TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT
Parit Patel, head of solution architecture UK at IPsoft, urges employees and employers to embrace AI by managing employee expectations Don’t fear the future
I n 2017, we saw popularity of virtual personal assistants such as Alexa, Siri and Google Home explode, with some even cementing their place as commonplace in consumers’ lives. The year also saw an uptick in the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) among corporations with several tech giants making substantial investments in this disruptive technology. While the effect of AI has yet to be fully realised in the corporate world, cognitive technology has already entered the workplace for customer service, knowledge sharing, process improvement and IT service desk automation. Early adopters are already reaping the benefits of these solutions as they gain improved customer experience and higher productivity. As AI continues to grow in prevalence in the workplace, the debate around whether digital employees will ultimately replace humans in the workplace is only getting more heated. Employees are increasingly concerned that robots may steal their jobs. However, the real opportunity here is not a direct replacement but an enhancement to their human potential. To appease anxiety and restore confidence, businesses must do whatever they can to prioritise employee engagement and ensure that staff remain When implementing new AI solutions and systems, businesses must make it a priority to minimise employee disruption. They can prepare their employees to adapt and work alongside the new technology so as to reap the full benefits of AI. Clear communication and a structured approach to implementing changes will be key to driven and productive, with a greater degree to operate autonomously.
customer support during periods of high call or inquiry volumes, or during off hours on weekends or late nights. These AI-enabled agents can also step in during disaster recovery scenarios when staff cannot make it to offices or systems are down. Simply put, AI can provide critical customer service and support when humans aren’t available to do so. In healthcare, primary care workforce shortages are a growing issue for many providers and they need to find new, innovative and scalable ways to service customers and reduce employee burnout. AI-enabled virtual agents are a useful way of supplementing and reducing pressure on healthcare staff. For example, virtual primary care agents can be designed to handle frequent, routine interactions such as requests for appointments or information queries about test results or immunisations. Another potential AI use case is fraud detection. A large gaming company that implemented IPsoft’s cognitive agent Amelia for customer service found that Amelia was much better at detecting scams when impostors attempt to access the accounts of genuine players. This has significantly reduced the burden on employees to troll manually through complex data sets looking for fraudsters. Instead, they can spend more time handling enquiries and servicing customers. Gradually introduce new tools and technologies Businesses should build their internal expertise to become more familiar with AI technologies and how to maximise their value. Getting early hands-on experience will be key in setting realistic expectations
ensuring employee expectations are in line with business directions.
Augment existing processes for a more engaging workplace AI solutions will help employees move up to more interesting roles. Businesses should start by helping their staff understand how they will benefit from the reduction of repetitive and unrewarding tasks with the introduction of cognitive and AI technology. Employees will be more motivated if they realise their importance and spend more time handling complex queries that require dealing with new exceptions and drawing deeply on emotional connections. AI can empower them by speeding up knowledge search, linking applications, automating processes, finding pertinent data from daily or weekly reporting, or providing insights into issues and predicting challenges before they occur. More time can be spent on managing staff, strategy, leadership and building connections with customers and peers. Use AI to add value where skills or time are limited AI can add value in several areas, starting with providing scalable 24/7 availability for customer service and support. Intelligent virtual agents can be used to provide ...not a direct replacement but an enhancement to their human potential
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | March 2018 | Issue 38 26
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker