Consumer demand for always-on, instant, self-service options has changed the contact center landscape. Meeting the ever-rising expectation for connected service experiences puts pressure on contact centers to deliver an outstanding customer experience (CX). 

Giving your team the right tools to do their jobs more efficiently can help drive higher customer satisfaction and create a less stressful working environment. IVR payment services are one of those key tools. 

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) payment services are automated systems that allow customers to make payments using their phones.  This technology is no longer confined to the banking industry. Utility companies, telecom providers, contact center customer service, healthcare providers, and retailers use IVR payments. 

In this blog post, we’ll dive into IVR payments: how IVR payments work, if they’re secure for your business, and how to choose the right IVR payment provider for your business. We’ll also highlight the top five benefits of IVR payments to demonstrate that this tool can elevate the customer experience in virtually every industry. 

What is an IVR payment?

An IVR payment is a type of payment system that enables customers to make payments by phone without the assistance of an operator. Rather than speaking to an actual person, the customer goes through a recorded menu to safely key in their account number, PIN, credit card number, debit card number, or bank details on the spot.

IVR payments aim to provide a safe, effective, and easily accessible payment solution. It also integrates with payment solutions for firms that complete a high volume of transactions to avoid overworking their customer service and support teams.

IVR systems also enable organizations to collect ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments automatically.

This is particularly helpful when used for regular, routine payments, like membership fees, bills, or subscription services; this saves time and energy, minimizes the danger of delayed check/ - payments, and improves cash flow for the company.

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How do IVR payments work?

When customers reach an IVR payment system, they will hear a series of voice prompts asking for their payment details — such as their account number, payment details, and the invoice amount. The IVR system then processes the payment through ACH. This tender allows direct debit from the customer’s bank account to the business’s account.

Cloud-based IVR payments are designed to integrate seamlessly with a company’s existing phone systems, using existing lines and infrastructure. This means customers can access the payment service by calling the same number they use for other customer service needs. 

Plus, you can integrate an IVR system with your payment processors. So, when a customer enters their payment information, the IVR system securely transmits this data to the processor for authorization. This integration ensures that payments are processed faster and funds are conveniently transferred to the company’s merchant account.

This streamlined setup allows businesses to automate payment collection, reduce manual handling, and improve efficiency while offering customers a convenient and secure way to pay over the phone.

For a better understanding, here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how IVR payments work:

• Step 1: Customer initiates the call: The process begins when a customer calls a business's dedicated IVR payment line.
• Step 2: System greeting: The IVR system greets the caller with a recorded message, offering them options to proceed with making a payment.
• Step 3: Selection of payment option: The customer is prompted to select the payment method option, usually by pressing a number on their phone’s keypad.
• Step 4: Input of payment details: The system guides the customer to enter their payment details, such as a credit card number, expiration date, and security code, or bank account information for ACH payments, using the keypad.
• Step 5: Verification: Once the details are entered, the IVR system verifies the information, ensuring that everything is accurate and complete.
• Step 6: Confirmation: After verification, the system confirms the payment amount and asks the customer to approve the transaction.
• Step 7: Processing the payment: The IVR system securely accepts payments and transmits the data to the payment processor for authorization.‍
• Step 8: Receipt and completion: Once the payment is successfully processed, the system provides a confirmation message and may offer to send a receipt via email or text. The call is then concluded.

Four benefits of IVR payments

IVR payments have plenty of benefits, but here are four important ones for businesses considering using IVR payments.

1. It can lead to fewer late payments

One of the main advantages of using an IVR payment service is that it can significantly reduce late or bounced payments. It gives customers the flexibility to make payments on their own, anytime, anywhere — reducing the chances of missing a payment deadline. 

It becomes almost impossible for users to skip or miss payments unintentionally with ACH payments. Automatic payments made using ACH are easier and less time-consuming than writing or mailing checks. Plus, it’s usually quick and free, depending on where you bank and the type of payment transfer involved. 

2. It can increase customer satisfaction

Customers no longer need to track and remember payment deadlines or make manual transactions. IVR technology guarantees customers that their payments will be made on time. It also helps route callers to the agent most qualified to solve customer problems and reduce hold times, resulting in happier customers. 

For instance, with Plivo, you can set your call forwarding with preferred routing rules to best fit your customer needs. Forward calls to agents in different time zones to ensure round-the-clock availability, or automatically move the call to another representative if an agent doesn’t pick up after 15 seconds.  

3. It improves payment security

Often, IVR payment systems incorporate voice recognition technology—different from speech recognition—to verify an individual’s identity, adding an additional layer of security. Your customers only need to go through a pre-defined verification process and authorization before making payments via IVR. Since it’s automated, there’s a smaller margin for error than agents manually handling transactions. 

Plus, IVR systems have built-in security features like encryption and are PCI compliant, further ensuring that customer data is well protected. 

4. It can reduce operational costs

IVR payment systems are great cost-saving measures. This technology frees up your team’s time so they can focus on high value-add tasks. And, they allow your business to hire skilled employees who can handle more than just manual call routing requests. The savings can be huge given that IVR payment systems come with built-in functionality for contact centers and communications. 

Four tips for choosing the best IVR payment provider for your needs

When picking the right IVR payment provider, keep these questions in mind.

1. Is the IVR payment tool secure and compliant? 

An IVR payment system should be inherently secure and compliant with PCI DSS, especially if your business operates in a highly regulated industry like healthcare, insurance, or law. Think about factors like, whether communications are encrypted, and to what degree. Does the system meet the specific compliance requirements for your industry?

Plivo, for example, comes with advanced security features and can help you stay PCI DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, SOC 2, and GDPR compliant. We use an industry-leading platform for our payment transaction security. All credit card information is encrypted using AES-256, so we don’t store any of your customers’ sensitive information. 

We also uphold high standards with our service-level agreements to all customers, where we respond to priority one business-critical incidents around the clock, 365 days a year. We also monitor our infrastructure through two network operations centers (NOC) and security operations centers (SOC) and use third-party notification and alert systems to identify and manage threats.

This ensures you and your customers are secure. At Plivo, we believe that businesses of all sizes should get premium customer support when needed, especially given the sensitive nature of online payments. 

2. Can the IVR tool integrate and scale as your business grows?

When you sign on with an IVR payment system, you want it to easily integrate with your existing phone systems, payment systems, and CRM software. Also, consider whether the provider’s system can scale with your business. As your transaction volume grows, the IVR system should be able to handle increased demand without compromising performance.

3. Can the IVR customer experience be tailored to your needs?

Choose a provider that allows you to tailor the IVR system to fit your business needs. Whether it’s customizing call flows, payment options, or language support, the system should be adaptable to your specific requirements. 

Plivo supports responses by voice or by DTMF keypresses on customers’ phone keypads. You can set up your IVR menu for additional languages so your services are available to more customers, especially in multilingual countries. 

Another thing you should also consider is the overall user experience that the provider’s IVR system delivers. The system should be intuitive, user-friendly, and designed to make the payment process as simple and efficient as possible for both your team and customers. For example, Plivo provides easy-to-use APIs and XML that make it straightforward to create custom IVR flows, designed for your specific needs. 

4. Is the IVR system reliable with good customer support?

Check the provider’s track record for reliability and uptime. A good provider should offer a robust infrastructure with minimal downtime, ensuring that your IVR payment processing is always available for customers. 

While you’re at it, make sure you also evaluate the level of customer support offered by the provider. Look for providers that offer 24/7 support and have a reputation for responsive and knowledgeable service, which is essential if any issues arise.

Plivo: Best IVR payment service provider

Plivo’s Voice API gives you full control over your IVR system, helping you deliver exceptional customer experiences while lowering operational costs. Plivo supports over 220 countries and territories, has seven global points of presence, and has 99.99% uptime SLAs available. Plivo offers competitive advantages such as:

• Ease of use: Plivo’s APIs and XML simplify the process of creating and managing custom IVR flows. Design complex, multi-step customer interactions without needing extensive technical expertise.
• Flexibility: Plivo supports both voice inputs and DTMF (keypad) responses, allowing customers to interact with your IVR system in the way that’s most convenient for them, enhancing user experience.
• Outbound IVR: Plivo enables the creation of custom IVR menus for outbound calls, which are perfect for applications like customer surveys, reminders, or voting.
• Scalability: Plivo’s platform is built to handle large volumes of calls efficiently. With its global reach and high availability, your IVR system can scale as your business grows without compromising performance.
• Security: Plivo offers secure cloud communication services, ensuring that your IVR system complies with industry standards like PCI DSS, GDPR, and HIPPA. This guarantees that customer data is handled securely, building trust and maintaining compliance.

Developers can easily integrate automatic speech recognition (ASR) to ensure your system responds to customers whenever and however they choose to connect. 

Setting up an IVR phone tree with Plivo is straightforward. Configure a Plivo number to interact with your web app, which will then deliver a menu and route calls based on customer input. For detailed instructions, refer to Plivo’s product documentation.

Ready to get started with IVR payments for your business? Request a trial with Plivo.

Cybersecurity is a prevalent and growing threat to businesses. However, few business owners know how many confirmed breaches are due to human error—specifically, weak or compromised passwords. This simple, effective defense mechanism is often ignored and frequently exploited by hackers and cybercriminals.

In addition to practicing strong password hygiene, one of the most powerful steps you can take to improve enterprise security and resilience is implementing multifactor authentication (MFA). 

MFA significantly increases the obstacles for any potential attackers, making the company’s accounts less appealing as a target for cyber attackers.

In this blog post, we will share how multifactor authentication works, types of MFA solutions available, features to look for in an MFA provider, highlight three critical questions to ask your MFA providers, and finally, a list of the best MFA providers.

What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security process that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to an online account or application. When you sign into an account, you “authenticate” your identity by providing a username or password. Multifactor authentication requires you to provide additional verification “factors” besides your username and password.

These factors come from one or more of three different categories:

1. Something you know: This is typically your password, but it could also be a PIN, security questions, or a passphrase.   

2. Something you have: This could be a physical token, a smartphone receiving a code via SMS or an authenticator app, a security key, or a trusted device.   

3. Something you are: This involves biometrics, such as fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, voice recognition, or iris scanning.

How does MFA work? 

MFA is like adding an extra lock on your front door to keep your home safe. It’s a security measure that requires users to provide more than just a password to access their accounts.

After a user enters their password, they might need to verify their identity with something they have (like a code sent to their phone) or something they are (like a fingerprint).

This added layer of security makes it much harder for someone to break in and access a user’s account, even if they’ve somehow gotten hold of their password. It’s a smart, straightforward way to keep your information and your community safe. 

The main types of MFA solutions 

Several types of multifactor authentication solutions are available, each adding an extra layer of security to your login process.

To understand how MFA works, let’s break some of the common ways to authenticate your identity into the three main categories we previously identified: 

Something you know

This knowledge-based authentication factor could be a password, a PIN number, or the answer to a security question. This authentication factor is semi-permanent, meaning it won’t change each time you log in and must be updated manually by the user to maintain its security. 

Something you have

This type of authentication factor relies on a third party to deliver a temporary code or PIN number. Common examples include: 

1. SMS-based authentication: This is one of the simplest MFA formats. The user, after entering a password, is sent a one-time code via a text message that needs to be input to complete the login process. It's convenient but less secure if an SMS is intercepted.

2. Email-based authentication: This method delivers to the user a particular code or a link through email. The user will have to input this code or open the link to get verified. It is easy to use but suffers from the same sort of vulnerabilities as the SMS-based methods.

3. Authenticator apps: Google Authenticator, Authy, and Microsoft Authenticator are some of the applications generating time-based codes; the user inputs such a code after his or her password. These codes have a lifespan of only 30 seconds each.

4. Hardware tokens: These physical devices generate authentication codes. USB tokens, key fobs, or another piece of hardware are very secure, but not practical to keep track of or carry around. 

5. Push notifications: The user receives a push notification on their mobile device, asking if they are trying to log in. They only need to approve the request. It's easy for any user to do so.

6. Smart cards: These are physical cards with an inserted chip put into a card reader, usually combined with a PIN. It's often used in corporate environments for secure access.

Something you are

This authentication factor is inherent or unique to the user, such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or voice. Biometric authenticators are popular on mobile devices, since they are hard to copy or duplicate.

You can mix and match these solutions depending on how much security you need and how much convenience you'd like to allow your users. The goal is to ensure that even if someone has your password, they can’t get into your account without passing that second layer of defense.

How to find the best MFA solution for your business

If you’re looking to invest in a multifactor authentication solution for your business, there are a few key factors you should keep in mind. 

Easy set-up and fast time to market

First things first: The multifactor authentication solution itself should be straightforward and easy to use, with a clear, intuitive interface—for both the team managing it and your customers. Your customers should have no trouble completing the authentication process, whether they’re using an app, SMS, or another method.

On the backend, your team should be able to easily set up and manage the authentication flow from your security management platform or authentication provider.

For example, Plivo offers a well-documented API to help you set up MFA. Plivo’s API uses standard HTTP verbs and status codes, which makes it easy to integrate into your existing systems. Whether your development team prefers Python, Ruby, Node, PHP, Java, .NET, Go, or even cURL, the setup process is consistent and streamlined. 

Rich features for better engagement 

When it comes to integrating MFA into your applications and scaling delivery globally, having the right features in place can make all the difference.

Plivo supports real-time delivery report notifications so you can track how your messages are performing globally. This gives you valuable insight into your delivery rates and understanding the effectiveness of your messaging strategy.

We also provide pre-approved templates optimized for conversions. These ready-made message templates comply with industry regulations and are designed to maximize engagement and drive conversions.

These templates can save time and effort compared to creating messages from scratch. Instead, focus on what really matters—connecting with your audience.

Built-in security and data compliance features

When you’re looking for an multifactor authentication solution provider, consider the built-in regulatory and data compliance features it offers. Look for specific fraud protection tools that can protect your customers.

Plivo, for instance, provides Fraud Shield, a powerful solution designed to help reduce the risk of fraud like SMS pumping fraud and account token takeover.

Fraud Shield provides two key features: Geo Permissions and Fraud Thresholds. Geo Permissions let you control which countries your SMS traffic can reach, blocking and not charging for messages sent to unapproved countries.

