On the surface, working in a call centre might seem straightforward; however, the reality is far more complex. Call centre agents are often met with frustrated customers and need to act quickly, calmly, and empathetically in a high-pressure environment.

This human touch is essential; so, why is there growing fear that artificial intelligence (AI) might replace this vital role?

With the rise of AI technology over the past couple of years, many industries and specific job roles have experienced increasing anxiety that AI will take over their work.

In fact, over 26% of those surveyed say they’re worried AI will cause job losses. And with a further 17% concerned AI will make errors, it can be hard to imagine the rollout of AI tools being welcomed into workplaces, especially human-centred ones like call centres.

So, can AI replace call centre agents? The simple answer is: no.

Although AI is an extremely smart and powerful tool, it will always need human input to be most effective. And vice versa, people can be more effective with AI when it’s used correctly.

In this article, our experts will explore why AI is best seen as a supporter, not a replacement, and how tools like Sense are helping agents do their jobs better, faster, and with more confidence.

Let’s start by delving into why call centre agents won’t be replaced by AI anytime soon.

As we already touched on, call centres are high-stakes environments where customers can be upset, frustrated, or emotional. In these tense moments, human agents have specific, irreplaceable qualities AI can’t replicate.

Unlike AI, which is a machine that processes data, call centre agents have emotional intelligence and can therefore handle sensitive or nuanced cases with care, compassion, and understanding.

Emotions can be complex and unpredictable, and while AI can try to understand, only a person with lived experience and emotional nuance can make customers feel heard and respected.

But this doesn’t mean that AI isn’t useful; in fact, AI has a wide variety of strengths which could help customers with their needs.

As AI is a machine, its data processing and pattern recognition capabilities are extraordinary, providing the user with accurate data quickly. And as AI is a robot, it’s available 24/7, meaning customers can access it for support at their convenience.

It’s been reported that 56% customer service workers experience verbal abuse and hostility. And although call centre agents are trained to deal with these situations and have emotional and mental support on hand, it can be difficult not to let this treatment affect you.

AI can help with these types of situations as it can face this challenge head-on without the emotional burden.

However, as we’ve already mentioned, does lack empathy and emotional intelligence, and can be very inflexible with unpredictable queries, offering options which aren’t relevant to the situation.

In turn, this creates more frustration and upset for the customer, which creates a bad impression.

As we can see, AI is much more effective when used in partnership with humans. Therefore, to revisit the question: ‘Can AI replace call centre agents?’, the answer is absolutely not; AI functions best as an assistant, not a replacement.

As an assistant, AI can aid call centre agents with repetitive, time-consuming tasks, such as providing real-time prompts, auto-summarising calls, suggesting next steps, and much more.

This allows agents to focus on what matters most: having high-value conversations with customers. This leads to improved customer satisfaction, shorter waiting times, and improved productivity.

Now that we’ve established AI isn’t going to replace call centre agents, the next step is to implement an AI tool which supports agents to provide the best customer experience.

That’s where our program Sense can help.

Designed specifically for sales and customer support teams in call centres, Sense is an AI which optimises workflows, enhances performance, and improves the overall customer experience.

Its key features include:

• Automated call transcription

• In-depth call analysis

• Live and actionable guidance

Sense doesn’t replace call centre agents, it empowers them, providing call centres and their customers with:

• Shorter call durations

• Higher customer satisfaction scores

• Reduced employee stress

• Improves productivity

Unlike some AI models, Sense is fully customisable, offers real-time call scoring, and can evaluate 100% of the calls it receives. And it can adapt to your business’s needs, allowing you to set specific metrics, receive personalised feedback, and fully support your call centre agents.

It’s important to think of AI as a tool, not a threat. AI is becoming increasingly popular, especially within customer service, and those who fail to adopt it will ultimately be left behind.

Therefore, call centres that embrace AI will begin to outperform their competitors and those who resist the rise of AI platforms.

Call centre agents who utilise the right tools, such as Sense, will deliver better and faster results, benefitting the employees, business, and its customers.

Ready to empower your agents with the right tools? Discover how Sense can help.

You can explore Sense and its features in action by booking a demo with one of our friendly team members.