AI in a Time of Social Distancing

AI in a Time of Social Distancing

Let’s be honest. These are unprecedented times. 

As the world struggles in the midst of COVID-19, we know many of you may be struggling to provide quality customer service while also keeping your employees safe.

In a time of social distancing, businesses across all industries need automated self-service now more than ever. Conversational AI is uniquely positioned to help in this time of crisis, and companies who have invested in AI find themselves more prepared as communities practice isolation and self-quarantine. By using AI to set up self-service capabilities, businesses don’t have to worry about putting employees in harm’s way; and your customers can receive the quality service they’re used to, without leaving the comfort of their home. 

If you are a business that relies on a call center, we understand that this pandemic may be especially difficult. 

An article in The Financial Brand highlights the problems financial institutions are having in particular.

“In the span of just over a week in mid-March 2020, financial institution leaders are finding they must confront the possibility of a situation unimaginable before now: Completely shuttering their institution’s offices,” the article states.

And it’s not just a problem facing small to mid-sized banks, JPMorgan Chase announced March 18 the closure of 1,000 branches across the U.S. in response to the virus.   

Forrester Research says that the social distancing mandate is causing contact centers to be severely understaffed or even closed. This is a big problem, according to the article, because in times of stress people “crave the ability to speak with fellow humans who are helpful and empathetic.”

However, there is a solution to these seemingly overwhelming problems. Quality Conversational AI offerings can provide human-level experiences that enable customers to quickly and efficiently go about their normal banking business and get their questions answered without the need for employee intervention. 

By investing in AI technology that understands the complexities of natural human language, your AI can be trained to answer questions like “Can I put my mortgage payment on hold?” or “Is there an open branch near me?” and even “Can I get coronavirus from an ATM touchscreen?”

In an era of social distancing, automation and self-service solutions help businesses serve the needs of their customers while also keeping their employees safe. The entire Clinc organization is working diligently toward this promise. We intend to continue to get conversational AI to production, promote customer self-service, and help relieve the burden on human-centric call centers. 

Our mission in this time of crisis remains the same, to increase access to knowledge and reduce the complexity of interacting with technology for every human on the planet.