Fraud Thresholds allow you to set a limit on the number of messages sent per hour to approved countries, helping prevent issues if the limit is exceeded.

Low operational costs 

Cost is often one of the biggest concerns for companies vetting MFA tools. While there’s a wide range of tools with multiple pricing plans, it all boils down to your specific requirements and how much you use a particular service.

With Plivo, you only pay for what you use. There’s no authentication fee— we only charge for SMS and voice services. Plus, you can save even more with customized pricing and committed spend contracts tailored to your needs.

You won’t have to worry about purchasing or renting phone numbers either. Plivo’s pre-registered phone numbers are available for use without any monthly rental fees, streamlining your setup and reducing costs.

Compliance can often bring extra costs, but not with Plivo. There are no additional fees for regulatory compliance, so you can eliminate the overhead typically associated with compliance registrations.

And when it comes to protecting your messaging with Fraud Shield, there’s no extra cost involved. Plivo includes Fraud Shield at no additional charge, helping to prevent SMS pumping fraud without impacting your budget.

3 key questions to ask multifactor authentication solution providers

Ask potential partners these three questions to figure out which provider is the best fit for your MFA needs.

What authentication methods do you support?

A good MFA provider should be able to support a wide variety of authentication methods—including SMS, email, call, and hardware tokens.

The more choices you have, the more flexibility you can ultimately offer your customers. For instance, while SMS-based authentication may be easy and quick for some users, others will want to feel more secure using a method like biometrics. This is a case where more is more: the more authentication methods you can offer, the more convenience and security you can offer your customers. 

How do you guarantee data safety and compliance?

With regulations like GDPR and HIPAA in play, you need to be confident that your provider is handling sensitive information properly. Ask about their encryption standards, their storage, and what kind of certifications they have.

For example, if the provider stores any authentication data, it must be  encrypted both in transit and at rest. Ask about how they would handle a possible breach of your data and what controls are in place to prevent such a breach from happening.

Does your platform integrate with our existing tech? 

Ultimately, an MFA’s efficacy is dependent on how well it integrates with your current infrastructure. You’ll want to know how easy it is to integrate MFA with your current tech stack—whether it’s your CRM, ERP, or any custom applications you use.

Ask about their support for popular platforms and whether they offer APIs or SDKs for custom integrations. For example, is there a native integration with Salesforce, or will you need to build a custom solution? Be sure to consider SSO and other identity management tools. A provider with strong integration capabilities will help you implement MFA efficiently, saving you time and resources in the long run.

At a glance: the 11 best MFA solutions for businesses

Here’s a quick comparison of the 11 most popular MFA solutions on the market today.

11 Best MFA solutions for businesses

1. Plivo

Reviews and ratings 

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

Plivo is an easy-to-use, flexible option to implement communication APIs that will suit MFA. It is highly-rated for strong API documentation and great service, making Plivo a good option for developers looking for scalable solutions.

Key features 

• Pre-approved message templates for maximum conversions
• Support for global SMS and voice messaging
• Real-time alerting for delivery reports
• No need to purchase or rent any numbers; use pre-registered numbers
• No compliance fees or extra fees for Fraud Shield

Limitations 

• Does not support some specific advanced authentication methods, like biometric authentication.

Pricing 

• Offers pay-as-you-go model
• The committed-spend contracts for committed volumes help save some money

Who is it best for?

Plivo is ideal for developers and businesses that are looking for the easiest and most cost-effective way to integrate MFA into their applications, thereby avoiding hassle with compliance management and fraud prevention. 

2. Cisco Secure Access by Duo 

Reviews and ratings 

TrustRadius: 9.4 out of 10 stars

Cisco Duo is highly regarded for its comprehensive security features and ease of use, particularly for businesses of all sizes. It’s often recommended for organizations looking to build a zero-trust security framework.

Key features 

• Almost every authentication method is supported, including biometrics.
• Passwordless authentication with push notifications and OTP.
• Seamless service integration with platforms like Office 365 and Fortinet.
• FIDO2, SOC 2, and HIPAA standards are supported.

Limitations 

• Push notification delays may happen, according to several users.
• Certain issues with multi-device login support.

Pricing 

• Starts at $3 per user per month
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

Cisco Duo is ideal for organizations of all sizes, especially those looking for a reliable, scalable solution to secure user access and integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure.

3. Okta Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication

Reviews and ratings 

Gartner: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Okta’s MFA solution is a leader in the market, especially with its adaptive policies Okta allows better strength in security without frustrating users. It is highly favored by larger enterprises with a need for flexible and scalable identity management.

Key features 

• Context- and behavior-aware adaptive authentication
• Integrations with a vast number of apps and services, including AWS and Slack
• Support for biometric authentication and the ability of users to log in without a password
• The product complies with all major standards, including PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR

Limitations 

• Costlier than some other MFA solutions available in the market
• Some users find the setup too complex 

Pricing 

• Starts at $2 per user per month for businesses
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

Okta is best for medium-sized enterprises and large corporations that are on the lookout for a fully functional identity management solution with top-notch security management and high integration capabilities.

4. Onelogin Workforce Identity 

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

OneLogin is one of the most popular MFA providers out there. It’s appreciated for its extensive app integrations and ease of use. In particular, users like OneLogin’s workforce identity and access management features deployed in the cloud or on-premises.

Key features 

• Huge app catalog with over 6,000 integrations
• Multiple-directory identity management synchronization
• Adaptive MFA and SSO for internal and external users
• User and application lifecycle management

Limitations 

• Users sometimes complain of integration and implementation difficulties
• Can be too complex for smaller businesses

Pricing 

• Pricing varies according to deployment and usage needs
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

OneLogin is a great fit for SMBs and enterprises looking for a comprehensive workforce identity solution that includes robust MFA, SSO, and extensive app integrations.

5. Microsoft Entra ID

Reviews and ratings 

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Microsoft Entra ID is great for businesses that are already operating within the Microsoft 365 environment. The MFA provider is said to be relatively easy to set up and manage for enterprise businesses.

Key features 

• Different ways of authentication from Windows Hello to FIDO2 to SMS
• Thousands of SaaS applications and internal applications can be integrated
• Conditional access policies dependent on the user and device risk
• Easy to use by both the user and admin, especially in Microsoft environments

Limitations

• Best suits organizations that offer their services through Microsoft services
• Will ultimately require you to purchase licenses for advanced capabilities 

Pricing 

• Part of Microsoft 365 pricing; additional charges may apply for advanced features
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

Microsoft Entra ID is best for organizations heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, offering seamless integration and strong security features that enhance the overall identity management experience.

6. IBM Verify

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4 out of 5 stars

IBM Verify provides advanced MFA and passwordless authentication, integrating with IBM's suite of security products. IBM Verify is a full identity access management solution that integrates AI in its user-friendly authentication processes. Users like that it’s intuitive and easy to log into multiple systems. 

Key features

• Adaptive authentication uses context-aware policies to evaluate access requests based on factors like device, location, and behavior. 
• Risk-based authentication automatically adjusts authentication requirements based on the perceived risk level of each access attempt.
• Supports modern passwordless authentication methods, including passkeys and QR code authentication.
• Seamlessly integrates with other IBM security products. 

Limitations

• Users say the system is complex and difficult to set up
• Expensive compared to other solutions on the market 
• Multiple security flaws were discovered in IBM Security Verify Access (ISVA) 

Pricing

• Pricing for IBM Verify is based on actual usage 
• On AWS, pricing is based on contract duration. For instance, Verify Workforce capabilities for 100 workforce users is listed at $15,899.29/year. 

Who is it for?

IBM Verify is ideal for businesses looking for a comprehensive cloud-based identity and access management solution from a trusted vendor. Although the platform has had some security bugs, it’s the best option for any businesses already using IBM’s suite of other products. 

7. Google Authenticator

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Google App Store: 3.7 out of 5 stars

Google Authenticator is an app that generates a unique code to use during the login process in addition to a username and password. Google Authenticator can generate a verification code even without a network or cellular connection. 

Key features

• Time-based, unique six-digit passcodes change every 30 seconds, providing a dynamic and secure authentication method. 
• Generate passcodes locally on a device without requiring an internet connection or mobile service. 
• Add and manage multiple accounts so you can centralize all MFA needs in one place. 

Limitations

• Google Authenticator only provides one type of factor – something you have. This may not be sufficient security for all users. 
• Users say the most recent update created sync issues, making it difficult to log in to their accounts. 

Pricing

• Google Authenticator is free. 

Who is it for?

Google Authenticator is a great option for businesses on a budget. It’s easy to use and intuitive for most users. However, it’s not a true MFA solution; it should be integrated with other authentication methods to secure user accounts.

8. Ping Identity MFA

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.4 out of 5 stars

Users say that Ping Identity’s MFA solution offers robust security with a wide range of integrations and a strong focus on enterprise needs. Ping Identity works with biometrics, OTPs, and mobile authentication to secure your business’s systems. 

Key features

• Ping Identity supports a range of authentication options, including mobile push notifications, email OTP, SMS OTP, TOTP authenticator apps, QR codes, magic links, FIDO2-bound biometrics, and security keys
• Ping Identity MFA is part of a larger suite of IAM tools by Ping One that can deliver enhanced security across vectors. 
• Ping Identity MFA offers extensive policy configuration options. Administrators can create detailed MFA policies, specifying settings such as device selection methods, pairing key lifetimes, push notification limits, passcode failure limits, and lock durations. 

Limitations

• Users say the solution is complex to set up and use
• The interface is clunky and difficult to integrate with other tools. 

Pricing

• MFA is part of the PingOne subscription service, which starts at $20,000/year
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it for?

Ping Identity is best for large enterprises with complex identity management requirements. PingOne is best for businesses that need to find the right balance between security and user convenience, with support for various authentication methods including passkeys, biometrics, and push notifications.

9. LastPass MFA

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5

LastPass MFA combines password management with robust MFA capabilities, offering adaptive authentication and a unified admin console. LastPass primarily caters to personal users, but also offers solutions for teams and enterprise businesses seeking to enhance their security protocols.

Key features

• Primarily known as a password management tool, LastPass offers MFA for LastPass password vault access. 
• The Advanced MFA add-on offers MFA for VPNs, workstations, on-premises apps, and identity providers.
• LastPass MFA supports a wide range of authentication options, including biometric authentication, push notifications, authenticator apps, and contextual factors like location and IP address.

Limitations

• LastPass is most popular as a password management tool for individuals, and therefore may not have as many business-focused integrations. 
• Reviewers on G2 cite login, autofill, and security issues that arise when using the app. 

Pricing

• 14-day free trial available. 
• LastPass Business starts at €6.50 per user / month, billed annually

Who is it for?

LastPass is best for sole proprietors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses seeking an affordable, easy-to-implement solution that enhances security without requiring extensive IT resources. 

10. RSA SecurID

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars

RSA SecurID has built a long-standing reputation for strong security and a wide range of authentication methods, including hardware tokens. Like other solutions on this list, RSA SecurID is part of a full suite of IAM tools, including automated identity intelligence, authentication, access, and governance. 

Key features

• Supports multiple authentication options, including hardware tokens, software tokens, mobile push notifications, and biometrics. 
• Also offers temporary OTPs that can be used as MFA factors.
• Robust protection for remote access to corporate networks, applications, and resources; good for distributed workforces.

Limitations

• Users say the solution is expensive. 
• In the past, RSA SecurID has had 2FA issues as well as authentication issues. 

Pricing

• Pricing not listed; contact sales team for details. 

Who is it for?

RSA SecurID is ideal for big enterprises with strict security requirements, particularly in regulated industries.

11. JumpCloud

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5

JumpCloud is a cloud-based directory platform that provides centralized identity and access management for organizations. Two features in the platform, JumpCloud MFA and JumpCloud Protect™, secure user access to applications, devices, networks, and other resources.

Key features

• JumpCloud Protect is is the platform’s authenticator app that provides three authentication methods: OTPs, push notifications, and biometric verification. 
• JumpCloud MFA supports a variety of authentication methods beyond JumpCloud Protect, including third party authenticators and hardware security keys. 
• Both features are part of the larger JumpCloud IAM platform that centralizes management of users, devices, and access control. 

Limitations

• Reviewers say the platform is missing key features or lacking technical capacity.
• Some users think the platform has a poor user interface. 

Pricing

• Pricing starts at  $9/user/mo billed annually. 

Who is it for?

This cloud-based directory platform with integrated MFA simplifies IT management for small to medium-sized businesses.

Take your security to the next level with a modern MFA solution provider

Regardless of the size of your customer base, MFA is one of the most fundamental security tools you can incorporate into your infrastructure. 

The use cases for it are versatile: whether it's customer logins, storing sensitive data, or accessing your internal systems, MFA provides a strong, nimble layer of security. It's critical to preventing unauthorized access, reducing breach risk, and ensuring adherence to industry regulations. Besides, MFA demonstrates to customers that you take their security seriously.

Considering the digital environment and its associated emerging risks, including MFA is not merely a desirability but a prerequisite. And with providers like Plivo, setting up MFA is pretty easy and very affordable. All businesses, regardless of their size, can provide good security without sacrificing the user experience. Be it protection of global communications, user authentication, or compliance management, Plivo's versatile features prove very handy in securing your platform effectively.

Request a trial with Plivo.

90% of modern customers anticipate seamless and engaging interactions at every touchpoint. To cater to such high levels of expectations, many customer support teams are increasingly leaning towards AI-powered platforms. 

In fact, 87% of organizations are turning to AI to provide real-time agent assistance. AI call center software uses artificial intelligence technologies to transform customer service operations across digital and voice channels. 

AI can perform a diverse range of tasks to help make customer interactions prompt and more efficient. Unlike legacy call centers that mostly rely on human agents, AI call centers leverage advanced software systems that can handle multiple tasks.

In this blog post, we'll look at the top 10 AI call center solutions and help you figure out which one might be best for your needs.

10 best AI contact center software 

1. Plivo CX

Best for AI-powered agent desktop features

Plivo CX is a popular AI cloud call center software built for small businesses and SMBs to offer a comprehensive omnichannel customer experience.
To make it easier for your business to give great customer service even when things get busy, Plivo CX relies on smart technology like chatbots and voice assistants to answer common questions automatically. This is a significant time-saver for CX teams in the long run. To emphasize customer experience, these AI assistants can even have personalized conversations by using information from your customer database. The system also organizes incoming messages and makes sure urgent issues get attention first. Furthermore, you can set up the AI to sound like your brand and ensure it follows your company's rules. If a customer has a tricky problem, the AI can smoothly transfer them to a human agent. 

Key features

• Unified Agent Desktop: A single window pane to manage customer interactions across different channels like email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and more
• Built for efficiency: Makes it easier to share photos, videos, and other files with customers, offers ready-to-use message templates, and ensures everyone has the latest information instantly
• Self-Service chatbot: Deploy a no-code, OpenAI-powered chatbot integrated with a knowledge base and smooth agent hand-off
• Categorize and prioritize: Automatically sorts and prioritizes critical customer requests with AI capabilities
• IVR: Take your customer experience a notch higher with an automated and configurable phone system for customer routing.
• Workflows: Without coding, design and implement automated workflows using a visual interface, simplifying the creation of complex processes like case management, follow-ups, and notifications
• Metrics & Reporting: Monitor KPIs, track agent efficiency, and gain insights into customer satisfaction
• Coach your agents: Offer real-time feedback and conduct training sessions directly within the platform
• Integration: Out-of-the-box integrations with several platforms, including Salesforce, Zendesk, and Shopify, to centralize customer information

Limitations 

• The platform lacks features for monitoring agent performance, making it difficult to ensure quality standards and optimize workforce allocation
• There is no mobile application available for agents, hindering their ability to access and manage tickets while on the move
• The system might not be the best fit for handling a high volume of routine and transactional customer support inquiries

Pricing

Omnichannel (annual plans):

• Growth: $29 per user per month
• Business: $69 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Voice-Only annual plans

• Growth: $25 per user per month
• Business: $40 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Chat-Only annual plans

• Growth: $15 per user per month
• Business: $30 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Plivo CX ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.5/5 (700+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (80+ reviews)

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2. Talkdesk

Best for versatile AI use cases

Talkdesk is a leading AI-powered contact center with features that help automate every step of the customer journey. It offers AI capabilities for diverse business applications, such as self-service, omnichannel engagement, customer experience analytics, and employee engagement. 

Key features

• Generative AI and pre-built virtual agents for automating customer self-service for smooth 24X7 support 
• Reveals powerful interaction analytics to improve conversations with Mood Insights, Transcription Cards, and Keyword Sensors
• Offers Talkdesk Co-pilot that listens, guides, and assists agents during live interactions 

Limitations 

• Some features cannot be customized by end users
• There’s a need for more user-friendly reporting tools and customization options within the reporting section

Pricing

• CX Cloud Digital Essentials: $85 per month

• CX Cloud Essentials: $85 per month
   
• CX Cloud Elevate: $115 per month

• CX Cloud Elite: $145 per month

Talkdesk ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (2200+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (720+ reviews)

3. Cloudtalk

Best for conversation intelligence features

As a business-calling software, Cloudtalk comes with an in-built AI-powered conversation intelligence platform. It removes the need to manually analyze calls by offering in-depth conversational insights and coaching for sales and support teams.   

Key features: 

• Reduce after-call work with automatic call summaries and tags
• Get in-depth business intelligence by viewing trends across different customer conversations.   
• Use Call Scoring to evaluate agent performance

Limitations 

• They support customer service only on voice channels.
• There are reports of the mobile and desktop apps being glitchy

Pricing 

• Starter: $25 per month 

• Essential: $30 per month

• Expert: $50 per month

Cloudtalk ratings & reviews

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (260+ reviews)

4. Calabrio

Best for hyper-personalized experiences

‍Calabrio serves as AI software for your contact center that boosts brand loyalty and accelerates revenue generation. It is a workforce enhancement suite with enterprise-grade agent engagement and AI analytics for a complete view of agent and customer experience from a single interface.    

Key features: 

• Records customer conversations across calls, chats, texts, emails, and tweets
• Get nuanced insights with speech-to-text and sentiment analytics
• Use the AI-powered Workforce Management tools to forecast volume and allocate the right agents with the appropriate skills at the right time 

 Limitations (G2)

• The software can be complex to set up and use effectively, especially for new users.
• Some search features could be more flexible

Pricing

Available on request

Calabrio ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (270+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (260+ reviews)

5. Dialpad AI Contact Center

Best for real-time agent assist

The Dialpad AI Contact Center is known for its real-time agent assist features, which are dedicated to agent coaching and enabling customer satisfaction. It comes with a range of AI capabilities that help you enhance agent performance and turn rookie agents into seasoned experts. 

Key features: 

• Offers immediate answers to agent questions with AI Agent Assist 
• Uses automated speech recognition software for real-time call transcription 
• Provides call summaries with recommended action items so agents don’t need to take notes during calls 

Limitations (G2)

• Certain features, such as voicemail setup and call routing, are not very intuitive
• Standard customers must upgrade to at least the Pro tier to gain access to numerous integrations, which can be a barrier for smaller businesses

Pricing 

• Standard: $27 per user per month ($15 if billed annually)
  
• Pro: $35 per user per month ($25 if billed annually)
  
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Dialpad ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (230+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.2/ 5 (500+ reviews)

6. Callhippo 

Best for call insights and coaching

Callhippo, known for its business phone system features, is another call center AI software that offers call insights combined with AI-powered coaching. It caters to use cases across sales, support, marketing, and operations with advanced functionality like talk-to-listen ratio, sentiment analysis, and topic extraction.

Key features:

• Analyzes customer sentiment based on voice patterns to deliver personalized experiences
• Identifies recurring themes and topics that offer insights into customer pain points and trends
• Tracks conversation ratio between agents and customers for maximum loyalty and retention

Limitations (G2)

• The app/interface is tough to use, and you don't get notifications on the dialer on the desktop/laptop interface

Pricing

• Starter: $18 per user/month if billed annually
• Professional: $30 per user/month if billed annually
• Ultimate: $42 per user/month if billed annually
• AI Add-On: $10 per user/month if billed annually

Callhippo ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (300+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/ 5 (500+ reviews)

7. Aircall

Best for in-depth AI-powered business intelligence

Aircall is another notable business phone solution that incorporates AI contact center capabilities into its suite of features. It can sift through huge volumes of conversations for seamless call reviews and an in-depth understanding of customers’ priorities.   

Key features: 

• Enables you to review sales pitches and coach reps 
• Offers deeper context on deals and tickets with AI-generated insights   
• Text transcript search for keywords and phrases across calls helps capture the essence of every conversation

Limitations 

• Aircall's workflow designer doesn't provide the flexibility needed to design custom journeys
• The software doesn't have its own built-in video-calling feature

Pricing

• Essentials: $30 per license per month

• Professional: $50 per license per month

Aircall ratings & reviews

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/ 5 (400+ reviews)

8. Gong

Best for AI-generated revenue intelligence

Gong.io  is an AI-based revenue intelligence solution perfect for customer service and sales teams. It gathers customer data across interactions, providing an eagle-eye view of the customer lifecycle.  

Key features

• Offers customer service teams with data-driven recommendations and tailored coaching for account renewals
• Helps spot churn indicators early on to prevent customers from slipping through the cracks
• Helps forecast and close more deals with deep pipeline visibility

Limitations (Capterra)

• It can be tricky to find particular calls using the search feature
• People have mentioned that the transcripts aren't always accurate, especially when there are accents or dialects involved

Kustomer ratings & reviews

• Capterra: 4.8/ 5 (500+ reviews)
• G2: 4.7/ 5 (5700+ reviews)

Pricing

Custom Pricing

9. Zoho Desk 

Best for combining agent and AI capabilities

Zoho Desk is an AI contact center solution dedicated to swift query resolution. It deploys powerful features and comes with an AI-powered chatbot called Zia, which responds to customer requests with appropriate solutions by tapping into the sentiment behind each ticket. 

Key features

• Helps frame contextualized responses to tickets based on customer sentiment 
• Aids agents in drafting accurate responses to customers based on ticket content and information from the knowledge base 
• Tracks team performance 24/7 and alerts teams in case of surges in incoming tickets  

Limitations (G2)

• Some features that companies would regard as essential may only be accessible on the top-tier plans
• Advanced features and customization options can be complex and have a steep learning curve

Zoho Desk ratings & reviews 

• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (2100+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/ 5 (5600+ reviews)

Pricing

• Standard: $9.76 per month 

• Professional: $17.07 per month 

• Enterprise: $29.27  per month 

10. Balto

Best for capturing customer behavior in real-time 

Balto is an AI call center that helps agents retain customers and convert leads right when it matters, that is, in real time. With features like Dynamic Prompts, notifications, and real-time QA scores, Balto equips customer experience teams with everything they need to make a positive impression. 

Key features

• Surfaces key questions and phrases for agents during customer calls
• Sends notifications to agents to spot and course correct where needed 
• Helps spot the real cause of low call quality by analyzing and scoring 100% of calls 

Limitations (Source)

• Balto has been reported to experience connectivity issues, with instances of the software not working properly during calls or failing to load or reconnect
• There have been complaints regarding Balto's speech recognition capabilities, with some finding it inaccurate and prone to misinterpreting words

Pricing

Available on request 

Balto Service Rating and Reviews

• G2: 4.8/ 5 (400+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (10 reviews)

Essential AI contact center software features

These are the key features to look for when choosing a contact center AI software: 

AI chatbots 

‍AI chatbots are AI call center agents that simulate human-like conversations with customers. These typically work via web chat or text chat programs, leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to comprehend and respond to customer queries in real time. AI chatbots can handle basic queries like resetting passwords and answering FAQs from customers, while human agents focus on deeper business problems. AI chatbots bring easy, always-on accessibility to your business and can easily scale without affecting your budget. 

Conversation intelligence 

This AI call center technology deploys machine learning and AI to analyze customer conversations to derive customer insights, perform sentiment analysis, and improve agent performance. Conversation intelligence software helps transcribe, evaluate, and extract insights from every interaction. Conversation intelligence equips agents with the context and insights needed to understand and serve customers efficiently. These insights remove operational inefficiencies and foster higher customer satisfaction. 

Intelligent call routing 

Also known as Automated Call Distribution Systems, intelligent call routing automatically directs calls to specific agents or departments. It uses predefined criteria, such as skill-defined routing, round-robin, or first available agent, to distribute phone calls among team members. In a busy call center, intelligent call routing is a huge plus because customer queries are directly forwarded to the right agent, significantly reducing waiting times for resolution. For agents, this means efficient utilization of their time and smooth handling of huge call volumes. 

Real-time call monitoring, live coaching, and barging

To ensure compliance and consistency across communication channels, customer service team leaders and managers can listen in on live calls and even jump into conversations if needed. In sensitive, high-impact conversations, the manager may join the call and speak directly to the customer. This not only provides an objective basis for performance reviews but also helps flag any deviations or potential compliance issues.

Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics is an AI call center feature that helps forecast future outcomes. This helps call centers prepare more effectively for peak call volumes and allocate resources more efficiently. Predictive analytics also offers insights into customer needs and preferences to offer a more personalized and effective experience. These insights are crucial in helping teams frame strategies to counter customer churn and build agile teams that can adapt quickly to ever-evolving customer needs.

Voice bots

Like AI chatbots, voice bots allow you to offer round-the-clock support across time zones and geographies. Customers can interact with the virtual assistant through keypad inputs or voice commands. Aside from greeting and guiding incoming callers, AI-powered voice bots can handle basic questions and queries like account balance, FAQs, and order statuses. Voice bots are no longer a nice feature but a must-have in modern call centers that help boost first-touch resolution. 

Opt for the leading AI call center solution for your business 

AI-powered contact center technology is a must-have for modern customer service. It improves customer loyalty and agent productivity, leading to a better overall customer experience.

If you are looking for an AI-powered call center software that maximizes agent productivity, try out Plivo CX.  With its comprehensive, unified platform for streamlining customer interactions across multiple channels, this solution empowers you to handle high-query volumes while avoiding agent burnouts. 

Its AI-powered features, such as self-service chatbots, ticket categorization and prioritization, and real-time agent coaching enhance both customer experience and agent performance, ensuring that your team is equipped to handle inquiries efficiently. Book a demo or contact us to learn more. 

According to many experts, customer experience (CX) is at a paradoxical crossroads: soaring to new heights while plummeting to unprecedented lows. 

Forrester Research's June 2024 study revealed an alarming decline in CX quality, with brands struggling across key dimensions like effectiveness, ease, and emotional connection. Meanwhile, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) reported record-high satisfaction levels.

On the other hand, McKinsey reveals that 93% of companies rely on survey-based metrics, and only 15% of leaders are satisfied with their effectiveness.

So, the challenges of low response rates, data delays, ambiguous performance drivers, and weak financial connections are hindering businesses from fully comprehending the complete spectrum of customer interactions and enhancing their CX.  

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However, there is a way to bridge this gap—Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining cx by enabling businesses to provide personalized, efficient, and proactive service. 

This blog post will explore how AI can help you enhance your CX strategy, boost customer satisfaction, and drive your business growth forward.

Understanding AI’s impact on customer experience 

A decade ago, excellent cx meant optimizing touchpoints and crafting desirable products. Fast forward to today, and AI technologies are transforming this landscape, setting new standards for personalization and engagement.

Many people think of AI as frustrating chatbots, but modern AI tools are far more advanced. AI now includes sophisticated sentiment analysis and virtual assistants that reduce friction and foster meaningful interactions.

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Often scattered across platforms and departments, customer data can now be unified through AI. Tools like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) enable customer service teams to instantly gauge sentiment, emotion, and intent, allowing them to anticipate needs and respond with precision. 

Therefore, the integration of AI into cx is not just about keeping pace with technological advancements; it’s more about creating a future where every customer interaction is seamless, personalized, and impactful.

5 ways AI will improve customer experience 

#1 Power of predictive analytics and proactive service

Proactive service through predictive analytics is reshaping cx across various sectors. This involves leveraging diverse customer data from multiple sources to enhance efficiency and strengthen relationships through proactive care.

Predictive AI applications analyze customer behaviors and historical data to anticipate needs and issues before they occur. This allows businesses to offer preemptive solutions and personalized recommendations, preventing problems from escalating. 

Additionally, the strategic deployment of AI-powered chatbots in high-traffic areas enhances CX by quickly addressing common inquiries and providing valuable assistance. This proactive approach not only boosts customer satisfaction but also demonstrates a commitment to seamless service delivery.

Therefore, integrating predictive analytics and AI enables businesses to anticipate customer needs, improve operational efficiency, and foster long-term customer loyalty. 

#2 Mastering omnichannel experiences for customers

Leading analysts at Gartner predict that by 2025, customer service organizations integrating AI solutions into their multi-channel platforms will see a remarkable 25% boost in operational efficiency.  With customers increasingly embracing digital platforms like social media, agents struggle to manage call volumes. 

Advanced omnichannel solutions provide agents with the tools and contextual data needed to adapt to customer preferences seamlessly. Additionally, today's conversational AI has significantly improved, extending self-service beyond traditional IVR menus. Although not flawless, modern chatbots are increasingly effective but can't handle all inquiries end-to-end. 

AI can enhance this by enabling smooth transitions from self-service to live agents at the right moment. This ensures personalized assistance without delays, driving CX excellence.

#3 AI-powered automation and efficiency in operations

Agents often get bogged down by repetitive tasks, causing inefficiency and potential burnout. AI tools like chatbots and intelligent routing systems can transform this dynamic by automating routine inquiries and directing complex issues to the right agents. 

For example, a telecommunications company can use AI to handle common queries about bill payments and service disruptions, freeing up agents to address more complex customer concerns and enhancing overall service quality and employee morale. 

This accelerates response times, allowing agents to focus on more meaningful tasks. Businesses can significantly boost productivity and job satisfaction by relieving agents from monotonous duties. 

#4 Agent training and knowledge optimization 

The speed at which new agents become proficient and the consistency of service provided by experienced agents are pivotal for a business's success. Integrating AI-powered tools empowers agents to excel in their roles and elevate customer satisfaction. 

With well-designed knowledge bases, AI can instantly provide agents with relevant help articles and resources, enabling quick and informed resolution of customer issues. AI can also offer personalized responses to customer inquiries based on their unique interaction history and current context, ensuring every interaction feels personalized and efficient. 

Moreover, intuitive systems like Unified agent desktops can offer all customer issues and their context in one place, which is especially helpful when handling queries from diverse channels, including WhatsApp, email, SMS and live chat. 

These AI-driven capabilities streamline operations by reducing handle times and enhancing resolution rates, contributing to a significant improvement in customer satisfaction. 

#5 Amplifying customer feedback with AI-based sentiment analysis

Businesses are increasingly turning to sentiment analysis as a pivotal tool. Leveraging advancements in technology, particularly through audio streaming, call centers can now extract profound insights from raw audio data. 

This capability allows for the implementation of sophisticated sentiment analysis and speech recognition, transforming unstructured voice data into actionable intelligence. By harnessing AI-driven sentiment analysis, organizations gain real-time insights into customer sentiments. 

Analyzing voice-related data enables businesses to discern patterns, identify trends, and interpret emotional cues effectively. These insights are instrumental in enhancing operational efficiency and refining customer interactions to meet evolving expectations.

3 real-world examples of AI-powered customer services

Myntra: Personalizing Fashion Discovery with MyFashionGPT

Myntra, a leader in online fashion retail owned by Walmart, introduced MyFashionGPT powered by ChatGPT. This innovative feature transformed how customers shop by enabling natural language queries and personalized recommendations. 

MyFashionGPT interprets their preferences and offers a diverse selection of products, ensuring an engaging and personalized shopping journey. Customers can effortlessly complete desired looks with tailored suggestions, making fashion discovery intuitive and enjoyable.

How this works: 

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• Enhanced product discovery: 

MyFashionGPT allows customers to make natural language queries, facilitating the seamless exploration of fashion items across various categories.

• Personalized recommendations: 

It interprets sophisticated fashion preferences and suggests products aligned with global trends, enhancing the shopping experience.

AirHelp: traveler assistance with AI

AirHelp, which is known for aiding millions affected by flight delays and cancellations, leverages AI to streamline customer support operations. It ensures efficient and personalized assistance, meeting the urgent needs of travelers worldwide through proactive crisis monitoring and swift resolution.

How this works: 

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• Efficient query management: 

AI automates the collection and prioritization of customer queries across multiple channels, including social media.

• Swift response times: 

The AirHelp chatbot reduces average response times by up to 65%, ensuring timely assistance for travelers facing flight disruptions.

• Crisis monitoring: 

It monitors social media in multiple languages for crisis-related terms, alerting customer service teams promptly for immediate action.

Axis Bank: voice-based banking 

Axis Bank makes banking easy by integrating Voice AI with its customer service. This technology allows customers to manage their banking needs conveniently and securely through voice commands, freeing up human resources for more complex inquiries. 

How this works: 

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• Convenient banking solutions: 

Customers can perform banking tasks such as checking balances, blocking cards, and ordering checkbooks using voice commands through Alexa devices.

• Reduced call center dependency: 

Voice AI reduces strain on call center resources by automating routine inquiries and transactions.

The future of customer experience is AI

According to Gartner, digital customer service, conversational user interfaces, and generative AI are set to transform customer service and support strategies. By 2025, it's predicted that 80% of customer service organizations will employ generative AI to enhance agent productivity and cx. 

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Advanced AI chatbots and virtual assistants will handle issues predictably and mimic human interactions, improving customer satisfaction, as highlighted by McKinsey. 

AI-driven real-time decision-making will allow businesses to adjust strategies based on immediate feedback. Meeting customer needs with exceptional speed and precision. These advancements will set a new benchmark of excellence in cx.

Experience the transformative power of AI 

Looking ahead, AI will continue to play a pivotal role in refining customer interactions, driving efficiency, and ultimately, elevating satisfaction levels. Embracing these innovations isn't just about meeting current expectations—it's about redefining what exceptional customer service looks like in the digital age. 

As an all-in-one customer service platform driven by AI, Plivo CX remains at the forefront of this transformation. Here’s how it can help you:

• Provide customer service everywhere: Use one tool to handle customer questions from email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat.
• Smart chatbots for 24/7 help: leverage AI-powered chatbots to answer even tricky questions anytime, day or night. Facilitate easy handover in case of complicated queries.
• IVR: Optimize caller journeys with intuitive IVR menus and deliver personalized experiences through data-driven voice prompts.
• Connect all your tools: Plivo CX works with your existing systems (like CRM or helpdesk), so you have all your customer information in one place.
• Automate customer journeys easily: Create automated workflows (like welcome messages or follow-ups) across different communication channels without needing to code.
• Track and improve: See how customers interact with you and get their feedback in real time so you can adjust your responses.
• Coach your team: Features like call recording, barge, and whisper let you listen in and help your agents during calls.

If you're ready to elevate your customer service to new heights, consider exploring how Plivo CX can help you achieve these goals.

Scheduling a demo with us today!

Scenario 1: ‍

I called the telecom customer service and was warmly greeted by a cheerful representative. We chatted pleasantly, and I felt comfortable, but when I described my issue, they seemed unsure, and it took over an hour to resolve. Eventually, I was transferred to a more knowledgeable team member.

Scenario 2:

I contacted customer service and quickly reached an expert who immediately understood my issue. Within 15 minutes, they efficiently guided me through the solution and resolved the problem.

Which experience would you prefer as a customer? The winner is obvious. 

Likewise, your customers may find friendly interactions valuable, but often, the real measure of excellence is the efficiency and competence of the customer service team. Strategically enhancing support strategies boosts customer satisfaction, improves retention, and strengthens business performance.

In this blog post, we’ll analyze how to elevate customer service efficiency to enhance satisfaction and retention.

Why stellar customer service is non-negotiable

Time is the most critical parameter for customers when assessing the quality of your customer service.  

Imagine waiting fifteen hours before being told your request was denied due to an error.  Frustrating, right?  Although the company eventually resolved the customer’s issue after calling back, the company had no record of his marathon call.

Here’s another example where a customer posted about the ordeal of struggling for two months, which raised an escalation after much effort. Even after that, the support team didn’t resolve the issue and continued stalling the customer for six months without any solution.

There are many such examples of terrible customer experiences. Also, Deloitte’s research reveals that brands focused on customer experience are 60% more profitable. So, the point is clear: this shift in perspective shows that increasing investments in customer service efficiency isn't just an expense but a key factor in driving revenue and enhancing profitability.

In essence, customer service efficiency is critical as it influences various key business outcomes:

• Cost reduction: Efficient customer service allows you to handle more inquiries with fewer agents, significantly cutting operational costs.
• Enhanced customer experience: By maintaining low wait times and providing accurate responses, you improve overall customer satisfaction and service quality.
• Increased brand loyalty: Efficient service boosts customer satisfaction, leading to stronger brand loyalty and positive social proof, which can attract new customers.

What is customer service efficiency?

Improving customer service efficiency is all about making things better for both the customer and the company. By streamlining interactions, businesses can provide quicker and more helpful responses. 

Here’s what that looks like:

• Quicker help for customers: When processes are efficient, customers get the help they need faster, which makes them happier.
• Easier work for customer reps: Cutting out unnecessary steps means customer service reps can handle their work more easily and feel less stressed.
• Consistent quality: Good systems ensure that customers always get the same high level of service, meeting or exceeding their expectations every time.
• Proactive solutions: Efficient customer service can spot potential issues early and solve them before they become big problems.
• Growth without growing pains: Efficient processes allow customer service to expand smoothly, keeping up with growth without losing quality.
• Smart use of resources: By using resources wisely, businesses can invest in better training and technology to further improve customer service.

The key is balancing efficiency with quality. True efficiency means improving processes while still providing the excellent support customers expect. Companies that master this balance can stand out, attracting and keeping more customers.

Customer service metrics that matter

Efficiency metrics are more than just numbers—they are the lifeblood of exceptional customer interactions. Businesses can transform customer service from a routine operation into a strategic advantage, enhancing customer loyalty, fostering positive brand perceptions, and driving sustained business growth. 

Prioritizing these aspects ensures that every customer interaction meets and exceeds expectations, paving the way for a reputation based on efficiency and excellence.

• Average Time to Resolution tells the story of how swiftly issues are tackled, directly influencing customer satisfaction and trust. 
• Average Response Time reflects how quickly a business engages with customers, setting the tone for a positive experience. 
• Average Handle Time measures the thoroughness of interactions, ensuring quality service without unnecessary delays. 
• Average Wait Time and Queue Time reveal how much a customer’s patience is tested before their needs are addressed, highlighting the importance of respecting their time and reducing frustration. 
• Average CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) captures the essence of customer happiness, serving as a direct reflection of service excellence.

7 winning tips for supercharging customer service efficiency

👉Harnessing the voice of the customer analysis (VoC)

VoC analysis is an invaluable strategy for enhancing operational efficiency. With this done right, you can collect deep insights into customer sentiment and behavior—insights that are critical for making data-driven decisions and implementing impactful improvements.

Why does VoC analysis matter?

• This enables organizations to pinpoint specific pain points in the customer experience, allowing for the creation of streamlined workflows that enhance satisfaction.
• VoC analysis empowers businesses to refine their products and services based on direct customer feedback, ensuring that offerings not only meet but consistently exceed expectations.
• It also reveals the key drivers of loyalty, allowing you to tailor your approach and foster meaningful relationships that translate into customer retention.
  

How does VoC analysis drive improvement?

Utilize essential performance indicators such as Average Abandonment Rate, Average Handle Time, Average Response Time, and Net Promoter Score. These metrics are crucial for assessing the efficiency of customer interactions, helping to identify areas for optimization and enhancing service delivery.

With this analysis, you can go beyond numerical data by incorporating after-support feedback. This qualitative analysis sheds light on the nuances of customer interactions, revealing more profound insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points.

👉Investing in comprehensive agent training

Well-trained agents are pivotal for rapid problem resolution and enhanced customer satisfaction. Their deep product knowledge and adept use of support tools enable swift issue resolution, fostering customer trust. 

Moreover, agents who feel well-supported enjoy higher job satisfaction, which boosts morale and reduces turnover, leading to a more cohesive and motivated team.

Key focus areas for training

• Omnichannel proficiency: Equip agents to manage multiple digital conversations efficiently.
• Live chat and phone skills: Enhance agents' abilities to build rapport, listen, or live chat. 
• Social media: Train agents to handle inquiries and complaints with speed and efficiency
• Email support: Develop skills for crafting clear responses and managing email workflows.
• In-app messaging: Ensure agents provide seamless assistance directly within your app.
  

To gauge the impact of your training initiatives, establish clear metrics such as:

• Customer Satisfaction Scores: Track how training impacts customer feedback.
• Resolution Times: Measure improvements in issue resolution speed.
• Average Handle Time: Evaluate the effectiveness of average handling time.

Regularly review these metrics and use analytics to monitor improvements, particularly in handling bot-escalated issues. Continuously update the knowledge base with insights from customer interactions to refine and enhance training programs.

👉Empowering frontline teams with a cutting-edge knowledge base

A well-organized, centralized knowledge base is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of your support teams. It provides agents instant access to accurate, up-to-date information, streamlining their workflow and boosting their ability to deliver superior support.

• New-agent training: A robust knowledge base speeds up this process by helping new hires quickly grasp common issues and solutions, reducing training time and enabling them to become productive sooner.
• AI-powered FAQ bots: Embedding links to FAQ pages and knowledge-based articles in automated responses can streamline support.
• Live chat: Integrating the knowledge base with live chat tools can offer immediate and precise assistance.
  

Regularly updating your knowledge base and using feedback and analytics to refine it ensures it remains a valuable resource, keeping both your support agents and customers well-informed and satisfied. 

