The Importance of Effective Customer Service
Many companies underestimate the impact of good customer service on their overall business. However, it is an essential function within the organization, as it contributes to both customer loyalty and the acquisition of new customers. The literature on this topic is abundant, and numerous studies and surveys have highlighted the importance of effective customer service.
For example, it has been shown that 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases from companies that offer excellent customer service.
This finding leads us to ask the following question: what is the primary mission of a customer service department? In reality, it is a service focused on managing consumer emotions, particularly disappointment and anger.
"For customers, a service failure and its recovery can provoke strong emotional reactions. The customer who has experienced a failure will feel anger, frustration, and even rage. If the company manages the failure and restores the promised service, the customer will feel relief, regain calm, and may even express gratitude. On the other hand, if the failure is poorly managed, anger, powerlessness, and sadness may intensify," explain researchers Sara Valentini, Chiara Orsingher, and Alexandra Polyakova in their work on "Customer Emotions in Response to Service Failures and Recovery."
This highlights the importance of the customer experience, the consequences of which can be particularly detrimental if the company does not react quickly to handle complaints. Good customer service is therefore measured by its ability to create genuine, solid relationships with consumers.
However, there is often a gap between what companies think they offer in terms of customer service and what customers actually experience. A study by Lee Resources reveals that 80% of companies surveyed believe they provide "superior quality" customer service, while in reality, only 8% of customers share this perception.
This divergence can be explained by the fact that many companies do not consider customer service to be at the heart of their business. They invest little in it and often outsource it to reduce costs, resulting in standardized service, repetitive responses, and slow and inefficient interactions.
It is precisely at this level that generative AI can intervene, not to replace the essential human tasks of customer service (such as technical expertise or complaint handling), but to interact with consumers on the front line.
This may come as a surprise: can artificial intelligence really meet customer expectations? Today, the answer is yes. Customer service is no longer limited to simple chatbots powered by AI.
Thanks to continuous learning and natural language processing (NLP), these algorithms understand intentions, analyze sentiments in real-time, and adapt their responses based on context and interaction history.
AI tools are now integrated into customer relationship management (CRM) platforms to personalize support, anticipate problems, and offer tailored recommendations, often before customers even request them.
Today, companies are using generative AI to engage in natural conversations and provide personalized responses. It has been shown that companies using AI in their customer service functions record a 17% higher satisfaction rate. A significant advantage for Tunisian companies, which can rely on the local ecosystem of generative AI to leverage these technologies and adapt them to their needs.
