Latest news with #Intercom
Time Business News
2 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
How to Use AI Chatbots as First-Line Support Agents
Customer support is evolving. As businesses grow and customer expectations rise, traditional support systems are feeling the pressure: long wait times, overworked agents, and ballooning support costs. Customers want instant, accurate answers—not long queues or confusing ticketing processes. Enter AI-powered chatbots. AI chatbots like SmartConvo are transforming customer service by acting as first-line support agents. They handle routine queries, provide real-time assistance, and escalate complex issues to human agents when necessary. In this blog, we'll show you exactly how AI chatbots can streamline your support operations, deliver fast and efficient customer care, and help you scale without sacrificing service quality. First-line support, often referred to as Tier 1 support, is your front-facing support layer. It deals with the bulk of incoming customer inquiries: account questions, how-to guidance, password resets, order status checks, and more. Traditionally, this has been handled by human agents, but the volume can quickly become overwhelming. Long wait times, inconsistent responses, and burnout are common challenges. This is where automation shines. AI chatbots can instantly respond to high-frequency queries, ensuring your customers get fast answers while freeing up your team to handle more complex tasks. AI chatbots are built for speed, scale, and consistency. Here's why they make the perfect first-line support agents: Instant responses : No more waiting in line. Chatbots provide real-time answers, 24/7. : No more waiting in line. Chatbots provide real-time answers, 24/7. Consistent service : They deliver accurate, standardized responses every time. : They deliver accurate, standardized responses every time. Lower operational costs : Reduce ticket volume and support costs without hiring more agents. : Reduce ticket volume and support costs without hiring more agents. Smart routing: When the bot detects a complex or emotional issue, it hands it off to a human agent seamlessly. With SmartConvo, your chatbot doesn't just respond—it understands. Trained on real support data and powered by conversational AI, SmartConvo delivers a natural, helpful experience that feels human-like. AI chatbots are incredibly effective at managing high-volume, repetitive tasks. Common use cases include: Answering FAQs (e.g., pricing, policies, delivery times) Processing password resets and login help Tracking orders and updating status Scheduling appointments or demos Providing product or service recommendations But chatbots don't work in isolation. With tools like SmartConvo, they're smart enough to recognize when an issue needs human attention—and route it accordingly. That means no dead ends or frustrated customers. Setting up SmartConvo is simple, even if you don't have an in-house tech team. Here's what the process looks like: Connect Your Tools: Integrate with your existing helpdesk (like Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk), CRM, or live chat system. Train the Bot: Upload your knowledge base, past tickets, and FAQs so SmartConvo understands your brand and voice. Customize Workflows: Use a no-code interface to define triggers, escalation paths, and bot personality. Monitor & Improve: Review chat transcripts, measure resolution rates, and fine-tune responses for better performance over time. Within days, your team will notice the difference: fewer repetitive tickets, more productive agents, and happier customers. Here's how SmartConvo is already making a difference: Reduced ticket volume by 40% Cut first-response time from 12 minutes to under 30 seconds Improved CSAT score by 25% Decreased support team workload by 50% Increased trial-to-paid conversions thanks to faster support These companies didn't just automate—they improved the customer experience. To get the most out of your AI chatbot, you need strong collaboration between bots and humans. Here are some best practices: Define Clear Escalation Paths : Ensure your chatbot knows when and how to escalate to a human. : Ensure your chatbot knows when and how to escalate to a human. Train Human Agents on Bot Capabilities : Educate your team so they understand what the chatbot handles and where they step in. : Educate your team so they understand what the chatbot handles and where they step in. Review Escalated Cases Regularly : This helps identify gaps in the chatbot's knowledge and continuously improve performance. : This helps identify gaps in the chatbot's knowledge and continuously improve performance. Maintain Transparency with Customers: Make it clear when they're speaking with a bot vs. a human to manage expectations. Blending AI and human support creates a seamless experience where each plays to its strengths. AI chatbots don't just benefit customers—they significantly boost your internal support team's well-being and efficiency: Eliminate Repetitive Tasks : Agents spend less time on mundane questions and more on meaningful, strategic work. : Agents spend less time on mundane questions and more on meaningful, strategic work. Reduce Burnout : By lowering ticket volume and streamlining tasks, agents feel less overwhelmed. : By lowering ticket volume and streamlining tasks, agents feel less overwhelmed. Improve Onboarding : New agents can shadow the chatbot's responses, learning faster. : New agents can shadow the chatbot's responses, learning faster. Drive Focus: With routine inquiries automated, support teams can prioritize high-impact, emotionally sensitive, or revenue-driving interactions. In short, AI chatbots create a healthier, more motivated support environment that benefits your entire organization. Let's recap the key benefits of using SmartConvo as your first-line support agent: Instant, 24/7 support for your customers Fewer tickets and faster response times Lower support costs without sacrificing quality Empowered support team focused on complex issues A scalable solution as your business grows AI chatbots are no longer a futuristic concept—they're a practical, powerful solution for modern customer support challenges. By adopting SmartConvo as your first-line support agent, you can instantly handle repetitive queries, reduce response times, and free up your team to focus on complex, high-value interactions. Whether you're a growing startup or an established enterprise, implementing AI at the frontline means delivering faster, more consistent service without increasing headcount. With easy setup, smart routing, and 24/7 availability, SmartConvo empowers your business to scale support efficiently, without sacrificing quality. Now is the time to future-proof your customer experience. Start your free trial today and see how SmartConvo transforms your support team. 1. What are AI chatbots in customer support? AI chatbots are automated tools that handle common customer queries instantly, thereby improving response times and reducing the workload of agents. 2. How do AI chatbots improve first-line support? They answer repetitive questions quickly, provide 24/7 assistance, and escalate complex issues to human agents when needed. 3. Can AI chatbots handle complex customer issues? AI chatbots handle simple queries and efficiently route more complex or sensitive issues to human support agents. 4. Are AI chatbots difficult to set up? Most AI chatbots are designed for easy integration with existing support tools, often requiring minimal technical knowledge. 5. Do AI chatbots provide a human-like experience? Advanced AI chatbots use natural language processing to understand intent and deliver conversational, human-like responses. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
India Today
23-07-2025
- India Today
iOS 26 beta 4 drops major clue about Apple's first HomePod with a display
Apple has long been rumoured to be working on a HomePod with a screen. This highly anticipated Apple device is said to function as a smart home hub, controlling accessories, facilitating communication via FaceTime and Intercom, and even operating as a security system. While Apple has yet to officially confirm the launch of a HomePod with a display, the latest iOS 26 beta strongly hints on its existence and suggests that the long-rumoured HomePod with a built-in screen is finally on the recently released iOS 26 beta 4, introducing the new Liquid Glass aesthetic, fresh CarPlay wallpapers, and performance improvements. However, buried in the code is a particularly telling piece of language that further suggests Apple is indeed planning a new device for the future of the smart home. As reported by MacRumors' Juli Clover, one setting in the iOS 26 beta refers to HomePod behaviour when location access is turned off. The wording in this setting seems somewhat out of place, unless you're thinking about unreleased hardware. The setting reads: 'Your HomePod won't be able to show you the local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area.'Now, the current HomePod models, including the standard HomePod and the HomePod mini, do not feature a screen and therefore cannot 'show' anything. They can respond via audio, but not visually. So, Apple's mention of a device with the ability to display information suggests that the company is indeed planning a future HomePod with display capabilities, something that's been rumoured for years but has yet to officially materialise. Over the past few years, several reports have circulated about a HomePod with an iPad-like interface but in a more compact, square form factor. With Siri integration at its core, the device is expected to act as a central hub for HomeKit and Matter smart home other rumors also suggest that this new HomePod with a display will offer more than just smart speaker functionality. It is expected to feature a 6-to-7-inch touchscreen and run lightweight versions of Apple's core apps such as Weather, Calendar, Apple Music, Photos, and Apple News. It would also likely provide visual feedback for Siri queries and serve as an interactive control panel for home automation, media playback, and daily there have been several reports mentioning the delay in the launch. According to reports, Apple has been pushing back the release of HomePod with display multiple times, primarily due to challenges with the Apple Intelligence platform and Siri's readiness to support a visual interface effectively. These software-related setbacks have reportedly shifted the expected launch from the originally speculated 2025 timeline to a more likely window in early 2026.- Ends
Newsweek
25-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
AI Impact Awards 2025: What Is the Future of Customer Service?
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Being unable to reach a customer service representative the moment you encounter a problem feels almost archaic. And yet, 24/7 assistance only became the norm some 30 years ago, when globalization and the internet drastically transformed our expectation for around-the-clock customer service. Now, the industry is evolving again. This time around, artificial intelligence is redefining the way businesses connect with their customers. This year, 85 percent of customer service leaders will explore or pilot a customer-facing conversational generative AI solution, a December survey from Gartner, a research and advisory firm focused on business and technology, found. Respondents also identified customer service leaders as having more responsibility than their IT counterparts when it comes to driving adoption, identifying new AI opportunities and road-mapping the evolution of AI activities. The industry's path ahead, however, remains uncertain. For some, like Pipeliner CRM's Nikolaus Kimla, it's humans who need to drive machine learning forward. For others, like Intercom's Eoghan McCabe, its the capabilities themselves that will shape the future of customer service. This year, both Intercom and Pipeliner CRM were recognized for their customer service innovations as part of Newsweek's AI Impact Awards 2025. Customer service was just one of more than a dozen industries recognized with 38 winners chosen by a panel of AI and subject matter experts. "Winning the Newsweek AI Impact Award is both an honor and a powerful validation of the vision we've held at Pipeliner from the very beginning," Kimla, CEO of the customer relationship management software company, told Newsweek. "This reinforces the idea that technology, especially AI, should serve to elevate people, not replace them." AI Impact Awards: Customer Service AI Impact Awards: Customer Service Newsweek Illustration Pipeliner CRM received the Best Outcomes, Analyzing Customer Data award for its 2024 launch of Voyager AI Assistant Gen II. The second generation of the tool aims to help sales team by automating time-consuming tasks, like data analysis and reporting, but it was still built with Pipeliner CRM's core values of "human empowerment, transparency and usability" in mind. "Innovation at Pipeliner always serves people first," Kimla said. "Our AI is built not to replace the salesperson but to support them, offering intuitive insights without adding complexity." Kimla said because many AI tools often end up overwhelming users with excessive data, Pipeliner CRM sought to ensure that their assistant would serve sales teams without "adding friction." So far, the response to Voyager AI Assistant Gen II have been positive. Kimla said he was surprised by how quickly sales professionals embraced the tool once they realized its ability to help them work smarter and close deals faster. Metrics from Pipeliner CRM also show that the AI led to a 30 percent reduction in time spent on administration tasks, as well as an increase in lead conversion rates. The platform's CEO said teams that use Voyager Recommend to surface upsell and cross-sell opportunities have seen lead conversion rise by 20 to 40 percent. "AI's future in customer service is about becoming a proactive partner, understanding context and emotion to deliver personalized support while enabling human agents to handle complex issues," Kimla said. "At Pipeliner, we're dedicated to developing AI that strengthens human connection, not replaces it." Customer service leaders who want to implement AI successfully should "avoid chasing the hype and stay grounded in your core values." "Make sure your AI enhances the human element, not erases it," Kimla advised. "If you do that, you'll build not only a better product but a more loyal and empowered customer base." McCabe, on the other hand, sees a customer service future that is going to be driven more by what AIs is capable of than what humans want AIs to accomplish. "We'll reach a point where AI can do more service than the company, the business, the brand, wants to do," McCabe, the CEO of Intercom, told Newsweek. Intercom won the Best Outcomes, Customer Satisfaction award for the development of Fin 2, the latest iteration of Intercom's customer service AI agent Built on proprietary in-house AI technology, Fin was designed so that companies could coach, train and monitor their AI customer service just like they would their human team members. McCabe said the biggest innovation with the newest generation of Fin is the AI's ability to pull disparate pieces of information and synthesize an answer, much like a human service representative can. In practice, that means a customer who ordered a package to the wrong address could not only find out if delivery is available in various states, but have that package rerouted to a different address entirely. "It's these pivotal steps These big leaps forward" that distinguish each iteration from the next, McCabe said. According to Fin's resolution rates (the percentage of problems that the agent