👉Delivering seamless omnichannel experiences

To excel in omnichannel support, your teams must deliver a unified, high-quality experience across every customer interaction. Achieving this requires leveraging data-driven insights to address any service inconsistencies. Here’s what you can do:

• Customer journey mapping: Track the paths customers take across channels to identify and address friction points.
• Channel performance metrics: Scrutinize response times and resolution rates to detect inconsistencies and ensure smooth service.
• Customer feedback and surveys: Gather insights from various touchpoints to pinpoint where customer expectations fall short.

To close the gaps, focus on measuring metrics such as: 

• Customer Effort Score (CES): Assess how effortlessly customers can navigate between channels and resolve their issues.
• Omnichannel Satisfaction Scores: Use tailored surveys for each channel to gauge overall service quality and identify specific areas needing enhancement.

Consistently reviewing these metrics allows you to adapt and elevate your omnichannel strategy, ensuring a seamless and satisfying customer experience that drives loyalty and engagement.

👉Streamlining with an integrated agent desktop

Agents often spend up to 25% of their working hours searching for and securing relevant information, primarily due to the need to toggle between multiple applications. An integrated agent desktop addresses these inefficiencies by consolidating all necessary tools and information into a single interface. 

• Centralized data access: Agents can view comprehensive customer profiles, including purchase history, preferences, and interaction history, all from one screen. 
• Efficient task management: Automated, drag-and-drop workflows and simplified task management processes reduce the time agents spend on routine tasks. 
• Enhanced collaboration: Integrated knowledge bases and real-time communication tools enable agents to quickly consult with colleagues or access resources without leaving the desktop.
• Performance insights: These systems also provide valuable insights into agent performance metrics. 

Businesses can eliminate inefficiencies, enhance service quality, and drive better customer experiences.

👉Enhancing self-service opportunities

Tasks such as password resets or software installations can be easily managed without direct assistance, saving time for both customers and support staff. The cornerstone of self-service support is a robust help center or knowledge base.

Key components of effective self-service support:

• Comprehensive knowledge bases: These extensive resources can cover various aspects of your offerings, allowing users to troubleshoot common problems.
• FAQ pages: FAQ pages provide quick answers to frequently asked questions, making it easy for customers to find immediate solutions.
• AI-driven chatbots: AI-driven self-service chatbots provide instant responses to customer queries. They help scale support operations efficiently, freeing up human agents to handle more complex interactions.
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems: IVR systems can further enable customers to resolve issues through voice commands or keypad inputs.

These self-service tools can significantly enhance customer satisfaction, reduce support workload, and streamline operations. This approach not only meets the growing demand for immediate, round-the-clock support but also empowers customers to resolve issues at their convenience, leading to a more positive overall experience.

👉Automating with AI to promote efficiency

At present, AI-driven customer service solutions are poised to transform support systems by providing 24/7 assistance and enhancing efficiency. These solutions, ranging from chatbots to advanced analytics tools, cater to various aspects of customer service, leading to significant cost savings and improved service quality.

• 24/7 availability: Virtual assistants offer round-the-clock support, ensuring customer inquiries are addressed instantly, which enhances user satisfaction and boosts retention rates.
• Efficiency in routine tasks: AI chatbots handle routine inquiries and provide immediate responses, reducing wait times and allowing human agents to focus on complex, nuanced issues that require empathy and critical thinking.
• Automated ticketing systems: Particularly transformative in industries with high volume interactions, these systems use AI to categorize, prioritize, and route tickets efficiently to the right personnel, streamlining the support process.

• Enhanced productivity: AI enables human agents to dedicate their time and skills to more challenging problems, improving overall service quality, when repetitive tasks are automated.
• AI-driven analytics: AI analytics tools play a role in personalizing customer experiences and optimizing user interactions based on detailed insights.

Implementing AI in customer service allows businesses to maintain a competitive edge by providing swift, accurate, and personalized support, all while reducing operational costs.

Customer service efficiency: The time to level up is now

We’ve highlighted the importance of tracking and improving customer service metrics to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Acting on these insights can dramatically enhance customer satisfaction, loyalty, and overall business success.

As an all-in-one platform for agile customer service teams, Plivo CX can be a powerful partner, for offering superior experience via diverse features, such as:

• Deliver seamless customer experiences across email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat – all from one unified agent desktop
• Deploy intelligent chatbots to instantly resolve complex customer queries, anytime, day or night
• Integrate Plivo CX seamlessly with your existing tools (ERP, CRM, helpdesk, etc.) for a complete understanding of every customer interaction
• Design and automate customer journeys across all channels with our intuitive drag-and-drop workflow builder
• Monitor customer interactions, gather feedback, and adapt your strategies in the moment with powerful analytics and reporting
• Utilize call recording, barge, and whisper features to provide targeted guidance and improve agent performance

To learn more, schedule a demo today! 

Did you know-

🚫 79% of customers demand consistent interactions across departments. 

🚫 56% have to repeat or re-explain their issues to different representatives. 

🚫 70% expect all representatives to have the same information about them. 

🚫 55% feel they deal with isolated departments rather than a cohesive company.

This isn’t just an expectation gap—it’s a crisis of operational inefficiency and customers’ frustration that no business can ignore. This is the sentiment shared by 14,300 consumers and businesses worldwide, highlighting significant problems in customer service.

In other words, the conventional approach to customer service is almost broken. Long wait times, impersonal interactions, and outdated systems do their part to drive customers away, damaging brands and eroding loyalty. 

This demands an immediate change. Can AI-powered contact centers be the solution? Its convenience and capabilities seem to say so. Read on to discover how AI-powered contact centers operate.

The fundamental flaws with traditional contact centers

Traditional contact centers face core issues such as high operational costs, outdated infrastructure, and inefficiencies in meeting modern service demands. Let’s go over some of the major drawbacks:

#1 High operational costs and resource constraints

Traditional call centers are often financially crippling, with operating expenses nearing $1.5 billion annually due to high labor costs, outdated infrastructure, and extensive training demands. 

Deloitte’s study highlights that these centers can cost businesses 60-70% more than digital alternatives, diverting resources from innovation. They also fail to meet millennials' expectations for faster, more efficient service, leading to substantial financial losses, including an estimated $750 million in uncollected debt each year.

The message is clear: The inefficiency of traditional call centers isn't just a fiscal problem—it's a symptom of deeper issues.

#2 Agent burnout and attrition 

Nearly 60% of contact center agents face burnout, a pervasive issue across the industry. This often goes unrecognized until its detrimental effects emerge, causing decreased productivity, high turnover rates, absenteeism, increased costs, and lower First Call Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores. 

Call center turnover serves as a pivotal metric for effectively managing operational practices and ensuring the sustained performance and well-being of call center teams.

#3 Limited employee knowledge

Despite heavy investments in customer experience software like CRMs, helpdesk platforms, and live chat tools, many organizations see minimal improvement. 

Approximately 60% of agents reported receiving little to no value from their call center training, leading to constrained customer experiences due to limited knowledge of services, troubleshooting methods, and client customization options.  

The key problem lies in inadequate training for employees to effectively utilize these tools. This gap hinders organizations from maximizing technological investments and meeting the high standards of modern customer service.

#4 Lack of personalization and empathy

According to McKinsey, approximately 70% of customers prefer personalized experiences, and around 75% become upset when this expectation isn't met. This starkly highlights traditional call centers’ inability to deliver tailored interactions. 

Outdated systems and inadequate training leave agents ill-equipped to offer customized solutions, causing customers to feel undervalued and misunderstood. This frustration not only damages customer satisfaction but also erodes brand loyalty, driving customers to seek better experiences elsewhere.

#5 Missed opportunities for proactive service

Traditionally, customer service has been reactive, forcing customers to navigate multiple channels with little success and resulting in low self-service containment rates and widespread dissatisfaction. 

However, Gartner insights reveal a rising customer preference for proactive engagement by organizations. This shift can significantly boost key metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Customer Effort Score (CES), and Value Enhancement Score (VES), highlighting a critical evolution in meeting customer expectations.

The promise of AI: Rescuing customer service

Customer service technology has evolved vastly since the earliest documented customer complaint on a clay tablet over 3,700 years ago. AI in contact centers is now transforming customer service, enhancing interactions with intelligence and empathy at every touchpoint.

👉Customers today prefer quick, efficient solutions from chatbots over waiting for live agents. 👉Additionally, managing customer service calls is costly, often running several dollars per call in labor and resources.

AI-powered contact centers transform these high-cost operations into efficient, responsive hubs. The technology optimizes every touchpoint in the customer journey, offering faster and more effective support. Freed from repetitive tasks, agents can dedicate their time to understanding and resolving unique customer issues, leading to higher job satisfaction and improved customer experiences.

Advanced technologies like predictive analytics and machine learning enable AI to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and predict customer needs. 

How does an AI-powered contact center work?

Adopting AI in customer service can offer numerous benefits for businesses. Here are some ways to leverage customer service AI:

✅Supercharge agents with AI assistants: 

Like Ironman’s JARVIS, AI assistants provide a powerful, guided, and personalized agent experience. Their role is not to replace agents. 

Picture effortlessly addressing your customers' inquiries day or night with these AI-powered self-service chatbots, which can swiftly handle queries, direct customers to the right information, and even create support tickets. These bots quickly retrieve technical details and seamlessly escalate to support agents if AI is integrated with knowledgebase. 

✅Predict customer needs with proactive service: 

Predicting customer needs and offering smart suggestions transforms customer service from reactive to proactive, creating smoother and more satisfying experiences for customers. When customers frequently face delays and frustration, having to contact support whenever issues arise. 

With proactive service, the system anticipates potential problems and offers solutions before customers even notice. Customers receive prompt and quick resolutions, ensuring timely service and boosting satisfaction.

✅Personalized journey with omnichannel support
Picture a customer starting a conversation on a website's live chat, seamlessly transitioning to a voice-bot interaction for further assistance, and later receiving follow-up messages via SMS or WhatsApp—all within a cohesive and personalized journey. 

An omnichannel engagement approach integrating AI-powered features for a unified experience would be a solution. This strategy not only ensures seamless real-time interactions but also empowers businesses to personalize outreach and deliver tailored messaging.

✅Streamline operations with smart workflows

AI-powered agent assistance tools can significantly enhance agent productivity and efficiency, helping your support team resolve issues faster. Consider a customer needing support; the voicebot allows them to resolve simple issues when agents are unavailable or directs them to the appropriate queue or agent using their speech or dial tones. 

✅Customize support with AI insights

To make precise predictions about customer behavior, customer support data teams must deeply understand their customer's purchasing habits and lifestyle preferences. This insight is crucial for optimizing the customer journey. 

For instance, AI-powered sentiment analysis enhances this understanding during voice calls. By analyzing customer tone and language in real time, businesses can gauge emotions and tailor support interactions accordingly. This personalized approach resolves issues effectively and fosters stronger customer relationships.

Top questions to ask when choosing your AI solution for your contact center

Choosing the right contact center AI solution hinges on asking the right questions. These queries ensure seamless integration, meet interaction needs, align with timelines, and facilitate swift adoption with minimal training.

👉Can the AI-powered solution handle fluctuations in customer service demand effectively?

A scalable AI ensures you can meet peak demands without sacrificing performance, which means happier customers and fewer lost opportunities. Seek features like dynamic resource allocation and real-time load balancing. These ensure the AI can manage automatically based on current call volumes, maintaining high performance and customer satisfaction.

👉What kinds of interactions can the AI handle effectively?

Ensuring the AI aligns with your specific needs means it can handle routine tasks, freeing up human agents for more complex issues and improving overall efficiency. Evaluate AI capabilities in handling various interactions, such as answering FAQs, performing transactions, providing technical support, and managing complex queries. Advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning capabilities can enhance the AI's performance in these areas, providing a more effective solution for your business.

👉Can the AI software seamlessly integrate with our existing systems and workflows?

Smooth integration minimizes disruptions and maximizes efficiency, allowing you to leverage your existing investments in technology. Look for AI solutions with APIs and pre-built connectors for popular CRM systems (like Salesforce), ticketing tools, and communication platforms. Integration capabilities should allow for a unified view of customer interactions across all touchpoints, enhancing workflow efficiency and data accuracy.

👉What level of customization does the AI solution offer to meet our specific business requirements?

Tailoring the AI to your unique processes and industry-specific needs ensures it delivers maximum value and aligns with your operational goals. Opt for AI platforms that offer configurable workflows, customizable dialogue scripts, and the ability to fine-tune algorithms based on your business rules and data. This flexibility allows you to adapt the AI to your exact needs, providing a personalized experience for your customers.

👉Does the AI software support communication across diverse channels like voice, chat, email, and social media?

Customers demand cohesive and uninterrupted experiences across every channel. A multichannel AI solution helps meet these expectations, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Ensure the AI supports omnichannel interactions, with features like unified customer profiles and consistent interaction history across channels. This integration provides a seamless experience for customers, regardless of how they choose to contact you.

👉How will agents be supported during the transition to AI integration?

Efficient training programs mean quicker implementation and less downtime, enabling agents to start using the AI effectively without a steep learning curve. Look for a unified agent desktop that consolidates all necessary tools into a single interface. Additionally, a robust knowledge base integrated with AI-trained chats can assist agents by pulling relevant information and features on demand, further simplifying the learning process.

👉How quickly can contact center AI software be implemented and put into operation?

Fast implementation reduces downtime and allows you to start realizing the benefits of AI sooner, improving operational efficiency and customer service. Prioritize AI solutions with rapid deployment options, including cloud-based models that can be up and running quickly. Pre-configured templates and out-of-the-box integrations can further accelerate the implementation process.

👉How does the AI solution handle data management and ensure data security?

Customer data should be managed securely and efficiently, which is paramount for maintaining trust and complying with regulations like GDPR or CCPA. Proper data handling can also provide valuable insights to improve customer service and operational efficiency. Ensure robust encryption for data in transit and at rest to protect sensitive information. Look for comprehensive data management tools with automated tagging, anonymization, and secure storage. Verify compliance support for regulations and detailed audit logs. Strong analytics capabilities are crucial for actionable insights and continuous service improvement.

