While human interaction is still an important part of any contact center operation, machine learning tech—like generative AI, conversational AI, virtual agents, intelligent chatbots, and other tools—has become increasingly popular and capable.
Here, we discuss virtual agents in a contact center setting, including what they are, what they can do, and how you can streamline your operations using today’s impressive virtual agent technology.
What is a virtual agent in a contact center environment?
In a contact center setting, a virtual agent is typically an automated system tasked with one of two things:
- Directly facilitating customer requests, inquiries, and support tasks without human intervention.
- Supporting human agents throughout customer service processes to retrieve information, draft responses, and more.
Virtual agents are often deployed in conjunction with or as part of a larger customer service infrastructure. They utilize various technologies, like AI, interactive voice response (IVR) systems, and chatbots, to enhance efficiency, reduce wait times, and improve the overall customer experience.
Here’s a brief breakdown of how virtual agents exist today and some of the main action items they’re capable of:
- Basic customer support: Virtual agents can answer frequently asked questions, provide information about products or services, and assist customers with troubleshooting common and even more complex issues.
- Call routing: Virtual agents can direct incoming inquiries to the appropriate department or representative based on the nature of the customer query.
- Appointment scheduling: AI-powered assistance can help customers schedule appointments, reserve services, or make bookings.
- Transaction support: Virtual agents can assist with basic transactions, such as processing payments, updating account information, or tracking orders.
That’s a glimpse into how this tech is used at the customer level, but what about the human agent level?
A research report from 2023 revealed that most human agents (56%), have the option to use an intelligent assistant while working. Understanding customer intent, performing post-call follow-up tasks, and generating call summaries are among an intelligent virtual agent’s most popular use cases.
What’s the difference between a virtual agent, a chatbot, and a virtual assistant?
Although “virtual agent” and “chatbot” are often used interchangeably, there are some distinctions between them. These differences are mainly due to the scope of their interactions and capabilities and how they’re integrated into the larger contact center framework.
Nonetheless, here are a couple of key differences between the two:
The scope of customer interaction and capability
A virtual agent typically refers to a broader concept of AI-enabled customer support, which encompasses various forms of automation and intelligent, AI-enabled algorithms that can interact with users, including chatbots. However, virtual agents may also include voice-based assistants, virtual customer service representatives, or interactive voice response (IVR) systems that push customers through the service funnel beyond text-based interactions.
Conversely, chatbots are computer programs that use conversational AI to simulate dialogue with human users via text through interfaces such as messaging apps, websites, or mobile applications.
The main takeaway is that all chatbots could be considered virtual agents, but not all are strictly chatbots.
Level of integration
Virtual agents may be integrated into larger systems or platforms—such as contact center software, CRM systems, or enterprise applications—to provide a seamless customer experience across multiple channels.
While chatbots can also be integrated into various platforms and systems, they’re typically standalone applications designed to operate within specific environments, such as websites or messaging platforms.
Here, the takeaway is that virtual agents span the breadth of your customer service environment, while chatbots typically live on one platform only.
Switching focus, the term “virtual assistant” has multiple meanings—one is a real-life assistant who works remotely, and the other is an AI-powered assistant. The latter is the relevant definition and the one we’re focused on.
The value of an AI virtual agent for your customers and human employees
Virtual agents are valuable to a contact center in numerous ways, including how they support each live agent and your customers—directly or indirectly.
While it’s tough to narrow down the benefits, here are a handful that we believe bring the most value to your contact center:
24/7 availability
Virtual agents can operate around the clock to support and assist users at any time. This is especially beneficial for global businesses with customers in different industries, including nearly all organizations with an online presence.
In such a fast-paced digital world, where almost half (46%) of all customers expect a response to an inquiry in less than four hours, the value of increased availability becomes much more clear. No matter the time or the place, virtual agents are ready to answer customer requests anytime and anywhere.
Scalability
Not only can virtual agents handle multiple interactions simultaneously, but they also use automation to eliminate tedious back-office and post-call tasks, save agents time, and help improve first-contact resolution rates.
When combined, benefits like these allow organizations to scale their customer support operations without hiring additional staff. This effectively enables the capacity for a higher volume of inquiries, helping more customers and simultaneously delivering resolutions quickly.
Cost efficiency
By automating routine tasks and inquiries, virtual agents can free up human agents’ time to focus on more meaningful and complex customer support activities.
A study by F. Curtis Barry & Company examined 18 large companies, each with annual call volumes between $900,000 and $9 million. It determined that the fully loaded cost per call for contact centers is between $2.70 and $5.60. In this case, “fully loaded” includes everything from direct and indirect labor costs to training costs, third-party service costs, and more.
For smaller companies with fewer resources, the fully loaded cost per call climbs from $6.00 to $8.00 or higher.
Virtual agents can take over menial and repetitive customer service tasks to greatly reduce the cost per call for easily fixed inquiries. This reduces the burden on human agents, allowing them to invest more time in complex cases.
Consistency
Virtual agents respond consistently and adhere to predefined scripts or guidelines, ensuring that all customers receive the same level of service. Your live agents can rest assured that their counterparts are there to help them deliver an incredible experience by providing intelligent insights, assistance, and more.
Data collection and analysis
Virtual agents can collect valuable data from customer interactions, which organizations can analyze to gain insights into customer preferences, behavior, and pain points. When live agents can access invaluable journey data and define the context for every customer as individual customer interactions, they’re better equipped to handle even the first requests.
Reduced human error
Everyone is prone to errors, and making honest mistakes is part of the human condition. Even small mishaps in a contact center setting can have lasting consequences. In fact, 65% of live agents say that human error is the primary reason they make mistakes, according to a Contact Center Agent Survey Report.
Virtual agents, on the other hand, are programmed to follow predefined workflows accurately, minimizing the risk of human errors in tasks such as data entry or order processing to reduce the risk of honest but impactful mistakes.
An AI-powered virtual assistant to streamline your contact center.
Virtual agent software has great potential to fundamentally change how contact centers operate—and many centers have already seen success. With Webex Contact Center, you get all the same great features you’ve come to expect, now supercharged with AI.
When a customer inquiry does require that personal touch, Webex Contact Center arms your agents with everything they need to handle complex issues, large or small. It’s like giving each human agent a personal, AI virtual agent that’s intent on their success as a customer service representative.
Automation brings ease to agent reminders, coaching, and context clues to empower your human agents to deliver exceptional customer service every time.
Moreover, in October at WebexOne, we unveiled the new Webex AI Agent solution, aiming to revolutionize self-service by merging conversational intelligence with real-time automation. We also announced a new design tool called AI Agent Studio, which makes it easy for business users and IT administrators to build and deploy self-service workflows.
Check out the Webex AI Agent in action here, and discover more ways Webex can augment your contact center and set agents up for CX success. Learn more about Webex Contact Center today.
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