[Courtesy of KT]
An AI contact center (AICC) is an integrated cloud-based system solution that offers a variety of customer services such as chatbot, virtual voice agent, agent assist, and other customer service-related applications. The solution can basically receive calls and provide requested information or connect customers to human managers for inquiries that require detailed procedures.
Independent chatbot and voice agent systems are convenient customer service solutions but they are very expensive to manage and operate. Systems must be updated regularly to improve the conversation skills of robots and prevent security breaches. Human call center operators are also expensive and many small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) cannot afford to operate a call center.
KT cs has released "HiQri," a web-based AICC solution. Unlike conventional contact center management solutions that required operators to switch between application channels to provide customer services, HiQri can display customer inquiries from different channels including smartphone messenger apps, phone calls, web-based messenger programs and social media services through a single web page screen.
"HiQri was built on KT's accrued customer service know-how," KT cs said in a statement on March 2, adding that the solution focused on the "pain point" of customers. According to KT, South Korea's call center service market has been growing to stand at 11 trillion ($9.1 million) in 2021. The market share of AICC in the call center service market was about 27 percent.
Thanks to the rapid development of AI-based call services, South Korea's SME operators are quick to adopt new robot-based call services. In February 2022, KT partnered with South Korea's hairdresser association to distribute an AI-based call assistant service. A robot assistant will receive incoming phone calls and customers can make reservations or ask questions using voice.