A New Era of VOICE AI: Where Businesses Should Invest

If 2023 was the year of LLMs, 2024 is the year of voice agents. 

When ChatGPT took the world by storm, startups, tech companies, and entrepreneurs across the world immediately set out to identify the best business use cases for the new technology. The ideal candidate being tasks that are expensive, time-consuming, and non-scalable. 

Voice agents and automated customer service systems have quickly emerged as one of the best applications. 

However, as businesses rush to deploy systems, many aren’t fully considering the impact on their customers. 

That’s why Tenyx is launching its inaugural Voice AI Consumer Report. We surveyed hundreds of Americans across age, race, geographies, and gender to gain insights into their preferences and experiences.  

Here are some key takeaways: 

• Two-thirds of people feel frustrated and annoyed when speaking to automated voice agents. 
• The biggest complaint people have with automated systems is their inability to handle complex issues. 
• The most important factor people want out of an automated system is to connect them to a human more quickly. 
• Their biggest complaints about human agents are long wait times and difficulty understanding accents. 
• Surprisingly despite advancements in AI, the majority of Americans trust voice agents about as much as they did last year. 
• Nearly 67% of consumers are less inclined or would never shop with a brand after a negative voice agent experience.

Here’s what it all means: 

Frustrating Calls Hurts Your Brand

Imagine this scenario: you call customer service, hoping for a quick resolution. Instead, you're met with an automated voice agent that misunderstands your request or struggles to navigate beyond simple inquiries. Sound familiar? You're not alone. 

According to our findings, nearly 7 out of 10 individuals express frustration or annoyance with current automated voice agents. This sentiment directly impacts customer loyalty and business outcomes.

"Our latest report reveals a critical gap between consumer expectations and the capabilities of today's automated voice agents," remarks Itamar Arel, CEO of Tenyx. "While these technologies promise efficiency and cost-effectiveness, they often fall short of meeting the nuanced needs of consumers."

Half-Baked AI Systems Lead to Customer Churn

Deployment of subpar AI systems leads to frustrated customers who don’t come back. A surprising two-thirds of respondents said they wouldn’t consider returning to a company after a negative experience with its AI voice agent. 

A further 67% of respondents said they still prefer interacting with human agents over automated counterparts. Why? The data suggests that current AI voice agents struggle with complex issues and fail to provide the empathy and problem-solving prowess that more advanced AI systems or human agents offer.

The Importance of Selective Deployment and Industry-Specific Agents

Not all sectors fare equally in the eyes (or ears) of consumers. The data shows customers are more open to voice agents for certain types of calls vs another. For example, healthcare, restaurants, and telecoms emerge as the most receptive use cases, boasting the highest satisfaction with AI voice agents, while airlines, banking, and hotels rank the lowest. 

This disparity underscores the importance of selective deployment for the proper use cases and  industry-tailored voice agents.

Looking Ahead: The Promise of Perfect Automation

Despite the current skepticism, there is a glimmer of optimism. A resounding two-thirds of respondents indicate they would embrace automated voice agents if they matched human performance. This is exactly what we’re doing at Tenyx, to bring scalable and trustworthy AI agents to businesses and customers across the world. 

"As pioneers in voice AI technology, Tenyx remains committed to bridging the gap between consumer expectations and technological capabilities," affirms Arel. "Our mission is clear: to empower businesses with AI solutions that not only streamline operations but also enhance customer satisfaction."

Read the full report here: https://app.centiment.co/report/2qJSJR3yUfdS