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Let's start by stating the obvious: your customer service department, like all others, is overwhelmed with requests. Customer satisfaction has entered the podium of key performances of companies. So why does the gap between the resources allocated and the objectives to be achieved continue to grow?
Customer service is a powerful differentiator, especially in the real estate environment where requests are often urgent and the need for resolution immediate.
Customer service automation has become essential to control satisfaction and maintain optimal team motivation. The figures prove it, more than 70% of satisfied customers can recommend your services where new customer acquisition has a chance of conversion of less than 15%.
The latest advances in AI on natural language processing (NLP) allow virtual agents to understand and respond to customer queries in the majority of use cases. This technology is transforming the way customer services operate in the long term, which is why we wanted to put together 5 key tips on the subject for all real estate companies who want to improve their performance.
Before giving you these 5 tips, we wanted to explain a little more about the relationship between virtual agents and humans, as this configuration will quickly become widespread.
The presence of a virtual agent allows requests to be analysed in real time and directed to self-care scenarios or to customer service representatives for complex requests. This method ensures that response times are reduced and that tenants or owners receive unparalleled speed of resolution. Both factors are directly correlated to increased customer satisfaction and team motivation.
Despite the advances in natural language AI, humans are still irreplaceable in customer service. That's why companies that adopt these technologies aim to improve morale and engagement as they focus on high value-added requests. It is easy to understand why an agent would rather solve a complex billing problem than deal with 20 technical requests, even though they are within the tenant's control.
The key to any positive evolution in customer service is obviously to focus on service quality. When a company manages to reduce the time it takes to resolve calls, then the increase in customer/employee satisfaction and the reduction in costs is mechanical. The impact even goes as far as increasing turnover as the customer base that recommends your company for its quality of service increases.
💡 O ur 5 tips for customer services departments looking for automation
Tip 1: Don't stay at the back of the pack
Maintaining a competitive advantage is as much about the financial health of the company as it is about adopting new technologies, particularly in improving customer relations. Companies that adopt them will sustainably outpace their competitors. According to Oracle, more than 8 out of 10 companies will integrate AI into their customer services in the next 12 months.
Tip 2: Demystify the image of a virtual agent for your customers
Consumer expectations are changing rapidly. The advent of AI in connected speakers has made it a natural fit for callers. Today, more than half of consumers believe that artificial intelligence can improve their customer experience. This trend will continue to grow as by 2022, an estimated 70% of customer interactions will involve new technologies. (Source Gartner Top CX Trends for CIOs to Watch).
Tip 3: Know when to empower the client
The speed of response is becoming the primary satisfaction criterion for simple requests. The speed of search engines and the relevance of answers has permanently changed our relationship with time. Customer services must adapt quickly because 72% of consumers prefer to find the answer to their question independently (Source: Forrester).
Tip 4: Know the limits of automation
The proportion of customer conversations managed by conversational AI is growing, but now accounts for less than two out of five conversations (source: Gartner Product Managers' Guide to Using Conversational Platforms to Improve CX). The future of customer service is far from dehumanised. On the other hand, AI uses can also improve human-to-human interactions by advising agents of relevant scenarios or data in real time.
Tip 5: Stay focused on what matters most
Customer satisfaction has finally conquered the podium of key success indicators for companies. While the real estate industry is beginning to realise cost reductions through the automation of their customer services, the real benefit of AI for social landlords, estate agencies or condominium managers lies in the ability to deliver an outstanding customer experience that will allow them to ensure differentiation in an increasingly competitive world.
To learn more about the use of virtual agents for real estate companies click here: The productivity and inbound call management solution for real estate companies