Best-of-breed examples of AI-powered contact center solutions

#1. Plivo CX: 

Plivo CX makes customer service more convenient, less resource-heavy, and solution-centric for small and medium businesses with its cloud-based omnichannel contact center solution. Here’s how it helps:

• OpenAI-powered live chats handle common questions based on your knowledge base, giving instant help
• It works with your custom knowledge bases, so agents always have the right answers
• Agents can switch between channels effortlessly and handle multiple conversations using Unified Agent Desktop. Customers can also reach out to your agents in any platforms they prefer.
• Predictive analysis triggers automated workflows and directs calls based on agent skills
• Deliver the right messaging to the right customers at a specific time to increase engagement 
• Leverage the Workflow builder to build automated customer journeys across all communication channels
• The platform leverages Plivo’s award-winning premium carrier network with low latency. It supports outbound voice calls to more than 220 countries, with features like call recording for agent training
• Features like call-back options and sticky routing ensure customers stay connected with the same agent
• It seamlessly integrates with Shopify, Zoho, Salesforce, Zendesk, and HubSpot, and you can customize it with your API
• You can also integrate it with your existing systems to create personalized customer journeys across all channels

#2. Help Scout: 

Help Scout provides a comprehensive omnichannel contact center solution that consolidates all client conversations onto a single platform, enhancing the efficiency of customer support. Key features include:

• Support for chat, live chat, email, and social media interactions
• A unified inbox for smooth collaboration between customers and agents
• Tools to improve team efficiency, such as message assignments, private notes, real-time collision detection, and an AI summarizer for email threads
• Automation capabilities with customizable workflows triggered by actions like tagging subject lines
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android enable agents to stay connected and respond promptly while on the move

#3. Kustomer:

Kustomer caters to mid-market businesses in e-commerce and retail industries with a range of powerful features:

• An AI-powered help center available in 76 languages, significantly reducing support volume by deflecting 40% of inquiries
• KIQ Customer Assist utilizes AI and knowledge base information to provide quick and accurate responses to customer queries
• Customize IVR menus based on customer data to ensure efficient routing to the most suitable agents
• Agents benefit from a timeline view that displays interactions in chronological order, offering complete context for better customer service

Will contact center AI replace call center agents?

As AI-driven technology continues to reshape customer service, the question of whether it will replace call center agents is pivotal. Despite technological advancements, over two-thirds (70%) of contact center managers foresee an increase in the number of agents over the next decade. This trend reflects a shift towards cultivating "super agents" who excel in handling complex issues and leveraging multiple communication channels effectively. 

Evolving Roles: Cultivating "Super Agents": 

• Complex issue management: Agents will specialize in resolving intricate customer problems that require critical thinking and empathy
• Multichannel proficiency: Super agents will adeptly navigate various communication channels to deliver seamless customer experiences
• Increasing value: The demand for agents capable of empathetic and personalized problem-solving will rise, underscoring their indispensable role in contact centers

It is also important to note that machines may soon surpass humans in intelligence, reliability, and predictability. However, a key ethical consideration for the future of AI is whether we should maintain a Human in the Loop (HITL) system, even as AI capabilities advance.

Power your contact center with AI 

As we forge ahead into the future of customer service, one truth stands out: the call center industry is undergoing inevitable change. AI integration in omnichannel strategies is pivotal for businesses, offering enhanced operational efficiency and competitive advantages.

It’s time for contact centers to seize growth opportunities. Selecting a customer service platform like Plivo CX that fits your business needs can help you dart ahead in the competition. 

Take charge of transforming your contact center today by starting your free trial with Plivo CX and embracing a future of elevated customer service excellence.

Modern customer expectations are at an all-time high. But does your customer service match it measure for measure? 

Or, can one assume that your customer service team is overwhelmed by the volume of inquiries—which is often an omen that agents are stretched thin and desperately need more support? 

In such a scenario, as with other operational segments of the brand, your customer support can benefit by tapping into artificial intelligence (AI), specifically AI chatbots. 

AI customer service bots can improve your customer experience and take the support team’s efficiency to the next level, creating better customer relationships and achieving faster growth. 

This guide covers the advantages of AI chatbots for customer service and the best conversational AI chatbots to choose from. If you’re looking for more reasons to implement an AI support bot, you are in the right place.

10 best AI chatbots for customer service 

‍

1. Plivo CX 

Best for a simple, no-code chatbot that offers reliable, first-line of support 

‍

Plivo CX is an omnichannel customer service platform built with advanced features and functionality, including AI customer service bots and live chat. 

Plivo CX’s no-code, AI-powered self-service chatbot is one of the most versatile solutions for agile customer service teams. Driven by OpenAI’s latest GPT model, It offers 24/7 self-service support for quick, accurate, and seamless query resolution. The AI chatbot acts as a reliable first line of defense for your customer support team, designed to answer common customer queries swiftly.

Key features

• Allows customers to quickly navigate issues and find the solution they were looking for 
• Integrate the chatbot with custom knowledge bases for more accuracy
• The in-app customer service enables customers to send and receive photos and documents easily, making issue resolution faster 
• Offers fast handoff whenever customers want to escalate to a live agent
• Comes with a unified agent desktop for omnichannel support, as agents can quickly switch between channels with complete visibility of the customers’ issues
• Besides chatbots, you can further personalize first interactions with the Voice IVR 
• Offers seamless integrations with top marketing platforms like HubSpot, Help Scout, Zendesk, and even home-grown systems    
• Build custom workflow, trigger them remotely and automatically hand over issues to the most apt agent available 
• Investigate customer interactions and gather feedback in real time via Metrics and Reporting 

Limitations

• Lacks quality assurance and workforce management features needed for customer support teams
• No mobile version is available for support agents
• It is not ideal for transactional ticket-based customer support interactions

Pricing

• Omnichannel plan: starts at $29 per user per month
• Voice-only plan: starts at $25 per user per month
• Chat-only plan: starts at $15 per use per month

Plivo CX Ratings and Reviews

• G2: 4.5/5 (700+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/ 5 (80+ reviews)

2. CoSupport.AI

Best for delivering fast and secure customer support 

CoSupport.AI is a generative AI chatbot for customer service teams. It is great for delivering instant answers to customer queries with context-based responses. 

CoSupport.AI leverages unique AI models, including a cutting-edge LLM, to help customers based on external databases and client issues. If you’re looking for a solution offering fast and secure support, you should explore CoSupport.AI.

Key features

• Delivers instant, context-based answers to customer queries
• Integrates with your existing CRM platforms and communication channels
• Automates routine tasks, enabling more cost savings and easily scalable support 

Limitations (Trust Radius)

• It takes time to synchronize workflows between teams. 

CoSupport.AI Ratings and Reviews 

• G2: 5/5 (4 reviews)
• Capterra: 5/5 (2 reviews)

Pricing

Available on request

3. Zoho SalesIQ 

Best for offering support and capturing website leads

‍Zoho SalesIQ offers an AI chatbot that’s built for cross-functional purposes, catering to the customer engagement needs of sales, marketing, and customer support teams. It interacts with every site visitor on the go. When it comes to the customer support use case, this chatbot helps agents in easily handling customer support tickets.  

Key Features:

• Offers instant responses to common customer questions
• Delivers answers in the customers’ preferred language
• Helps automate your live chat operations without having to input a single line of code 

Limitations (Trust Radius)

• Integration with 3rd party ticketing systems not in the Zoho family of products 
• The time it takes to acquire the results of an inquiry might be a bit excessive at times

Zoho Sales IQ Ratings and Reviews 

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (270+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5 /5 (90+ reviews)

Pricing

• BASIC: $4.27 per month
• PROFESSIONAL: $9.15 per month 
• ENTERPRISE: $14.63 per month

4. Intercom

Best for advanced AI features 

‍Intercom presents a conversational AI for customer service with a view to backing your support team in handling large volumes of queries. The great part about using this platform is that it requires minimal effort to activate the chatbot—no complex configurations and no coding is required to get started. 

Features:

• Resolves customer issues with safe, accurate, and conversational responses
• Provides a visual automation builder with no-code building blocks like bots, triggers, rules, and conditions
• Intercom passes these conversations on to your support team for queries that fall beyond the chatbot's bandwidth

Limitations (Capterra)

• Limited voice call features and capabilities
• Inadequate tools for agent performance tracking and quality control
• Lack of compatibility with custom-built systems. 

Intercom rating and reviews

• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (1000+ reviews)
• G2: 4.5/ 5 (3000+ reviews)

Pricing 

• Essential: $39 per seat per month 

• Advanced: $99 per seat per month

• Expert: $139 per seat per month

5. Zendesk

Best for managing high-frequency, minimal human touch tickets 

Zendesk comes with impressive AI customer service bots that make it easier for customers to reach you and get instant, personalized responses. Known as the Zendesk Answer Bot, this intelligent chatbot directly derives information from your business’s knowledge base to respond to customer questions. 

Key Features

• Trains itself with every customer interaction, delivering increasingly relevant and specialized content with each solved ticket 
• Responds to customer queries across different channels without delay
• Handles complex interactions with minimal involvement from human agents

Limitations (Trust Radius)

• The support platform does not enable businesses to provide a conversational support experience
• Everything requires creating tickets, resulting in a transactional experience

Zendesk rating and reviews

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (5800+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.9/ 5 (12 reviews)

Pricing 

• Suite Team: $55 per month for one agent 

• Suite Growth: $89 per month for one agent 

• Suite Professional: $1150 per month for one agent

6. Ada

Best for proactive, human-like responses

Ada is one of the industry’s leading Natural Language Understanding (NLU) platforms. It enables you to build a scripted chatbot. Using the Ada Reasoning Engine, you can use an AI chatbot that imitates human reasoning and understanding.

Key features:

• Delivers logical responses to customer queries, enabling a smooth and seamless customer experience every time
• Captures customer intent and responds rationally with human-like answers
• Provides extraordinary customer experiences swiftly and at a lower cost than human agents

Limitations (G2)

• The messenger flow isn't as nice as the regular flow.

Ada rating and reviews

• G2: 4.6/ 5 (150+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (9 reviews)

Pricing 

Available on request

7. Einstein GPT by Salesforce

Best for Salesforce users 

Einstein GPT by Salesforce is an AI-powered chatbot built directly into the Salesforce CRM that suggests AI-generated answers to customer questions and queries. It offers multilingual, multi-channel bots that help customer service teams resolve queries faster.  

Key features

• Create customer service bots using templates built with pre-loaded intent data, conversational flows, and design
• Allows customers and support agents to converse in the language they are most comfortable in
• Deploys workflow automation for simple as well as complex tasks

Limitations (Capterra)

• NLU may fail to accurately interpret free text input despite adequate training data

Einstein GPT by Salesforce rating and reviews

• Capterra: 4/ 5 (3 reviews)

Pricing 

$50 per month

8. Netomi

Best for contextual and efficient response to customers

Netomi is a conversational AI platform that taps into AI-powered automation by using supervised and unsupervised learning to proactively engage with customers. An advantage of using this platform is that it goes through the complete user context, history, etc., to offer a fool-proof experience. 

Key features

• Offers easy handoff and navigation across different channels and systems for a well-connected experience
• Directs customers to achieve specific outcomes in a personalized and interactive journey
• The co-pilot assists agents in real-time in responding to customer requests  

Limitations (G2)

• Improvements could be made to the AI Chat studio

Netomi rating and reviews

• G2: 4.8/ 5 (15 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.8/ 5 (4 reviews)

Pricing 

Available on request

9. Zoom Virtual Agent 

Best for customer communications within the Zoom ecosystem

‍

The Zoom Virtual Agent is built with the purpose of resolving customer issues quickly and at scale. The Zoom Virtual Agent serves as an ‘always on’ chatbot that is designed to offer personalized journeys. It creates customized workflows and messages catering to unique segments based on their profiles or data attributes. 

Key features

• Provides the best possible answers by detecting user needs and preferences using NLP
• Intelligent hand-off where every human agent has ample context on the customer’s issue, ensuring seamless customer support
• Directs agents to the correct channel or support agents

Limitations (G2)

• Lacks additional language support for global customers.
• There's a learning curve to understanding actions that should be taken based on your reports. Further, some of the actionable insights are separated (if you have multiple personas).

Zoom Virtual Agent rating and reviews 

• G2: 4.5/ 5 (180+ reviews)

Pricing 

Available on request 

10. Tidio

Best for tracking real-time performance 

‍

Tidio is another AI chatbot for customer service that helps answer the more commonly asked 

questions. Tidio’s AI chatbot for service, Lyro, responds with all the recurring and repetitive resolutions so that human agents can get down to more important business. 

Key features

• Delivers resolutions rooted in your knowledge base and support content
• Gives real-time analysis of your customer experience
• Tracks your real-time performance so that you can course-correct for better results

Limitations (Capterra)

• Limited export capability and some granular metrics seem to be missing
• Their add-on/upgrade structure also feels uneven and confusing

Tidio rating and reviews

• Capterra: 4.7/ 5 (450 reviews)
• G2: 4.7/ 5 (1500+ reviews)

Pricing

• Starter: $29 per month

• Growth: $59 per month

• Tidio+: $749 per month

• Enterprise: $2999 per month

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Advantages of AI chatbots for customer service 

Here’s why adopting an AI chatbot can be more than just a technical upgrade: 

1. Round-the-clock availability 

The best way to win over your customers is by offering support exactly when they need it—even if these queries come outside your business hours. The AI customer service bot offers 24/7 assistance to customers even if agents are unavailable, leading to a positive brand perception and increased sales. 

2. Easy scalability

AI chatbots remove the pains associated with scaling your business and operations. As you scale up, you will witness a growing influx of queries. Instead of waiting to hire more agents, you can set up an AI chatbot to cater to simple queries and offer consistent and continuous support at all times.

3. Cost-effectiveness 

An AI support bot can handle a large portion of your customer service queries and simpler tasks like answering FAQs, sharing order status, and so on. This saves you the cost of hiring additional staff for your customer service team without compromising the quality of support you deliver to customers. 

4. Swift resolution 

One of the most significant advantages of an AI chatbot is the speedy resolution it can offer to inbound customers. They incorporate natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to provide intuitive and efficient responses within seconds. 

‍

How to choose the best AI chatbot for customer service 

Chatbots have been shown to speed up response times by an average of 3X. A good AI chatbot can automate all the routine, repetitive work while your human agents deal with the more complex issues. 

