Have you seen the opening scene of “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure?” The gist is that Pee-wee rigged up a system that makes his breakfast — it toasts his bread, cracks his eggs, and flips his pancakes.
That’s an example (albeit, a slightly farfetched one) of automation.
And while your customer service team probably isn’t looking for an easier and faster way to get breakfast on the table, you are looking to work more efficiently and deliver more helpful, personalized support to your customers.
That’s where customer service automation comes in. Automation tools have received plenty of hype in the customer support industry. And that’s for good reason. These automated systems can reduce your human agents’ workloads, streamline your workflows, help you handle a large volume of support tickets, and ensure a smooth customer experience.
But if you’re going to try out automation technology on your customer service team, you understandably want to avoid any pancake-on-the-ceiling mishaps like Pee-wee. This guide covers what you need to know about customer support automation.
Let’s start with a definition of automation. Automation means that a task or process happens with no (or very little) human input. Much like Pee-wee did with his breakfast machine, you set up the system and then it handles repetitive tasks on your behalf — without the need for constant human touch.
So, automated customer service is when you apply automation in the context of customer support. It means using technology (think things like chatbots, self-service tools, AI-powered platforms, or voice automation) to handle common customer inquiries or support tasks without constant intervention from a human agent.
While automation has seen a lot of recent buzz, it’s certainly not new. It’s long had a place in the working world. For example, a factory assembly line that relies on robotics is automation in action.
However, particularly with the rise of generative AI, automation is securing its place outside of manufacturing. According to a Gartner survey, 79% of corporate strategists see automation and artificial intelligence as critical to their success over the next two years. And, in HubSpot’s survey of customer service professionals, 84% of respondents say automation tools will be instrumental in helping them meet customer expectations.
It’s easy to maintain a somewhat limited view of how this functionality can play a role in your operations and your customer journey, but the applications of automation extend far beyond ChatGPT or the occasional chatbot.
For example, a platform like Assembled Assist can be used to automate workflows across chat, email, and voice interactions. It doesn’t just route support tickets or maintain your self-service support and communication channels (like your knowledge base). Assist also enhances live interactions across multiple channels by offering real-time transcription for voice, AI-generated email suggestions, and contextual recommendations for chat responses. Plus, it can generate dashboards with predictive analytics to help you make smarter decisions about staffing and schedule management.
And, of course, you can automate responses to common questions and customer requests — ensuring that at least a portion of your customer interactions need no human intervention at all, across every communication channel.
Those are all examples of automation in action and they’re having a meaningful and measurable impact on support teams. Using assembled Assist:
It’s proof that, when used strategically and intentionally, customer service automation can translate to higher productivity, lower operational costs, and higher customer satisfaction (CSAT).
There are plenty of benefits to using automation in your contact center and for customer service tasks. But here’s the next question: how do you use automation for your customer service processes? Let’s take a closer look at some common use cases and examples of customer service automation.
Handling routine and repetitive tasks is one of the most intuitive use cases of automation, and ticket routing is a great example of that. Rather than your customer service agents needing to direct support tickets to the correct channel or agent, automated ticketing systems can analyze incoming customer queries, identify customer needs, and route them to the right person or place.
In addition to pushing tickets to the right spots, automation can help your support team prioritize tickets based on urgency or complexity. As a result, 75% of customer relationship management (CRM) leaders say AI has improved their customer service response times.
BENEFITS: Accurate and high-quality support, lower wait times, and faster resolution times
You can use automation software, AI chatbots, or interactive voice response (IVR) to automatically respond to customer questions. These bots and tools use models like machine learning to understand customer issues and instantly send responses using natural language.
Your customers can get immediate, helpful answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and other inquiries without any further involvement from your customer support team.
BENEFITS: Reduced support volume, faster response times, 24/7 support, consistent customer service experience
81% of customers say they want more self-service support options like a knowledge base or a conversational chatbot — and automation can be a big help here.
AI and automation tools can generate and maintain searchable knowledge bases, FAQs, and community forums that give customers instant access to the information they need. These customer service tools can also analyze interactions to identify gaps in your existing content or guide customers to the right resources for easier answers and troubleshooting.
BENEFITS: Reduced support volume, improved customer experiences, reliable and up-to-date support resources
Automation isn’t just about responding to customer inquiries — it can also help support teams anticipate them.
Predictive analytics uses historical customer data, customer feedback, and machine learning to identify patterns or trends in customer behavior and proactively address potential questions and issues before the customer brings them to you. These insights can also be helpful for internal planning related to spikes in demand and adequate staffing.
BENEFITS: Proactive problem-solving, reduced customer frustration, smarter workforce planning
AI-powered customer service software can provide your support team members with real-time insights and suggestions. For example, Agent Copilot can analyze customer inquiries as they come in and instantly surface relevant knowledge base articles, suggested responses, or information from past interactions and customer feedback.
This type of assistance can also include sentiment analysis that helps agents determine when complex issues might need escalation or when a frustrated customer could require a more empathetic approach.This reduces the time your agents need to spend on these tickets and also helps them provide consistent, relevant, and high-quality support.
BENEFITS: Faster resolutions, consistent messaging, more confident agents, improved customer satisfaction
Automation holds plenty of promise for elevating customer support and meeting business needs, but it’s not without its challenges.
