Having a hard time adopting AI in Customer service?

I've been where you are.

The pressure to adopt AI is mounting, but the path forward isn't always clear.

After guiding numerous companies through this transition, I've developed a framework that I believe will help you navigate these waters with confidence. Here is a link to an interactive dashboard I threw together with Claude 3.5 Sonnet Artifacts. Let me walk you through it.

The Framework: Building Trust and Enhancing Service with AI

1. Transparency and Education

You might be thinking, "My team is already stretched thin. How can we add AI training to their plates?" I get it. But here's the thing: a little investment now saves a lot of headaches later.

What you can do:

• Start small: Schedule a monthly "AI in Action" lunch-and-learn.
• Share success stories from peers in your industry.

Why it matters: When your team understands AI, they become your best advocates and innovators.

2. Integration and Collaboration

"But our systems are already complex!" I hear you. The key is to view AI not as another layer, but as a thread that weaves through your existing fabric.

What you can do:

• Pick one customer touchpoint that's causing frustration. How could AI help?
• Bring your IT team and customer service leads together to brainstorm.

Why it matters: Seamless integration means happier customers and employees.

3. Auditability and Explainability

I know what you're thinking: "Great, another black box to worry about." But it doesn't have to be that way.

What you can do:

• Insist on AI solutions that can explain their decisions in plain English.
• Set up quarterly audits of AI interactions.

Why it matters: When you can explain how decisions are made, you build trust with both your team and your customers.

4. Monitoring and Feedback

You're probably wondering, "How do we know if this is actually working?" Good question. Let's make sure you have the answer.

What you can do:

• Define what success looks like for your specific use case.
• Create a simple dashboard to track key metrics.

Why it matters: Continuous improvement is the key to long-term success with AI.

Where Are You and our organization on the AI Adoption curve?

Let's take a moment to assess where you are in your AI adoption curve. I'll walk you through each aspect of our framework, helping you gauge your current standing. As we go through this, remember: every company's journey is unique, and progress is more important than perfection.

1. Transparency

Think about how often you're educating your team about AI:

• If you're holding one or two workshops a year, you're taking the first steps. It's a start, but there's room to grow.
• If you've managed to schedule three or four sessions, you're making solid progress. Your team is getting regular exposure to AI concepts.
• If you're conducting five or more workshops, along with ongoing training, you're leading the pack. Your team is likely well-informed and engaged with AI developments.

2. Integration

Consider how deeply AI is woven into your customer service processes:

• If you've done some basic mapping of where AI could fit and have minimal integration, you're at the beginning of your journey. You see the potential, which is crucial.
• If you've comprehensively mapped out AI touchpoints and have moderate integration with some systems, you're making significant strides. Your customers are likely starting to feel the benefits.
• If you've achieved full mapping and seamless integration with your CRM, congratulations! You're operating at a high level, with AI enhancing most customer interactions.

3. Auditability

Reflect on how well you can explain and verify AI decisions:

• If you're conducting basic audits with minimal ability to explain AI decisions, you've taken the first important step towards transparency.
• If you've established regular audits and can moderately explain AI decision-making, you're building trust with both your team and customers.
• If you're performing frequent audits with high explainability, you're at the forefront. Your stakeholders likely have a clear understanding of how AI is impacting your business.

4. Monitoring

Think about how often you're gathering and acting on feedback about your AI systems:

• If you're reviewing feedback every six months, you've established a baseline for improvement. It's a good start.
• If you're analyzing feedback quarterly, you're staying responsive to changes and needs. This frequency allows for timely adjustments.
• If you're gathering and acting on feedback monthly, you're operating at a high level. Your AI systems are likely evolving rapidly to meet customer needs.

Now, let's add up your score. Give yourself 1 point for each "Low" rating, 2 for each "Medium," and 3 for each "High."

• If you scored 4-6 points: You're taking the first steps on your AI journey. There's a lot of potential ahead, and every improvement from here will have a significant impact.
• If you scored 7-9 points: You're making solid progress. Your AI implementation is maturing, and you're likely seeing real benefits in your customer experience.
• If you scored 10-12 points: You're leading the way in AI adoption. Your challenge now is to maintain this high standard and continue innovating.

Remember, this assessment isn't about judgment – it's about understanding where you are and identifying opportunities for growth. Every business's AI adoption curve is unique, and progress is what matters most.

Advance Adoption,

Benjamin Justice