How to Use AI for Customer Service: 7 Strategies Plus Advantages for Contact Centers and Help Desks

Why AI in Customer Service Matters

AI in customer service uses automation and intelligent tools to improve efficiency, deliver faster support, and enhance the customer experience. Contact centers and help desks are increasingly turning to AI to streamline workflows, handle high ticket volumes, and boost satisfaction.

Businesses that delay adopting AI risk falling behind. Accenture predicts AI could add $14 trillion in economic value across industries and raise profitability by 38% by 2035.

AI-powered chatbots, SaaS platforms, and generative AI tools are now core components of competitive service strategies.

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to systems that perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, using technologies like machine learning (ML), big data, foundation models, deep learning, neural networks, and natural language processing (NLP).

A well-known, user-facing example is OpenAI's ChatGPT. Increasingly, these technologies integrate with customer service software to handle repetitive tasks, personalize interactions, and scale support.

What is AI in Customer Service?

AI in customer service automates interactions, speeds up response times, and helps agents deliver accurate, personalized support.

It enables:

• Self-service options where customers resolve issues without agent help
• Automated handling of repetitive requests
• Faster, more accurate responses from agents on complex issues

According to McKinsey high-quality customer service can boost revenue 2–7% and profitability 1–2%. AI-powered chatbots can handle queries 24/7, reduce call volume, and free human agents to focus on complex problems.

Common AI models include:

• Foundation Models
• Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Google's BERT
• Generative AI for dynamic responses

Watch Our Video On How to Use AI for Customer Service: Transforming Contact Centers and Help Desks

7 Strategies for How to Use AI in Customer Service

1. How Do AI Chatbots Provide 24/7 Self-Service?

   AI chatbots deliver instant, always-available support, answering customer questions any time of day.

   They:

   • Reduce wait times and improve satisfaction
   • Handle complex queries using generative AI
   • Lower operational costs by offloading routine questions from agents

   With accurate, helpful responses, AI chatbots allow live agents to focus on high-value interactions.

2. How Can AI Categorize Help Desk Tickets Efficiently?

   AI uses NLP and sentiment analysis to classify and prioritize tickets automatically.

   This:

   • Cuts manual sorting time
   • Flags urgent issues before SLA deadlines
   • Identifies patterns to anticipate customer needs

   Example: AI can alert agents to overlooked tickets nearing SLA limits.

3. How Does AI Automate Ticket Assignment?

   AI routes tickets to the most suitable agent or team, based on complexity and expertise.

   It:

   • Analyzes request content for best-fit routing
   • Monitors queries to spot trends for staffing and training
   • Frees agents to focus on solving problems instead of managing queues

4. How Can AI Generate Self-Serve Content?

   AI analyzes past tickets and call transcripts to create FAQ articles and troubleshooting guides.

   Benefits:

   • Always-available, personalized self-help resources
   • Faster issue resolution without agent intervention
   • Content teams can edit AI drafts for accuracy and depth

5. What Is Intelligent Ticket Routing with AI?

   AI determines the nature of customer issues and routes them to the right team for faster resolution.

   Automating routing:

   • Reduces handoffs and delays
   • Lets agents focus on complex cases
   • Improves consistency in ticket handling

6. How Does AI Analyze Customer Feedback Using NLP?

   AI with NLP understands both the content and sentiment of customer feedback.

   It can:

   • Detect changes in common questions or pain points
   • Reveal issues linked to new products or services
   • Help CX leaders design targeted improvements

7. How Can AI Automate Customer Satisfaction Tracking?

   AI automates collection and analysis of CSAT, NPS, AHT, and FCR metrics.

   It:

   • Reduces manual survey work
   • Identifies recurring issues quickly
   • Provides real-time performance insights to agents and managers

3 Key Benefits of AI in Customer Service

1. Automated Tasks Improve First-Contact Resolution (FCR)

   AI responds instantly to common queries, freeing agents for complex cases and improving SLA performance.

2. Improved Customer Support Workflows

   AI streamlines ticket handling, personalizes solutions, and monitors sentiment to proactively resolve issues.

3. Faster Response and Lower Average Handle Time (AHT)

   By automating simple tasks, AI reduces AHT and speeds up resolution. NLP-powered chatbots can interpret queries quickly and deliver relevant answers.

Key Takeaways: How AI Can Help Customer Service

AI enables:

• 24/7 support via chatbots and LLMs
• Automated ticket classification, assignment, and routing
• AI-generated self-help resources
• Sentiment and feedback analysis
• Automated performance tracking

The bottom line: To remain competitive and deliver excellent support, contact centers and help desks should adopt AI to improve both efficiency and customer experience.

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