as Sales GPT and Service GPT aptly fit into the disrupted space in the customer service industry.

In our recent article on the biggest AI trends influencing the contact center industry, we highlighted the cutting-edge insights from top business leaders in the SaaS and Cloud space. We found the distinct correlation between AI, data analytics, automation, and workforce management in transforming contact center operations. Bill Patterson, EVP & GM, C360 Applications, Salesforce — a leading AI conversationalist, participated in our AIThority Interview Series to discuss the various benefits of using generative AI capabilities for contact service.

Here’s what Bill said to us.

Hi Bill, welcome to the AiThority Interview Series. Please tell us how can Contact Service teams benefit from using generative AI capabilities.

Generative AI capabilities can empower contact service teams to scale service operations from the contact center to the field while also reducing costs. Recent research has shown that 63% of service professionals say generative AI will help them serve customers faster. Among service professionals that have already implemented generative AI solutions, nine out of 10 say it helps them serve customers faster. Contact Service teams have reported that generative AI is helpful for content creation, personalized service communications, customer self-service options, and service data analysis.

To stay competitive in today’s market, service teams need access to the latest data and technology to improve customer experiences. AI tools will help them collect relevant data and information, while also presenting the most relevant information to brief service workers on customer history, past visits, and notes from the service event. Teams will essentially be equipped with a “digital toolbox,” helping workers connect with subject matter experts instantly via Slack to resolve issues, easily access step-by-step repair and knowledge articles, and better identify upsell opportunities for customers – all from their mobile devices.

What is the role of Conversational AI tools in industries that deal with a large volume of customer queries?

Conversational AI tools like Slack GPT for Service can help teams resolve cases and respond to customers faster with personalized AI-generated replies that are grounded in relevant data sources.

Large lines of customer queries can be quickly alleviated by AI-generated responses and customer self-service guides based on real-time data. Using AI-generated knowledge articles and step-by-step guides, customers can easily tackle simple troubleshooting issues on their own, eliminating the need for an in-person technician visit. This often leads to higher customer satisfaction scores, since solving issues themselves is quicker and offers less of a disruption to their schedules.

By combining generative AI, real-time data, and CRM, Service GPT can create personalized responses to resolve customer issues faster and at scale. That means service agents don’t have to manually craft replies to common issues, freeing them up to focus on more complex issues and unique customer concerns.

Thank you, Bill! That was fun and we hope to see you back on AiThority.com soon.