Here’s a quick guide on which key features you should look out for: 

1. Workflow builder 

A workflow builder does not require extensive coding knowledge. It helps you build and customize your chatbots’ behavior and workflows for easy automation. With these ready-to-use workflows, you can automate multiple tasks, such as escalating to a live agent or dropping emails after a conversation.

2. Reporting and analytics

Chatbot reporting and analytics help you be more strategic with your support. They help you find your peak hours when customers are most active and spot patterns, such as the most repetitive queries. Further, tracking your average engagement allows you to improve and deliver better chatbot support.  

3. Chatbot AI

AI chatbots incorporating NLP (Natural Language Processing) and machine learning capabilities ensure more natural, engaging, and efficient responses. Every chatbot conversation should be as smooth and engaging as interacting with a live agent. 

4. Omnichannel support 

What if your customers want to connect to live agents on calls or more preferred channels like WhatsApp? Opt for an AI chatbot that provides unified support across different channels, including but not limited to live chat, voice, SMS, email, and WhatsApp 

5. Use case 

Consider the use case and pain points of the end user, i.e., your customer service team. To cater to customers across diverse time zones, you need a 24/7 AI chatbot. It is equally important that it is easy to set up and use so that there are no disruptions in the support delivery. The best conversational AI platforms are highly scalable and should handle large volumes of queries without compromising response quality or time. 

6. Key features 

Work with your customer service team to identify priority features such as no-code AI chatbots requiring minimal tech intervention in setup and usage. An AI chatbot with an integrated knowledge base and smooth hand-offs are also essential to simplify query resolution.  

7. Integration with other support tools 

Customer service is not a stand-alone function focused on answering customer queries. It also involves sending follow-ups and emails, logging customer interactions, etc. Look for an AI chatbot that integrates with platforms like CRM and help desk solutions and is compatible with other tools in your existing tech stack.  

8. Quality of support 

Consider the quality of support you receive from the provider in case of any issues, as it can amount to downtime and a potential loss of customers. Easy access to troubleshooting assistance is essential to avoid any interruptions in the service. Additionally, there should be appropriate measures to ensure your chatbot has the latest capabilities to deliver optimum customer support. 

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The final verdict: Choosing the best AI service bot for customer support

When it comes to selecting an AI chatbot for customer service, Plivo CX undoubtedly ticks all the boxes. With a comprehensive suite of features and seamless integration capabilities, it helps you offer the right balance of agent support and AI-powered responses. 

The AI chatbot offered by Plivo CX helps you deliver an always-on, personalized customer experience with minimal human intervention. You can manage large volumes of queries, deliver prompt resolutions, and deliver exceptional experiences to customers. 

Ready to elevate your customer experience? Book a demo to learn more. 

As of 2024, there were approximately 5.23 million Shopify stores globally, with the United States dominating the market, boasting 57.65% of the total. Therefore, it is no surprise that e-commerce is becoming more competitive every day. 

However, many smaller or medium-sized eCommerce stores on Shopify still rely on traditional marketing strategies to reach their customers. The question is, how effective is this? Is there more you can do to stand out and attract more high-intent customers to your site? 

Some tried-and-tested Shopify marketing strategies can help you with this so that you gain more visibility and maximize ROI. To help you get started, we’ve compiled 12 proven Shopify marketing strategies in this blog post. 

And yes, we also recommend the most suitable tool you can use to automate operations and accelerate your products’ go-to-market while amplifying their impact. 

Let’s begin!

12 proven Shopify marketing strategies to boost your sales

1. Run abandoned cart recovery campaigns 

It’s common for customers to put something in their cart and leave your site without checking out. On average, 70.19% of carts are abandoned by customers. Reasons? Complex checkout process, additional costs, slow delivery or security concerns. 

To reclaim lost revenue, you must run abandoned cart recovery campaigns.
As an all-in-one, AI-powered customer engagement platform for Shopify stores, Plivo CX can help right from the beginning. The Journeys feature in this tool tracks customer behavior and allows highly customized and relevant messages to be sent to the customer at the right time.
 

For example, if one of your customers abandoned a product in their cart, they’ll receive a message to continue their checkout. You can curate these messages yourself or use the AI copywriter to do it for you. 

Either way, your customers will receive a reminder to complete their checkout, and you’ll save the revenue that you’d otherwise lose.

2. Add an Instagram feed to your store 

42% of consumers say that user-generated content is the most influential factor in making purchase decisions. Integrating an Instagram feed into your store is the best way you can capitalize on user-generated content to increase sales. 

You can add an “As Seen on Instagram” section that allows customers to see real-life usage of your products by influencers and other users. It enhances your store’s visual appeal and social proof.

See how ‘Farrow & Ball’ added an Instagram feed to their website to inspire visitors.

3. Use chatbots in your Shopify store 

Incorporating chatbots in your Shopify store can significantly enhance customer experience. Chatbots can handle multiple customer queries and provide quick answers to frequently asked questions. 

They can also guide customers through the purchase process, offer product recommendations, and assist with checkout. This significantly reduces interaction time, which can increase conversion rates.

Here are the top issues that chatbots can resolve without human intervention. 

Gartner also predicts that chatbots will become a primary customer service channel within five years. Therefore, now is a really good time to implement chatbots in your Shopify stores. 

Plivo CX offers an OpenAI-powered self-service AI chatbot that solves customer queries for you. It uses the custom data set you select, so you can always trust its relevance and accuracy. 

Also, you can build your chatbots in minutes with drag-and-drop workflows without requiring coding. 

4. Send engaging SMS to customers 

45% of customers prefer sales and promotional texts from brands they follow.  It makes SMS a great channel to communicate with and attract customers to your store. 

SMS is fast and reliable, which helps you deliver time-sensitive messages for flash sales, abandoned carts, and product launches to a huge number of customers at once. And there’s a great chance that they’ll open and read your text, as SMS has a 98% open rate.

Just make sure you get consent from your customers to send these text messages and only share relevant information with them. Even though text messages have great ROI, they can get annoying if you don’t follow certain guidelines for SMS marketing. 

That’s why Plivo CX comes packed with built-in channels that let you send personalized text messages to your target audience wherever they prefer. 

Plivo CX platform also leverages Plivo’s proprietary premium carrier network, which offers latency-free global reach to 190+ countries and secure delivery. To send messages to a specific target audience, all you need to do is just import your contacts via CSV or API, and you’re all set. 

What’s more, you can use the platform’s in-built AI Copywriter to craft highly impactful copy based on your marketing goal, parameters, timing, urgency and desired tone. 

5. Allow customers to create their own bundles 

For some products, such as T-shirts, makeup brushes, razors, etc., bundling is highly recommended. You can capitalize on this by offering pre-designed bundles or allowing customers to create their bundles. 

Sell these bundles at discounted prices compared to buying the same items separately. It increases the value for the customer and provides a sense of control, encouraging more purchases. 

You can create gift bundles for customers during holidays or offer subscription bundles to increase repeat purchases. To create bundles, you can head over to Shopify Bundles from the Shopify app store.

For example, see how Wild One, an animal accessory brand, curates kits for its customers. 

6. Sell directly on social media 

Leveraging social media platforms for direct sales can significantly boost your Shopify store's visibility and revenue. 

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok offer integrated shopping features, allowing customers to browse and purchase products without leaving the app.

Instagram shop

Instagram is highly visual, making it an ideal platform for showcasing products through images and videos. 

Best practices for using an Instagram shop

• Shoppable posts: Tag products in your posts and stories, making it easy for users to shop directly from your content.
• Collections: Organize products into collections to make browsing easier for customers.
• Instagram checkout: It enables users to purchase products directly within the app, providing a seamless shopping experience.

Facebook shopping

Facebook Shops allows businesses to create an online store that is accessible through Facebook and Instagram. 

Best practices for Facebook shopping

• Customizable storefronts: Create a visually appealing shop with customizable layouts and product collections.
• Integrated checkout: Allow customers to complete purchases without leaving Facebook or Instagram.
• Customer support via Messenger: Integrate Facebook Messenger to provide instant customer support and enhance the shopping experience.

TikTok shop

TikTok Shop allows businesses to sell products directly through the widely popular TikTok app. With TikTok’s algorithm-driven content discovery, products can reach a wide and highly engaged audience.

Best practices to use TikTok shop

• Shoppable videos: Tag products in your videos, enabling viewers to shop directly from the content they are watching.
• Live shopping: Host live shopping events where viewers can purchase products in real time.
• Creator collaborations: Partner with influencers to promote your products to a broader audience.

7. Sell through communities 

Building and leveraging communities can significantly enhance the success of an e-commerce business. A community fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty. While other brands may sell and forget, you can nurture your customers inside a community to become a top choice in your market segment.

Engaged communities often lead to organic word-of-mouth marketing. It also gives you an opportunity to collect valuable feedback and insights directly from customers. You can use that feedback to understand their preferences and improve your products. 

How can you sell through communities?

• Create exclusive offers: Offer exclusive deals and discounts to community members to incentivize purchases and make them feel valued. 
• Host events and webinars: Organize virtual events, webinars, or live Q&A sessions to engage with the community, showcase products, and offer special promotions. 
• Utilize social media groups: Use platforms like Facebook Groups, Reddit, and specialized forums to share valuable content, answer questions, and foster discussions within your communities.

8. Get active on Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the underrated social media channels that can help you increase your sales. Since the introduction of buyable pins, over 518 million active users can now shop on Pinterest. 

Pinterest is beneficial for your ecommerce brand as over 1 in 3 Pinterest users have an annual income of over $100k. This makes Pinterest a haven for luxury ecommerce brands. 

All you have to do is set up a business account on Pinterest and start creating a well-branded and cohesive presence on the platform. Use consistent fonts, logos and hashtags to grow your page. 

Here’s how you can start selling on Pinterest:

• Setup & verification: Link and verify your sales website on Pinterest, using rich pins or catalogs to upload your product library.

• Promoted pins: Use Pinterest's paid ads and promoted pins to boost visibility and drive traffic.

• Engaging content: Design shareable pins with infographics, quotes, and DIY projects. You can also utilize video pins for real-time product showcases.

• Community & analytics: Create a community with user-generated content, influencer marketing, and group boards. Also, utilize Pinterest Analytics to track performance and understand audience behavior.

9. Set up an affiliate program

Affiliate marketing is a powerful strategy for increasing sales and expanding your reach. By partnering with affiliates, you can leverage their audiences and marketing efforts to promote your products.

Affiliate marketing is cost-effective because you only pay for actual conversions. This means you can achieve a high return on investment (ROI) with minimal upfront costs. 

How to set up an affiliate program:

• Define your goals and budget: Determine what you want to achieve with your affiliate program, such as increasing sales, boosting brand awareness, or improving SEO. Set a budget for commissions and bonuses.

• Choose an affiliate platform: Select a platform that fits your needs and budget. You can choose from ShareASale, Rakuten, and Commission Junction. These platforms provide the tools necessary to manage affiliates, track performance, and handle payments.

• Create attractive commission structures: Offer competitive commission rates to attract high-quality affiliates. Consider tiered commissions, where affiliates earn higher rates as they drive more sales.

• Develop marketing materials: Provide affiliates with banners, product images, promotional content, and guidelines to ensure consistent messaging and branding. 

• Set Up tracking and analytics: Use tracking software to monitor affiliate performance and sales. This ensures transparency and helps you measure the success of your program. 

10. Set up shoppable product suggestions on the homepage 

Shoppable product suggestions on your homepage reduce the number of clicks to make a purchase. Your customers can land on your website, see a product they like and instantly buy from the homepage. 

Displaying popular or recommended products on the homepage also encourages impulse buys. For example, check out this enticing homepage by Felix & Norton. 

They display their ravishing cookies on the homepage so their customers get instant cravings as soon as they land on the website.

To create personalized product suggestions, implement dynamic content that adjusts product suggestions based on user behavior and preferences. Tools like Shopify’s built-in personalization apps can help automate this process.

11. Personalize seasonal promotions 

Seasonal promotions are a powerful way to boost sales and engage customers by aligning your marketing efforts with specific times of the year. They drive urgency and encourage customers to make purchases within a limited timeframe. 

You can create a content calendar ahead of time and plan your campaigns accordingly. Look at the trends to make your seasonal campaigns more relevant to your target audience. 

Design promotions that offer unique value, such as discounts, limited-edition products, or bundled deals. For example, Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales often feature significant discounts that attract a large number of shoppers.

For instance, a recent study from Accenture shows that 61% of consumers will focus on shopping items that they can use even post-holidays. So, utilize this trend in your marketing messages and highlight how your product adds value to your customers even after the holidays. 

Here’s how you can personalize your seasonal messages: 

• Use targeted email and SMS campaigns to highlight these benefits and the urgency of the offers to drive engagement. You can use Plivo CX to automate the process. 
• Use Plivo’s email marketing and SMS marketing tools to automate and personalize these communications.
  
  

You can also use Plivo CX’s Campaigns feature to create and manage your seasonal promotions, ensuring they reach the right audience at the right time. 

The best part is that you don’t have to rely on a team of writers to draft seasonal content. Once more, use AI copywriting to develop engaging and persuasive promotional messages that resonate with your target audience.

Automate your Shopify marketing strategy and boost sales with Plivo CX

All these marketing strategies work, but they take time to set up. If you do it manually, you’ll need to hire writers, email marketers, and social media marketers just to begin the process. 

If you don’t want to build a team upfront, try Plivo CX to automate the key steps of your marketing process. The platform comes with all the necessary tools to get your marketing strategies up and running, such as:

• Multichannel messaging: Reach out and engage customers via SMS/MMS, email, and WhatsApp.
• Audience management: Tools for segmenting and managing audiences effectively
• Campaign automation: Automate and schedule marketing campaigns for more convenience
• AI-powered copywriting: Generate and personalize creative content for campaigns with AI 
• Analytics and reporting: Measure campaign performance and customer engagement to strategize better
• Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with existing systems

With Plivo CX, you can kickstart your marketing strategy in no time. The platform automates the process while you sit back and monitor results. 

With a deal this good, there’s no time to waste. Request a demo to Plivo CX now and start marketing your Shopify store.