When it’s not implemented thoughtfully, it can lead to frustrating customer experiences, workflow disruptions, and even security concerns. Here are a few potential pitfalls to keep in mind — and some advice to avoid them.
Automation has come a long way, but it still can’t quite mimic the empathy, understanding, and nuanced communication your human agents can provide. Most customers still prefer human interaction, which means using too many bots and stiff templates can harm your customer engagement and retention.
SOLUTION: Use automation to enhance (rather than replace) human interactions. Many automation platforms offer functionality to flag potentially complex or sensitive issues so those get promptly routed to a real person at your help desk.
Automation is talked about as a panacea for customer support. But, in reality, poorly implemented automation can create more problems than it solves. It can misunderstand customer needs, fail to escalate issues properly, and throw wrenches in existing processes instead of streamlining them.
SOLUTION: Take a gradual and thoughtful approach to rolling out automation solutions, and commit to thorough testing each step of the way. Start with simple and low-risk tasks before expanding to more complex workflows. Remember to also train and upskill employees so they know how the tools work, how to best use them, and how they fit into your overall support strategy.
Automation needs customer data, which makes privacy and security major concerns. Mishandling sensitive information or failing to comply with data protection regulations can lead to breaches, damaged customer trust, and potentially even legal consequences.
SOLUTION: Choose secure automation tools that prioritize data protection. Assembled Assist ensures compliance with industry regulations and offers built-in security features to keep your customer information safe. Make sure that you’re transparent with customers about how their data is used and give them control over their preferences.
Automation isn’t one-size-fits-all — and certain tasks and inquiries shouldn’t be automated. While these solutions are great for FAQs and straightforward requests, they struggle with nuanced issues that need human judgment. Trying to automate everything can lead to frustrating customer experiences where people are stuck in endless chatbot loops without ever reaching a real person.
SOLUTION: Be intentional about where and when you use automation by reserving it for simple tasks while ensuring more complicated issues are escalated directly to human agents. You can use insights from past customer interactions to refine this balance. Additionally, iron out a clear escalation process to ensure notifications are never missed so your team can handle those interactions promptly.
You’re ready to reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls. Here are seven steps to effectively roll out automation on your customer service team.
You’re likely excited about automation, but you never want to roll out a new tool just for the sake of doing so. Take stock of your current operations to identify repetitive tasks, common bottlenecks, and high-volume queries across all of your support channels — including email, chat, and social media.
By building a clear understanding of where automation can have the biggest impact, you’ll keep unnecessary complexity at bay and ensure you’re solving the right problems.
You need well-defined objectives before jumping into automation. Do you want to reduce resolution time? Or boost customer satisfaction? Or scale your support operations without increasing costs?
Establish measurable KPIs (like first response time or ticket deflection rate) to define success and track your progress. Doing so ensures that automation enhances — and not just alters — your customer service strategy.
There’s not a single automation tool that’s right for everyone. Selecting the right tools depends on your unique needs and goals (which is why it’s so important to define those in the first two steps).
Of course, you’ll also need to consider everything from features to pricing to choose the right fit for your team. But, when you find the best match, you’ll maintain a seamless omnichannel experience across all of your support channels.
Your customer interactions are unique to your business — and your workflows will be too. Put in the time to tailor workflows to match your customer experiences and business priorities.
For example, you might struggle specifically with retention. As a result, you can customize workflows to trigger automated follow-up messages that keep customers engaged and provide proactive support.
Rolling out automation in phases can help minimize disruptions. So, again, start small (like with a chatbot that handles FAQs) before expanding to more complex or high-risk workflows.
As you move forward, gather feedback from both customers and support agents to fine-tune your system and approach. Keep a close eye on metrics like resolution rates and CSAT too so that you can catch areas that need improvement before full implementation.
While automation helps reduce human involvement, your team still needs to be comfortable using these tools. Provide hands-on training to help agents understand how automation supports their work (rather than replaces it).
Encourage candid communication throughout the process so employees can provide feedback on what’s working and where they need more support.
Even Pee-wee’s breakfast machine probably needed a tune-up now and then — and your automation solutions are the same.
Continuously track your performance data and monitor employee and customer feedback to see where you need to make adjustments. Regular updates ensure automation continues to align with your business as it evolves.
You don’t just want to implement automation on your support team — you want to know that it’s working and helping you meet (or exceed) your goals. That requires keeping a close eye on your automation solution and its results by:
If and when you spot a problem, take action. While AI technologies do get smarter over time, they won’t fix themselves. Step in right away to refine your approach, get your automation back on track, and ensure that it’s a help (and not a hindrance).
Working in customer service, you know the stakes: delivering fast, personalized support while juggling increasing ticket volumes and agent workloads.
So, it makes sense why automation seems like the answer you’ve been searching for. Much like Pee-wee’s breakfast machine was meant to make mornings easier (just forget the flying pancakes), automation in customer service can help you streamline your workflows, boost efficiency, and improve your customer experience.
Ready to get started? With intelligent omnichannel AI tools like an AI workflow builder and Agent Copilot, Assembled Assist automates the grunt work and gives your agents real-time support — whether they're handling a chat, email, or live voice interaction. When automation is done right, it doesn’t just lead to smoother operations — it drives real results.Ready to introduce automation on your support team? Start with a self-guided demo to see how Assembled’s automation solutions can help your team deliver top-notch customer experiences (with less elbow grease).
