Artificial intelligence can rapidly process client feedback, yet it still requires human input to be effective.
The benefits and limitations of AI for client feedback
Recently, we introduced AI within our CustomServe client feedback technology and we are amazed by how it enhances the automation and optimisation of tasks related to client feedback. These tasks include summarising responses, categorising content, extracting insights, evaluating risks and opportunities, and creating action plans.
Our team at Acuigen, as well as our clients, appreciate that AI's greatest strength is in helping us understand the meaning and implications of the feedback content and guiding us to take action based on the insights we gain from it.
However, we also recognise that AI is not a flawless solution when it comes to interpreting client feedback – AI lacks the subtle understanding that a human expert can offer. For example, although AI can quickly produce executive summaries of interviews and recommend next steps, it still needs a human check to ensure these suggestions are relevant and consistent with existing knowledge of a client (or groups of clients) and the desired management of relationships.
The way CustomServe therefore supports client feedback specialists is to allow users to edit the AI output (we call this ‘Editable AI’) – we explain more about Editable AI later.
Honed research skills are essential for designing client feedback programmes that will benefit from the use of AI
When reviewing the AI functionalities in CustomServe, it becomes evident that the technology excels in fast processing of direct comments, organising content, creating summaries, highlights, and action plans – this is a great time saver.
AI's rapid analysis and sleek output are notable, but the 'garbage in, garbage out' principle reminds us that strong research skills are crucial in any client feedback programme to ensure that AI-generated summaries and evaluations of risks and opportunities are dependable.
Whether you plan to use AI or not, it’s essential to ensure that there has been proper planning and design of your client feedback programme so as to provide reliable feedback analysis and reporting. This is especially true when using AI.
It is also important to remember that there are 2 categories of amassed content: the ‘source’ interviews and the human/AI assimilated content used in reports and presentations.
In the checklist below, we list the basic steps of all client feedback programmes, so if you are just starting you can follow the steps, or if you have an established programme you can use the steps to check the quality of what you are doing to improve the way you use AI.
Before interviews are undertaken:
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Set clear project objectives; this guides the reporting and outputs.
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Construct a high-quality questionnaire or discussion guide and use it to promote consistent interviewing amongst your interviewing team; you are aiming to remove any unintentional bias introduced by interviewers who may have a specific interest in a particular topic.
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Select the clients whose opinion is representative of the wider client base and whose opinion is important to you.
After the feedback is gathered:
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Verify the quality of the interviews, correct inaccuracies, remove irrelevant content.
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Remove outliers that may skew the analysis.
After the AI has been used to process individual interviews or cohorts of interviews:
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Review the AI generated output and edit it to remove obvious errors and ambiguity, add wider knowledge and insight, and any available commercial context that the AI cannot be aware of – this is where the Editable AI is helpful.
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Present reports and dashboards, supplemented by the AI derived content.
The need for human review of AI analysed client feedback
Undoubtedly, AI is a remarkable tool for analysing client feedback, yet the presence of a professional to examine and enhance the output, augmenting it with other relevant data and commercial insights before its use in decision-making is important.
Without this professional human oversight, there's a danger that reliance on AI may lead to overconfidence or complacency. It is crucial to recognise that AI may overlook intricate subtleties, emotions, and real intentions within the feedback. Equally important, the person reviewing must confirm that the feedback adheres to the ethical standards, respectfulness and coincides with the goals and values of your firm and its clients.
So, what role does CustomServe play in aiding professionals? Primarily, CustomServe introduces the concept of 'Editable AI', allowing the content generated by AI to be modified. As each interview, or cohort of interviews is analysed, the AI efficiently offers summaries, drafts action items, and highlights key points, after which a reviewer can refine the output. This feature proves to be incredibly efficient for firms that consistently collect and process client feedback and pass it on to relevant fee earners and audiences within their firm.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whilst AI provides potent capabilities such as summarisation, action item generation, risk and opportunity detection, and aids in enhancing commercial decisions, it is the additional human knowledge and curation of the AI generated content that elevates the quality and applicability of the information fostering more robust client relationships.
Further Information
CustomServe is a client feedback system used to facilitate comprehensive client feedback programmes.
To learn more about CustomServe, how we have implemented AI, and the services provided by Acuigen please visit acuigen.com or contact Nathan Newall, Head of Business Development, or Chris Lang, Client Services Director on 01234 759800.