AI’s rise to power has dominated the headlines of every industry and every nation. From AI robots that are frighteningly “human-like” to ChatGPT that can spit out an answer to questions a mere second after you ask them, it’s clear that our world has forever changed.
But is AI really the catch-all answer for every problem and need? Can AI fully replace the unique warmth, intelligence, and nuanced response a human being can? Does AI make us less lonely? We think not.
We’ve been working in the telephone answering service industry for ten years, and we can tell you firsthand, that AI cannot replace the “human” touch that takes a customer service call from okay to amazing.
The human touch can make all the difference, here’s why.
Shared experience
At the end of the day, artificial intelligence (AI) is still programmed. There is no living, breathing being with a home, family, memories, and life experiences. An AI bot can speak knowledgeably on a subject, but it has not lived the way you have.
Sharing in the human experience is one of the greatest gifts we can offer each other, and customer calls are a key way that two humans otherwise unknown to each other can participate in a shared human experience.
Our live, US-based operators are trained to understand the ins and outs of your small business so they can answer your customers and clients with knowledge and expertise. But unlike AI, our operators are real people who can offer warmth, shared experience, and pleasant human interaction to your customers.
Compassion and empathy
Many people who call an answering service are having a bad day. Whether they are looking for the answer to a question regarding products or services, or perhaps calling into a medical office or healthcare facility during a challenging health crisis, customers are not always at their best when calling in.
That’s okay because we are. Our agents are trained to de-escalate any “challenging” customers and answer them with compassion and empathy. Each person and situation is different, and AI bots lack the nuance required to meet every caller at the point of their need. We can, and our HIPAA-compliant agents can handle any call with respect, kindness, empathy, and compassion. We greet our callers with a personalized greeting, take the time to find out the details of their request, and either answer the question or pass on the message in detail to you.
Our goal is to not only represent your business well but to brighten up your customer’s day, a mission that AI answering bots simply cannot provide.
Representing your business
Small businesses thrive off a one-on-one connection between you and your customer, which can make you reluctant to hand off answering calls to a small business answering service. We make it easy for you by making it our goal to represent your business as if we were you. We answer with customized greetings, give attention to detail, and have kind, calm, knowledgeable operators who will care for your customers the way you would. AI bots may pass along information, but they cannot impart the heart and soul of your small business the way we can.
We can cover you 24 hours, seven days a week, ensuring your customers and clients have top-notch service even when you are out of the office.
The world may be incorporating AI into our everyday existence at an increased rate, but that doesn’t mean we need a human connection any less, that should mean we need it more. Call us, we are real people who will pick up the phone to answer your customers with the same human touch you would.
With all of this to consider, it really seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Great Lakes Communications has over 20 years of answering service experience. No matter the day or time, your calls will be answered by a live, experienced agent located in the USA. We will work with you to customize your experience with us; answering the way you would like and gathering the information that you need. Visit our services and contact us to see if we are the right fit for your business.