Product Insights
Welcome to our Feature Deep Dive
Expectation Gap
AI Hype vs Reality in Customer Service: What Leaders Need to Know
AI promises a lot in customer service – and delivers less when expectations aren’t grounded in reality.
Over the past few years, organisations have been sold visions of fully autonomous contact centres, instant cost savings and frictionless CX. The reality, for most, has been far more nuanced.
Misalignment
Where Expectations Went Wrong
The biggest misconception?
That AI can fix structural problems. In Reality…
- AI Amplifies existing processes – good or bad
- Automation exposes journey gaps
- Poor data leads to poor AI outcomes
When AI fails, it’s often blamed – when the real issue lies elsewhere
Strengths & Limitations
What AI is Actually Good At
AI excels at:
- Handling predicitable, high-volume enquiries
- Supporting agents with context and guidance
- Identifying patterns humans miss
- Improving consistency and compliance
AI struggles when:
- Journeys are fragmented
- Escalation logic is unclear
- Agents lack trust in the tools
Reframing
Resetting the Conversation Internally
Successful organisations are reframing AI discussions around:
- Journey improvement, not headcount reduction
- Agent enablement, not automation for automation’s sake
- Long-term capability, not short-term wins.
This shift reduces disappointment – and increases adoption.