There is no doubt that customer service teams are under immense pressure to deliver high-quality support. From handling routine tasks to managing a huge influx of support tickets, agents are often caught in the crossfire of repetitive tasks and complicated customer issues that demand a nuanced approach. 

In this context, AI-driven customer service can be the gateway for faster resolution and more impactful customer experience—something agile and super-responsive teams could always use.     

HubSpot’s latest data also seems to corroborate this; it notes that AI and automation have helped 78% of customer service professionals spend more time on the more pressing action items instead of drudging behind routine tasks. 

AI customer service software frees up human agents for more nuanced and high-impact problems, such as handling high-value customers and responding to service outages and crises that call immediate attention. 

To help you get started with these software tools, in this article, we have handpicked the top performers in this segment that your agents can adopt. 

10 best AI customer service software for CX teams

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1. Plivo CX

Best for 24/7 AI-powered customer support

Designed to address key pain points for small businesses and SMBs, Plivo CX is an all-in-one AI customer service platform for high-performing CX teams. It comes with an OpenAI-powered chatbot with an integrated knowledge base, which is ideal for delivering 24/7 support. You can also train it on a custom dataset to increase the accuracy and relevance of responses. Additionally, its AI engine can automatically sort and prioritize incoming customer support requests, making sure that urgent issues are handled quickly. You also have the ability to personalize the AI agents to align with your brand's image, policies, and procedures, ensuring they stay focused and in line with your company's guidelines.

The tool comes with a Unified Agent Desktop that offers agents a true omnichannel experience as they can seamlessly view the entire context of customer issues from a single window pane and respond quickly. 

Key features 

• Reduces dependence on live agents by over 50% using OpenAI-powered self-service chatbots that are governed by your brand policies and guidelines
• Unifies customer conversations across email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat simultaneously
• Enables simple and convenient hand-offs in case customers want to connect with a human agent 
• Promotes superior CX for your brand with highly-customizable IVR
• Users can build Workflow to automate customer journeys across all communication channels without needing to code
• Intelligent routing matches callers to skilled agents for efficient problem-solving
• Anticipates and delivers proactive answers to customer queries and questions 
• Provides insights into customer service performance with live metrics and historical reporting 
• Connects directly with widely-used CRMs, helpdesk systems, and order and payment platforms. 
• Can quickly integrate with custom APIs, so that you can offer more personalized responses

Limitations 

• Lacks features for monitoring agent performance, ensuring quality standards, and optimizing workforce allocation
• Does not offer a mobile application for agents to access and manage tickets on the go
• May not be well-suited for handling large volumes of routine, transactional customer support inquiries

Pricing

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Omnichannel (annual plans):

• Growth: $29 per user per month
• Business: $69 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Voice-Only annual plans

• Growth: $25 per user per month
• Business: $40 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Chat-Only annual plans

• Growth: $15 per user per month
• Business: $30 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Plivo CX ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.5/5 (700+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (80+ reviews)
  

2. Balto

Best for capturing customer behavior

Balto is an AI-powered contact center that customer service managers can use to coach and train support agents. Access to real-time reporting and QA helps you capture data and correct course exactly when needed. Key features

• Allows instant manager intervention for every call that is trending negative 
• Delivers dynamic prompts to agents so that they can handle inbound queries effectively 
• It provides a gamified experience where agents can be incentivized to improve their performance

Limitations (G2)

• Balto updates take too long to install for the new versions and need higher specs to be compatible with devices.

Pricing

Available on request Balto Service Rating and Reviews

• G2: 4.8/ 5 (400+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (10 reviews)
  

3. Zendesk Support Suite

Best for building smooth customer service workflows 

Zendesk Support Suite is an AI customer service platform that helps you make conversations more personalized. This platform is designed to handle even complex customer service interactions, providing relief to human agents. It also comes with various tools like ticketing, live chat, and self-service portals.

Key features: 

• Facilitates quick and seamless customer service resolution with AI agents 
• Empowers customer service agents with full context behind every customer service interaction
• Uses generative AI to drop personalized responses to customers 

Limitations (Capterra)

• It comes with a significant learning curve
• Does not offer features for real-time, conversational support, such as chat or voice
• Requires all customer interactions to be channeled through tickets, creating a transactional experience

Pricing 

• Suite Team: $55 per agent per month, billed annually
• Suite Growth: $89 per agent per month, billed annually
• Suite Professional: $115 per agent per month, billed annually

Zendesk ratings & reviews

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (5800+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (3900+ reviews)
  

4. Chatfuel AI

Best for handling customer interactions on WhatsApp

Chatfuel is one of the top AI platforms that enables customer service teams to manage customer interactions and resolve complaints with ease. It comes with an AI agent called Fuely AI, which has a range of skills that can be used in various combinations. Additionally, it integrates with multiple platforms such as Stripe, Shopify, Zapier, Calendly, Google Sheets, and more. 

Key features: 

• Personalizes customer interactions and enables timely and relevant responses to each customer
• Seamlessly integrates with WhatsApp, enabling easy accessibility for customers 
• Offers a round-the-clock customer support team that can cater to user queries at any point of the day

 Limitations (G2)

• Does not offer as many functions and can be expensive for businesses with large audiences
• Sometimes, Chatfuel can be challenging to use if you don't have a developer 

Pricing (Source)

• Business Plan: Starts at $14.39 per month for 500 conversations. A plan for 1,000 conversations per month is available at $34.49
• Enterprise Plan: Priced at $300 per month, which includes all features from the Business plan plus additional services 
• Chatfuel offers a free 7-day trial of the business plan

Chatfuel AI ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.5/ 5 (40+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (20+ reviews)
  

5. Freshdesk

Best for intuitive and contextual customer service 

Freshdesk is a leading AI customer service solution with advanced ticketing functionality that enables you to deliver personalized support quickly. It reduces agent workload by offering automated customer service features. The platform’s native AI bot, Freddy, promptly attends to customer queries across chat and emails, learning and adapting from previous customer interactions, offering a more accurate and contextual response each time. 

Key features: 

• Helps customer service teams resolve queries swiftly and accurately at every step
• Provides a single platform to prioritize and handle tickets at scale 
• Enables smart self-service for customers with automation, allowing them to get to answers more quickly 

Limitations (G2)

• Lack of synchronization. It has a syncing problem in reports and data.
• It can quickly get expensive for smaller teams, and you end up paying for a lot of things you don't use.

Pricing (Source)

• Free Plan: available
• Growth: Starts at $15 per agent per month, billed annually.
• Pro: Priced at $49 per agent per month, billed annually.
• Enterprise: Costs $79 per agent per month, billed annually

Freshdesk ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (3100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (3200+ reviews)

6. Tidio 

Best for real-time customer communications

Being an AI customer service solution, Tidio diverts inquiries to their AI support agent, Lyro. It answers 70% of repetitive questions without any involvement from human agents. The platform also offers a live chat that engages with your website visitors and customers in real time. 

Key features:

• Offers assistance to multiple customers simultaneously, significantly increasing your first-contact resolution rate 
• Answers customer questions across multiple channels and in multiple languages 
• Performs recurring tasks on behalf of human agents, such as creating tickets, checking order statuses, etc. 

Limitations (G2)

• Lack of integration with external platforms
• It has limitations in areas like queue visibility, pricing for larger teams, reporting, and chatbot customization 

Pricing (Source)

• Starter: $29 per month for up to 100 conversations
• Growth: $59 per month for up to 1,000 conversations
• Tidio+: $749 per month
• Enterprise: $2999 per month

Tidio ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.7/ 5 (1500+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/ 5 (450 reviews)

7. Nextiva

Best for conversational AI features for voice-based interactions 

Nextiva comes with an advanced IVR and conversational AI functionality that caters primarily to voice-based customer interactions. It uses Natural Language Processing powered by Google Dialogflow and IBM Watson, ensuring your callers get the help they need quickly.  

Key features: 

• Offers queue callbacks if all live agents are busy when a customer calls
• Helps automate call routing intelligently so that the customers don’t have to sit through a long menu of options 
• Equipped to comprehend human language, it makes every voice-based interaction less robotic and more intuitive

Limitations

• There is no option for an AI voice to generate the phone tree. (G2)
• The initial setup process can take some time. (Capterra)

Pricing

• Essential: $18.95 per month when billed annually 
• Professional: $22.95 per month when billed annually
• Enterprise: $32.95 per month when billed annually

Nextiva ratings & reviews

• G2: 4.5/ 5 (3100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.6/ 5 (890+ reviews)

8. Kustomer 

Best for unified cross-channel customer insights 

Kustomer is a customer service platform built with an AI-powered extension, Kustomer IQ. It encompasses an AI-powered customer service bot and an agent assist, which work together to boost agent efficiency. With a unified, multichannel view, customer support agents can drive customer engagement and deliver hyper-personalized service. 

Key features

• Empowers support teams with in-depth customer insights to deliver proactive customer support
• Provides agents with communication prompts for smoother and more engaging customer interactions
• Automates customer resolution with conversational answers derived solely from your support content 

Limitations (Capterra)

• The tool is on the expensive side, as it only takes on companies that can purchase 8+ seats, so it may not be suitable for small businesses. 
• It is reported to have a steep learning curve

Kustomer ratings & reviews

• Capterra: 4.6/ 5 (50+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/ 5 (420+ reviews)

Pricing

• Enterprise: $89 per month
• Ultimate: $139 per month
  

9. Zoho Desk 

Best for automated ticket management and assignment

Zoho Desk is another popular customer service platform that helps you track and manage customer requests efficiently. Its built-in AI assistant, Zia, helps streamline support ticket resolution with the help of knowledge base bots, ticket tags, sentiment analysis, and field predictions. 

Key features

• Offers a self-service portal for every brand’s customer 
• Delivers customer sentiment insights for every customer conversation 
• Helps support teams frame the best responses by using context, FAQs, and templates

Limitations (G2)

• Some advanced features and customization options can be complex and require a steep learning curve
• Some features that companies would regard as essential may only be accessible on the top-tier plans

Zoho Desk ratings & reviews 

• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (2100+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/ 5 (5600+ reviews)

Pricing (Source)

• Free Plan: Available 
• Express: $7 per user per month when billed annually
• Standard: $14 per user per month when billed annually
• Professional: $23 per user per month when billed annually
  Enterprise: $40 per user per month when billed annually

10. Intercom

Best for multilingual and omnichannel support 

  When it comes to AI customer service software, Intercom is another name that deserves to be mentioned on this list. Intercom’s AI chatbot, Fin, uses internal support content to deliver conversational answers to customers. The platform is built to manage customer communications across channels and in different languages. 

Key features: 

• Customizable answers that allow you to take a call between LLM-generated answers and predefined statements 
• Sends responses from multiple resources like Intercom articles, PDFs, and public URLs for an optimum resolution
• Delivers timely responses and supports a smooth onboarding experience 

Limitations (Capterra)

• Offers a basic voice calling feature but may lack advanced options for call routing, recording, or analytics
• Provides limited tools for monitoring agent performance, call quality, and customer satisfaction
• May have difficulties integrating with custom-built systems or legacy applications 
• The pricing structure can be a bit steep

Intercom ratings & reviews

• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (1000+ reviews)
• G2: 4.5/ 5 (3000+ reviews)

Pricing (Source)

• Essential: $39 per seat per month 
• Advanced: $99 per seat per month
• Expert: $139 per seat per month

What is AI customer service software?

AI customer service software are solutions that automate, facilitate or enhance different elements of your customer service. Encompassing a wide range of solutions, customer service AI tools use Natural Language Processing (NLP), machine learning and generative AI to tackle support-related issues. It is designed to understand and respond to customer inquiries, handle routine tasks, and deliver valuable insights, freeing human agents to focus on more complex tasks. 

How to use AI customer service software? 

When it comes to modern AI customer service tools, there is a whole universe of solutions that help reduce agent workload and boost overall efficiency and quality of support. These include: 

AI chatbots for handling routine inquiries 

AI chatbots are automated chat systems that interact with customers in real time, typically on your website, mobile app, or voice. Instead of deploying a human agent to handle every query, an AI chatbot can field simpler customer requests and questions.

An AI chatbot does a phenomenal job of handling basic queries like billing information, subscription upgrades, and FAQs, significantly reducing pressure on your customer support team without compromising on the quality of the experience.

Voice bots and virtual assistants to greet and guide customers

AI voice bots and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems manage voice-based interactions. Not only can it be used to greet and guide customers but also to help them schedule appointments, conduct product walkthroughs, and generate basic information. 

Automated call distribution systems for efficient query resolution 

The agent-to-customer ratio can be skewed, with more customers trying to connect with a limited number of agents. This means agents need to prioritize which customers they should attend to first.

To top this off, additional time is lost in the process of navigating and handing off calls to the concerned agent or department. An automated call distribution system, also known as an automated ticketing system, helps you efficiently route calls and get customers to resolution at a much faster rate. 

Predictive analytics for anticipating and adapting to customer needs

Predictive analytics is a transformative AI solution that captures and analyzes customer data. This data helps you anticipate customer problems or needs so that you can offer more proactive customer support instead of waiting to put out the fire when it’s too late. 

AI-powered knowledge base for customer self-service

An AI-powered knowledge base is also a vital AI-powered customer service software that allows for faster first-touch resolution. It taps into advanced technologies like NLP and ML to provide instant, accurate answers to customer queries.

An AI-powered knowledge base is typically integrated into an AI chatbot that allows customers to self-navigate through their queries easily, moving all your elementary customer queries out of the way. 

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Plivo CX: The finest AI customer service software for your business

AI has set a new benchmark for how customer service teams manage interactions, streamline processes, and handle customer requirements. The right AI-enabled customer service software can set your customer support agents up for success and foster customer loyalty. Plivo CX is an ideal AI customer service solution because it offers a range of features that create the perfect blend of human support and OpenAI-driven responses. As a case in point, its intuitive chatbot offers a round-the-clock, personalized customer experience with minimal need for agent involvement. The platform achieves this without compromising on support quality and guarantees prompt assistance to customers while helping agents maximize their productivity. Ready to upgrade your customer support? Book a demo to learn more.