can solve), Intercom's AI has been extraordinarily successful. Fin 2 now resolves up to 91 percent of a businesses' total customer support volume and reaches an average of 56 percent resolution rate, up from 23 percent in the previous version. McCabe added that while 56 percent is the average resolution rate, that number can get as high as 80 percent for many of Intercom's customers. Some are even approaching 90 percent. The success of Fin 2 is also reflected in Intercom's portfolio of customers. Among the clients: Anthropic, one of the market's fastest-growing AI startups and the company behind Claude. "We're now solving tens of thousands of customer queries [for Anthropic]. We've saved their human support teams," McCabe said. "Fin is now involved in 96 percent of their support conversations." "Anthropic is one of the most sophisticated and successful AI labs in the world, and the fact that they're using Fin to do their service, as opposed to using their own AI speaks volumes," he said. McCabe attributes Intercom's success to its early investment in AI. While other companies did not begin hiring AI scientists and engineers in response to the 2022 launch of ChatGPT, Intercom was already ahead, having staffed an AI team for many years before. Today, Intercom has 47 highly-experienced senior AI engineers, scientists and researchers. "It's a product of this AI group," McCabe said. "If you look at any of our direct competitors, they don't have the level of sophistication and seniority and scale that we have." Despite his eagerness in seeing how AI will guide humans on how to implement new capabilities, McCabe forecasts that human agents will be around for at least another decade and acknowledged that human beings are never going to cease real-life interactions. Still, he believes there will come a time where agents will be so ubiquitous, humans will no longer realize they're even there. "Agents will be used strategically and deliberately, even when they're not needed, because there will be value," he said. "So, that's something that we get to reckon with in the future. But that's a bit of ways away." To see the full list of AI Impact winners, visit the official page for Newsweek's AI Impact Awards. Newsweek will continue the conversation on meaningful AI innovations at our AI Impact Summit from June 23 to 25 in Sonoma, California. Click here to follow along on the live blog.
Time Business News
12-06-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Chatbot for Websites: Real-Time Support 24/7
Websites are no longer just business cards they're frontline sales and support hubs. A well-built chatbot for websites transforms your site into a dynamic, always-on assistant, enhancing customer satisfaction and driving conversions. 🚀 Why Your Website Needs a Chatbot Instant Responses, No Staff Needed A chatbot solves simple queries immediately no wait, no frustration, and no off-hours blind spots. With 24/7 availability, every visitor gets help even at midnight A chatbot solves simple queries immediately no wait, no frustration, and no off-hours blind spots. With 24/7 availability, every visitor gets help even at midnight Support Scalability Without Extra Staff Need to handle hundreds of inquiries simultaneously? A chatbot does it with zero downtime and virtually no added cost. Need to handle hundreds of inquiries simultaneously? A chatbot does it with zero downtime and virtually no added cost. Boost Lead Generation & Sales Offer tailored recommendations or guides in real-time context-aware chats to get visitors to convert faster. Offer tailored recommendations or guides in real-time context-aware chats to get visitors to convert faster. Reduce Ticket Volume & Costs Busy support teams can offload routine questions, cutting tickets by up to 70% and letting humans focus on complex issues. 🌐 Core Features of a Great 'Chatbot for Websites' 24/7 Instant Answers No more missed opportunities your site answers visitors immediately, day or night. Intelligent Handoff to Humans When the question is too complex, the bot escalates it seamlessly to a human agent. Smart Integrations Connect with CRM, ERP, help desk tools (Zendesk, Intercom) to fetch real-time order data or ticket history. Multilingual Support Serve a global audience with language fluency in 24+ languages . Conversational Analytics Track topics, trending questions, and user sentiment; feed insights back into product and content plans. Low Maintenance & Easy Setup Get live in under an hour trainable via your FAQ, website content, or PDF knowledge base. Compliance & Data Security With GDPR-even U.S. data laws in mind, top bots encrypt data and respect privacy standards. 