The traditional customer experience (CX) will undergo significant transformation in three years, according to Vasudeva Rao Munnaluri, RVP India, SAARC, Zendesk. The role of admins and agents will be altered as companies increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) into their CX. This shift will require agents to acquire new skills to effectively interact with these systems.

According to a Zendesk’s CX report, 92 per cent of industry leaders in India believe that AI agents will soon be capable of handling questions of any complexity. With digital agents expected to manage 80 per cent of global interactions, human agents will increasingly concentrate on more complex tasks.

The role of agents will change from handling mundane queries to more complex ones as they will be required to acquire skills to interact with and leverage AI. The admins will work with AI to respond quickly to business challenges and improve efficiency.

Additionally, CX leaders will need a strong grasp of AI, big data, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI use. They will be key in bridging IT, marketing, and operations, ensuring these functions work together effectively.

“Human agents will always work at a higher order level,” he added.

As AI systems manage mundane tasks, more complex responsibilities will be assigned to human agents. These tasks often involve interacting with other departments, collaborating with team members, and addressing situations that require a higher level of empathy.

“While these systems will be available round the clock to work, they need to be monitored, as they tend to hallucinate”, said Vasudeva.

Similar to human agents, bot agents have hidden and upfront costs. These include costs related to running machines, data center expenses, water, electricity, and system management.

However, the increased productivity and efficiency they offer are expected to offset these costs. Chatbots will complement human agents rather than replace them shortly, as they still have limitations and can produce inaccuracies.