The Workplace of the Future Needs Intelligent Virtual Assistants and Chatbots

When we think about the rise of intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) and chatbots, it’s mostly through the lens of customer service. And this makes sense, given the way that this AI-powered technology has changed—and continues to change—how customers interact with businesses, organisations, and government entities.

But companies aren’t only using IVAs to bring quick, accurate, and meaningful information to their customers. They’re also using them to change the way we work. IVAs allow companies to harness the power of AI to make work for your IT, HR, and contact centre teams easier, convenient, and more successful—regardless of whether employees are in the office or at home.

At Verint, we know how to prepare organisations for the Future of Work. We’ve seen firsthand that when IVAs are provided for employee use, they can deliver the elevated customer experience and greater operational efficiencies that the workforces of today and tomorrow expect.

For Your Customer Service Agents

The workplace of the future will be expected to move faster and more efficiently, even in the face of adversity. At the same time, customers expect the same level of service from their favourite brands—even during a crisis—as we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IVAs have helped companies keep their contact centre operations moving forward during this major disruption, and are expected to do so even after we return to more normal times.

While customers are increasing their use of IVAs across web, voice, and mobile channels, the technology is also used by a company’s live customer service agents. Verint IVAs assist agents in finding the information they need quickly and efficiently. This increases the rate of first-call resolution, reduces average handle times, and improves customer satisfaction scores—all while providing an immediate ROI for your contact centre operations.

An IVA for agents—including through voice channels—reduces agent workloads and empowers your agents with just-in-time support. An agent-facing IVA also:

• Automates and executes tasks on behalf of the agent
• Delivers real-time information and guided resolution
• Reduces agent training time
• Improves service quality and maximises efficiency

For Your IT Helpdesk

The Future of Work will be more reliant than ever on keeping your systems up and running. With more employees working from home, it’s vital that a company can provide its workforce with the IT service needed to compete and thrive in today’s landscape. This is where an IVA can become a game-changer for IT operations.

Verint’s IT Helpdesk Assistant is an IVA that can eliminate the need for IT personnel to process mountains of tickets for routine, rote tasks. Employees have access to immediate IT information to keep them moving through their workday, thanks to an IVA powered by an expansive natural language library. One Verint customer improved ticket resolution time by 28 percent after employing IT Helpdesk Assistant, while their number of “how-to” tickets dropped by almost 20 percent.

For a More Efficient HR Department

When employees need information from their HR team, it’s usually important, like a question about benefits, payroll, or time off. They don’t want to wait—but they often face delays due to the long list of queries that HR personnel face daily.

A younger, more dynamic workforce expects an equally dynamic HR department, which is where IVAs have already proven their worth. By automating high-volume, common queries, HR employees can focus on higher-level priorities—of which there are many in an HR department.

Also, employees get quick resolutions and the information they need. As the IVA learns from your employee questions, it analyses that information and can provide better information for employees in the future.

One Verint customer saw a 67 percent reduction in live chat queries after launching their Verint IVA. Another relied on their IVA for the always-hectic open enrolment season for their benefits—and saw the IVA handle 760,000 self-service interactions from their employees.