Zendesk unveils AI suite to enhance customer service efficiency

Zendesk has announced a suite of AI innovations aimed at enhancing customer service capabilities through new tools including an AI Agent Builder, enabling users to configure AI agents with minimal training.

The latest advancements from Zendesk focus on integrating AI agents that work autonomously or alongside human agents across multiple channels such as voice. The company emphasises that these developments will allow businesses to improve service efficiency while managing costs effectively.

Among the key features introduced are Omnichannel AI Agents, which can operate independently or as assistants to human agents across all communication channels. The new AI agent builder simplifies the setup process and requires no extensive training. Enhanced functionality in the Agent Copilot now allows it to anticipate customer needs, provide recommendations, and deliver real-time insights into voice interactions, such as customer sentiment.

Zendesk has also introduced supercharged insights that use AI to analyse customer conversations, extract essential information, and offer real-time business intelligence, thus enabling customer experience (CX) teams to refine workflows and improve agent performance.

CEO of Zendesk, Tom Eggemeier, commented, "AI is now bridging the gap between high quality service, at a lower cost, while delivering much more personalised experiences." He noted the benefits of the new AI capabilities, particularly in assisting human agents to achieve faster issue resolution and higher customer satisfaction.

Matthias Goehler, EMEA CTO at Zendesk, highlighted the positive reception of these innovations among CX leaders, particularly due to the evolving technology landscape. Goehler stated, "Our AI innovations clearly resonate with the increasing needs of CX leaders," noting that 64% of CX leaders are re-evaluating their customer journeys because of technologies like generative AI.

Steve Franklin, Head of Global Operations at Siemens Financial Services, shared his experience with Zendesk, saying, "We've seen a major increase in agent productivity, with nearly double productivity gains in key markets like France while achieving increased customer satisfaction." Franklin credits AI agents for handling routine requests, which allows human agents to concentrate on more value-added interactions.

The AI agents introduced by Zendesk can now automate up to 50% of voice interactions through a new partnership with Poly.ai, ensuring consistent support across various channels. The company promotes the ease of creating and controlling AI agents with the new AI agent builder, which demands no prior training, highlighting the advantages of rapid deployment and maintenance.

In terms of agent copilot capabilities, Zendesk has introduced features that allow the copilot to autonomously anticipate needs, make proactive recommendations, and maintain up-to-date processes. The business procedures feature ensures agents follow the latest protocols and can immediately address customer issues with automated insights.

Zendesk is also enhancing insights into customer interactions, enabling companies to harness AI to identify why customers are reaching out, streamline workflows, and optimise performance. These improvements are poised to assist businesses in delivering faster, more customised service solutions efficiently.

Keith Kirkpatrick, Research Director at The Futurum Group, remarked on the importance of evolving AI technology in customer experiences. He says, "It is critical for the CX industry to continue iterating on how to best leverage AI to supercharge the customer experience." He applauded Zendesk's efforts to empower companies to resolve issues efficiently while maintaining the quality of human interaction.