Not too long ago, artificial intelligence was just a thing of science fiction, and its application in real life was merely a fantasy for most people. However, thanks to all the technological advancements of the 21st century, today, artificial intelligence is a reality, and it has more practical implications than movies used to suggest. AI is defined as computer software that analyzes its environment and uses machine learning in order to practice autonomous decision making. While the software is practicing these human-like activities, the necessity for actual human intervention is reduced; thereby, processes are executed much faster. So, we are not talking about sentient robots and the like; instead, what AI means for businesses today is the potential to make their work more efficient.
The term “AI” is quite broad, much like its application in business environments. Considering the pace at which technology is developing, businesses that fail to leverage the potential this upgrade holds will inevitably find it hard to compete. Therefore, here are a few ways in which you can modernize your business by incorporating AI and taking your efficiency to the next level.
Enhancing instead of replacing
There have always been concerns about AI replacing the human workforce. However, in practice, this issue is not black and white. The truth is that in most cases, rather than eliminating the workforce needed, it simply boosts the efficiency of workers, and therefore the company’s, too. While it is true that AI will replace some jobs, those are mostly repetitive jobs. If implemented right, with the skills of employees and their potential for development in mind, AI can be an enhancement to their work. However, this is up to the employer’s approach.
Cutting down on time wasted on administrative work
Some of the most monotonous and time-consuming tasks at any company are the administrative duties. It’s something that no one likes, but it still needs to be done. However, your employees could be doing something more productive instead of wasting time on these menial tasks. Here’s where AI comes in. As mentioned, it has the potential to deal with repetitive tasks efficiently, and administrative duties are good candidates for that. AI can make processes such as reimbursement quicker which boosts the employee experience. It can analyze big pools of data, which can come in handy for audits. All in all, you can save thousands of hours with a virtual assistant. Prioritizing is an essential skill if you want to reach your business goals, and AI will help you with that.
Efficient service desk management
Your service desk is another place where AI implementation can prove to be very useful. Considering that it is an essential aspect of your business, being your contact point with your customers, optimizing it for efficient workflow will not only take some burden off the shoulders of your employees, but it will also present your company in a good light in the eyes of your users. Long waiting times when a customer needs help is a sure way to earn unfavorable word of mouth. With the automation of your service desk processes using efficient help desk software, you can resolve the basic requests of customers faster, possibly even without them ever having to interact with a human. This leaves more time for your employees to resolve urgent and more complicated requests as soon as possible.
Boosting your customers’ experience
No company can afford to neglect its customers, and the good news is that AI can help you not only get all the feedback you might need to improve your services, but it can also help you personalize customer experience. When it comes to feedback, it can simply be incorporated into your AI-powered service desk management system so that your employees can get improvement suggestions instantly. Automating surveys saves you a lot of time and makes sure that you are constantly getting feedback, not only when you happen to find the time to craft and send out surveys. As for personalization, we already see this trend dominate the e-commerce world – and effectively so. AI can monitor customers’ preferences across various platforms and make sure that every recommendation will be relevant, boosting sales.
Ultimately, all industries can benefit from the implementation of AI in one way or another. Be it healthcare, the automotive industry, e-commerce, or financial services; business processes can be made faster and more accurate. However, be sure that you make conscious decisions when it comes to introducing AI to your business. Doing it just because of the fear of missing out, without concrete aims is not the right way to implement it. Make sure you analyze your business needs and don’t underestimate the necessary manpower needed to set up and manage these systems. Creating an automation island is a costly mistake. All in all, adopting AI in your business is a long and tedious process, but for those thinking in the long term, it’s the only way to go.