🧩 Real‑World Use Cases E‑Commerce Stores Guide shoppers to products, provide stock updates, and reduce cart abandon mentall in real time. Guide shoppers to products, provide stock updates, and reduce cart abandon mentall in real time. Education & Universities Help prospective students explore programs, answer admissions FAQs, and draw traffic toward enrollment actions . Help prospective students explore programs, answer admissions FAQs, and draw traffic toward enrollment actions . Travel & Hospitality Offer flight updates, booking help, and policy answers instantly day or night . Offer flight updates, booking help, and policy answers instantly day or night . Healthcare & Services Provide answers on appointments, payments, or medical guidelines securely and 24/7 . Provide answers on appointments, payments, or medical guidelines securely and 24/7 . SaaS & Tech Support Great at Tier-1 ticket deflection and routing to agents when needed, while logging key feedback. 🛠️ Launching a Chatbot for Your Website Gather Knowledge Assets FAQs, documentation, product pages, service guides feed these to the bot's knowledge base . Set Conversation Flows Define greeting messages, guided paths (e.g., product demo vs. support), and fallback logic. Integrate with Existing Tools Link to CRM, email, ticketing, or ordering systems for richer user interactions. Test & Tweak Identify confusing queries or unhandled fallbacks; retrain or reroute as needed . Go Live & Monitor Embed the widget and track interaction metrics. Use analytics to iterate, plug knowledge gaps, and improve flows. ❓ FAQs: Everything About 'Chatbot for Websites' Q: What exactly is a 'chatbot for websites'? A: It's a software chatbot embedded in your website that uses AI/NLP to chat with visitors answer questions, guide actions, route to humans, and collect data all in real time. Q: How fast is the setup? A: Top tools like BotBrain promise a fully functional chatbot in about an hour, with training via existing docs or FAQ. Q: Are chatbots good at resolving tickets? A: Yes! Many resolve 70–90% of Tier-1 queries on their own, drastically cutting support costs. Q: What happens with complex queries? A: Advanced bots detect unknown topics and escalate smoothly to a human agent often sending full chat transcripts. Q: Is multilingual support real? A: Absolutely leading solutions understand and generate in 20+ languages, enabling global reach. Q: Can I integrate with my CRM or help desk? A: Yes. Chatbots connect easily with tools like Zendesk, Intercom, Slack, ERP systems pulling real-time user data into the chat. Q: How is user data secured? A: Look for providers that encrypt in transit and at rest, follow GDPR-like standards, and let you maintain data control. Q: Will chatbots give wrong answers? A: They're trained on your vetted content but may say 'I don't know' when unsure. Regular review and retraining prevents misinformation. Q: Do they need constant tweaking? A: Minimal upkeepmost systems auto-retrain on new data, and simple analytics guide improvement. Q: How do I justify ROI? A: Fewer support tickets, better conversions, lower bounce rates all traceable via bot analytics and internal cost metrics. Q: What industries benefit most? A: E‑commerce, education, travel, SaaS, healthcare, retail any site where visitors need answers fast. Q: Can chatbots help with lead generation? A: Yesbots can collect contact info, qualify leads, schedule calls, and deliver downloadable assets. Q: Any downsides? A: Complex bot setup can take time. Misconfigured bots may frustrate. Always ensure smooth escalation and human fallback. Q: Are chatbots expensive? A: Prices vary many offer free trials and affordable monthly tiers. ROI often exceeds costs through reduced support and increased sales. Q: Can chatbots learn from past interactions? A: Yestopic analytics identify knowledge gaps, guiding updates to docs and training material. Q: Do bots support visuals like carousels or buttons? A: Many doembedding product images, videos, or quick-action buttons enhances user interaction, especially in e‑commerce. Q: What's the difference between a rule-based vs AI chatbot? A: Rule-based follows fixed scripts. AI chatbots understand intent, personalise responses, and improve over time with learning. Q: Will chatbots replace human agents? A: No. They handle routine interactions. Humans still manage complex or high-touch support chatbots free them to focus on those cases. Deploying a chatbot for websites isn't just a tech upgrade it's a strategic shift toward smarter, more responsive customer experiences. Whether you're an e‑commerce store, a SaaS provider, or an educational site, a well-implemented chatbot boosts satisfaction, improves efficiency, and pays for itself. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Business Post
06-06-2025
- Business
- Business Post
Global markets trade mixed ahead of expected ECB rate cut
US President Donald Trump has said he is 'very disappointed' following Elon Musk... Corporation tax receipts dropped 30 per cent in May amid major uncertainty arising... Solidroad, an Irish start-up founded by former Intercom employees, has raised $6.5... TikTok has been granted a temporary pause on a decision by the Irish Data Protection... DUBLIN The Iseq All Share closed in the green Thursday evening, up nearly 2 per cent... US stocks edged higher on Thursday after the call between US President Donald Trump... Money20/20 – which bills itself as the world's 'leading, premium content, sales...
