Technology Record - Issue 27: Winter 2022

171 Even better, because AI is capable of continuous learning, it’s helping retailers to optimise such crucial customer service interactions over time. They’re able to mine insights from every customer conversation, identify best practices, and replicate them in agent-assisted and self-service engagements. The result isn’t just smoother returns and happier customers; it’s more satisfied agents who are more likely to stay in their jobs, saving retailers money they would otherwise spend on hiring and training. We are also helping retailers address the challenge of fraudulent returns by using biometrics. When a fraudster successfully scams a returns process, the retailer can often lose twice. They lose the item that the fraudster bought, and the money that they refunded when the fraudster sent back an empty box in its place. But advanced biometrics technologies, such as voice and behavioural biometrics, are empowering retailers to identify known fraudsters when they get in touch. At the same time, they’re also liberating customers and agents from the need to remember and ask for passwords, removing friction from their interactions and accelerating service. While managing a rising volume of returns may be an immediate priority, powerful applications for AI, automation and biometrics exist throughout the retail contact centre. Nuance is helping industry leaders apply these technologies to every aspect of customer engagement and drive down costs while ramping up customer and agent experiences. Nuance is now a Microsoft company and the combination of Nuance and Microsoft innovations in the Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform unlocks exceptional engagement and seamless customer journeys on every channel. Seb Reeve is director of intelligent engagement at Nuance Communications R E TA I L & CG

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