Neglect all the things you thought you knew about customer support. AI has modified the sport fully, and the methods that labored yesterday might already be outdated.
At Intercom, we have been documenting gradual developments in customer support for years. However AI has modified all the things, completely altering the trajectory of customer support. The brand new AI-powered options — together with AI brokers, copilots, and analytics instruments — are higher, quicker, and less expensive than something earlier than.
This turns into much more apparent after we evaluate conventional chatbots with as we speak’s extra superior AI brokers.
Historically, chatbots relied on inflexible, rules-based programs and required in depth guide configuration to ship related curated responses. AI brokers, however, are powered by massive language fashions (LLM) and may perceive pure language, interpret and keep in mind context, and generate human-like responses.
This stark distinction represents a quantum leap ahead in functionality and impression. We will not predict what’s going to occur by trying on the previous. As a substitute, we should embrace the chance to reimagine the longer term.
That is why we have advanced our annual Buyer Service Traits Report into The Buyer Service Transformation Report. Primarily based on insights from over 2,000 help professionals, this report examines how AI has essentially modified the panorama and gives steering on methods to navigate this new setting.
Right here, I’ll share among the key findings from our analysis, highlighting 5 insights into how AI is reworking customer support together with sensible ideas for groups to thrive on this AI-driven period.
1. The window for gaining a aggressive benefit with AI is closing
For some time, many organizations performed a “wait and see” sport when it got here to AI. Not fully satisfied of its potential, they opted to see the way it performed out for others earlier than investing in it themselves.
However now, AI is an absolute must-have. Our analysis reveals that whereas 54% of help groups deliberate to spend money on AI for customer support in 2024, 76% really did. Why? It’s seemingly that groups raced to undertake the expertise once they realized simply how large this transformation could be and the way a lot they risked falling behind in the event that they didn’t begin utilizing it.
Heading into 2025, that trajectory is about to proceed, with 79% of help groups now planning to spend money on AI within the 12 months forward. With such an accelerated uptake of the expertise and so many groups planning to position large bets on AI, the window for gaining a aggressive benefit is closing quickly.
Supply: Intercom’s Buyer Service Transformation Report 2025
Sensible tip
In case your staff is not utilizing AI but, you don’t must go all in directly. However you possibly can simply hit the bottom working. Begin with a strategic, phased implementation targeted on high-impact areas. For instance, an AI agent can save your staff hours by:
- Managing inbound buyer queries
- Automating beforehand guide work
- Proactively participating with clients
When you begin seeing measurable leads to these quick-win areas, you possibly can progressively roll out AI to assist tackle extra advanced challenges.
For groups already utilizing AI, uplevel your technique by exploring its capabilities. AI is at all times advancing, and each step ahead is a chance to thrill your clients and improve your effectivity. Listed below are some potential use circumstances to look into:
- Implementing AI copilots to spice up human brokers’ productiveness
- Utilizing AI brokers to carry out extra advanced duties and take actions on behalf of consumers
- Utilizing predictive analytics to get forward of recognized issues
2. The economics of customer support have been rewritten
Historically, scaling customer support meant including headcount to fulfill demand. This was time-consuming, costly, and unsustainable.
AI modified that by breaking the standard linear development mannequin. Our survey reveals that 81% of groups agree that AI is altering the economics of customer support. By unlocking the potential to do extra with much less, help groups can handle rising quantity rapidly and cost-efficiently whereas offering a wonderful buyer expertise. Mainly, it’s now potential to supply higher, quicker, and cheaper customer support.
“The Transformation Report reveals that AI has damaged the faster-better-cheaper-pick-two iron triangle. Firms can now scale up clients with out dealing with crushing headcount necessities. Anticipate Agentic AI to reinforce this over the subsequent few years.”
Tim Sanders
VP of Analysis Insights at G2
Sensible tip
To win buy-in and exhibit the strategic worth of customer support, think about quantifying and sharing the impression AI has in your staff, KPIs, and enterprise’s backside line.
Take Firsty, for instance. An Intercom buyer, Firsty is a startup within the telecom house. It makes use of AI to scale help to fulfill the wants of the hundreds of latest clients signing up each day with out sacrificing high quality or rising headcount and prices.
“Intercom’s platform has saved us round €50,000 ($55,000) in wage prices over the previous 5 months, which is essential at this level for our startup,” says Gauthier Thierens, co-founder of Firsty. “And we all know that the headcount prices we’ll save with Intercom’s automation will scale exponentially the extra we develop.”
