AI can transform customer experiences when it lives up to its promise

Date:
Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:45:43 +0000

Description:
Implementing AI in customer service should come down to equipping experts
with tools that enhance every conversation.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Pro Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Artificial Intelligence (AI) entered the mainstream with a powerful promise: to make everyday interactions simpler, faster and more intuitive. In customer service, that promise is especially important.

As connectivity becomes ever more essential to how we live, work and stay in touch, people expect problems to be resolved quickly and conversations to
feel seamless. Jon Shaw Social Links Navigation

Commercial Operations Director at VodafoneThree. But, even as AI becomes more capable, it doesnt remove the need for human input. Article continues below You may like Keeping the human touch in tech: what over-automation gets wrong Bridging the AI-CRM Gap: How mid-market businesses can get ahead in 2026 The agentic future: Why AI's greatest power is amplifying human potential

While some industries have been guilty of struggling to apply AI in ways that truly improve these moments or becoming over-reliant on the technology
before its quite ready weve seen, first-hand, the impact AI can have when applied alongside people.

It removes effort for customers , improves outcomes for agents, and raises overall service standards.

That balance of human empathy and intelligent automation should underpin the approach to AI. For us, it is ultimately about using AI to support human experts, rather than replace them pairing technology with the trained specialists who can interpret context, adapt quickly and respond with
empathy.

Its about unlocking the version of AI that customers have been promised. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro
newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The challenge: Customers are stuck on repeat Usually, when people contact customer service its because something has gone wrong or isnt working as it should be. In these situations, customers need and expect us to be able to deal with their enquiry quickly and efficiently.

Research into customer service across the UK found that: 82% have had to explain the same issue more than once, and the average enquiry still involves four repeated questions, 15 minutes on hold, and three different agents. This culminates in the Institute of Customer Service finding that 41% of people dread talking to a chatbot .

AI-enabled tools may offer unique solutions to these frustrations but, to do this, they need to sit alongside human support. Thats why AI should not only help agents with the sheer volume of enquiries they receive every day, but with the quality of conversations they have as well. What to read next AI in the warehouse: creating efficiency without leaving people behind Finding stability in an age of relentless AI innovation How to take AI from pilots to deliver real business value A better model: AI and people working as one For instance, checking account details, payment terms or questions about devices are tasks that can be answered instantly.

However, if the customer is reporting more complex issues like fraud or a technical issue or is identified as vulnerable in any way, then the handover to a human expert should happen immediately within the same thread, with no channel-switching and no retelling.

Once at this stage, AI can once again step in to help behind the scenes.
Tools like live transcription and real-time knowledge retrieval give teams
the space to focus on clear, empathetic conversations with customers and to do so more quickly than before.

It ultimately all comes down to equipping experts with tools that enhance every conversation. The right AI tools can help businesses to identify risks before they escalate. The future: Simplifying customer care With AI
supporting teams, one human expert can own the issue from start to finish and provide timely updates. Ask once, get it sorted.

Gartner analysts expect that by 2028, 30% of large enterprises will deliver service through a single, AI-enabled channel so customers dont have to start from scratch each time.

Regulators are nudging in the same direction too. Ofcom is cutting the complaint-resolution window from eight weeks to six, recognising that weeks-long back-and-forths are a tax on peoples time.

And thats why businesses need to invest in technology and people to help serve customers with greater speed, clarity and humanity as AI becomes more embedded in everyday interactions. We've featured the best customer
experience (CX) tool. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro



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