How AI is unlocking more meaningful work for customer service teams

Everyone has a “why” behind what they do. Not many people spend time thinking about it though and for a lot of folks, it’s easily forgotten.

In customer support, your “why” is right in front of you every day. Helping people is the heartbeat of your job and everything you do is geared towards providing a great experience for everyone you interact with.

Enjoying the experience yourself when you have so much to get through can be a different story, however. Your workload brings with it plenty of challenges, so we wouldn’t be surprised if some days there’s more of a “WHY?!” ringing in your head.

In 2024, AI changes all that. In the second episode of Off Script, Paul Adams, our Chief Product Officer at Intercom, discusses the impact this technology has had on customer service so far – and how it’s making more time for enjoyable, meaningful work by freeing teams from repetitive tasks.

While this might take some getting used to, it’s also incredibly exciting. Here are a few ways going AI-first can help you and your team connect with your work on a deeper level.

A new type of teamwork

For too long, support teams have been focused on ticket resolution and queue management. With so much to get through, it’s hard to make space for much else.

Now, with AI agents attending to most routine queries, human team members are tasked with resolving more complex, nuanced problems. Without the distraction of answering FAQs, you’ll be able to put your heads together and leverage each other’s expertise. In the process, you’ll get to know your teammates better, deepen relationships, and hopefully, have some fun while you’re at it!

Room to go the extra mile

When you’re not frantically trying to get things done, you have more time to be intentional about how you’re doing them.

As a support manager, getting some time back means you can focus on your leadership skills and how you’re supporting your team at an individual level during a period of change. For support agents, a less ticket-heavy day means engaging with customers more meaningfully, taking time to explain a workaround to someone who’s confused, or maybe just sending a perfectly-timed GIF.

For the whole team, more time means more opportunity to strengthen human connection, which ultimately brings you back to your “why.”

Exploring new opportunities

AI is going to change what a career in customer service looks like. While this might sound scary, it’s actually a unique opportunity to explore new skills and interests you might not have considered.

Going AI-first means your team will get to work on new challenges, such as developing and maintaining extensive knowledge bases and collaborating with other teams across the business to drive improvements. Through these experiences, you’ll hopefully learn more about yourself, where your strengths lie, and what areas you want to improve in. It’s a growth opportunity like no other.

The future for support teams in the age of AI is bright. Not only will AI make work easier, but it will make it more enjoyable too.