When it comes to clearing their doubts and getting unresolved issues attended to, the last mile connectivity between service providers and consumers has always been a bumpy road.
Artificial intelligence seems to have come in handy for several customers. A latest survey by ServiceNow, an AI-based business transformation platform, finds that AI is now deeply embedded in the daily lives of Indian consumers.
Despite AI’s growing role in daily life, its time-saving capabilities are not helping reduce customer service wait times, with Indian consumers spending 15 billion hours waiting on hold in the past year, according to the ServiceNow Customer Experience Report.
“About 84 per cent rely on AI for shopping recommendations, 82 per cent for food and dining suggestions and nearly four in five (78 per cent) use AI chatbots to check investment options, signalling a shift towards AI-powered financial decision-making,” it said.
The survey said about 80 per cent of consumers in the country now use AI chatbots to check the status of issues/complaints, recommend products and access self-help guides, with five out of six individuals actively utilising AI tools to resolve queries and make informed decisions.
Opportunity
This shift presents a clear opportunity for businesses to harness AI for faster, more transparent and efficient customer service.
However, the research shows that businesses spend an average of less than one day per week actually resolving customer issues, spending the other four days chasing and waiting on teams’ responses, administrative tasks, promotional offers, training and breaks.
“India is set to become the world’s third-largest consumer market that presents huge opportunities for businesses. About 82 per cent customers expressed that the new AI tools have increased their expectations of customer service suggesting consumer readiness for AI-led customer service,” Sumeet Mathur, Senior Vice-President & Managing Director, ServiceNow India, said.
The research involved a survey of 5,000 consumers above 18, during November 1 to 15, 2024.