Whereas there’s no one-size-fits-all technique to quantify the impression of AI, listed here are some key metrics you possibly can take a look at to know the place it’s transferring the needle:
- Elevated AI agent involvement and determination charges
- Enhanced buyer satisfaction when evaluating AI agent interactions with human help experiences
- Weekly hours saved and value reductions per decision by means of AI automation
- Enchancment in first response time
Seize these insights in an “AI impression dashboard” that you would be able to share usually along with your management staff. It will assist give them a fast, clear thought of simply how transformative AI is in your operations.
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3. 81% of CS groups say their present instruments don’t at all times absolutely help their wants
Earlier, groups picked a help instrument and caught with it. Even when it did not carry out optimally, groups simply adjusted to it. Altering instruments was not often thought of helpful sufficient for the trouble to be worthwhile.
The place groups as soon as settled for ample instruments, as we speak’s help panorama calls for extra. Our analysis reveals that 81% of groups say their present instruments cannot at all times absolutely help their wants, and 50% are looking out for brand spanking new platforms, instruments, and applied sciences, both most or all the time.
This seek for new options isn’t nearly getting flashy new tech for the sake of it; as an alternative, it’s pushed by actual challenges like price, information safety considerations, and platform reliability.
Supply: Intercom’s Buyer Service Transformation Report 2025
Sensible tip
When evaluating AI options, like AI brokers, don’t simply take into consideration the brief time period. Positive, getting up and working quick at worth level is vital. However finally, you wish to spend money on one thing that will probably be a long-term asset to your staff.
Take your time when assessing your choices. Keep in mind, it’s simple for an AI agent to look good in a demo setting. What you wish to decide is how nicely it’ll carry out in your particular real-world context.
Listed below are some key inquiries to ask your self to find out your only option:
- How does this answer deal with queries of various complexity ranges?
- How simply can it combine along with your present instruments and workflows?
- How does it deal with information, safety, and privateness?
- Is it simply customizable?
- What’s its whole price of possession?
It’s also possible to check out The Buyer Service Transformation Toolkit to find all the things you should make one of the best determination for your online business.
4. Prospects have modified their minds about AI
Many individuals had been skeptical of AI in its early days. However now that clients have skilled more and more subtle AI interactions of their each day lives and seen what it will probably ship, how are they feeling about it?
Our analysis reveals that 89% of help groups consider that buyer attitudes in direction of AI have modified prior to now 12 months — 80% consider that clients really feel constructive, or no less than neutral, concerning the expertise. It’s now changing into extra regular and anticipated, and has already had a significant affect on what clients count on from customer support.
Supply: Intercom’s Buyer Service Transformation Report 2025
Sensible tip
To fulfill, and exceed, the constantly rising buyer expectations, help groups have to be ready to radically overhaul their strategy to how they ship customer support.
To boost the client expertise, give attention to leveraging AI’s distinctive strengths. As a place to begin, this might embrace:
- Utilizing an AI agent to supply an instantaneous first response to nearly all of inquiries
- Enabling 24/7 availability to help your world buyer base
- Providing multilingual help to make sure high-quality service for patrons all over the world
- Establishing a seamless handoff to human brokers for advanced points
5. Assist roles and profession paths are evolving
There was a interval when many help professionals apprehensive that AI would substitute them.
Issues have modified. Our survey reveals that 82% of groups really feel constructive about working alongside AI, and 60% are seeing roles on their staff evolve. With specialised positions like data managers and dialog analysts rising, we’re witnessing the start of fully new profession paths.
Supply: Intercom’s Buyer Service Transformation Report 2025
AI is creating alternatives for human brokers to ship higher-impact work. The positivity that comes with this can be a robust sign that help groups are seeing and feeling the advantages of incorporating AI and AI brokers into their workflows.
Sensible tip
The way forward for customer support requires a very new strategy to staff growth. Leaders might be proactive about this by:
- Figuring out potential specialization areas, like AI coaching, data administration, and dialog design and evaluation
- Growing particular coaching packages for these new specialties
- Creating hybrid roles that mix AI administration with conventional help expertise
- Establishing clear development paths that incorporate AI experience
The way forward for customer support isn’t coming — it’s already right here
This was only a snapshot of AI’s basic impression on customer support. We’re dwelling by means of a novel second in time, and the alternatives we’ve got proper now gained’t at all times be there. The aggressive benefit innovators acquire will solely develop wider as time passes, making this second essential for transformation. The window of alternative is open now. However, it will not keep open endlessly.
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Edited by Supanna Das.