To better understand our audience, we continuously study our potential clients. This time, we focused on mid-sized businesses. Recent in-depth interviews helped us validate some hypotheses about replacing humans in routine customer service tasks - while others were disproven.
We’re sharing our insights with you because you might also be wondering whether it’s time to introduce an AI Assistant to your business.
Where Businesses Are Ready to Automate
While most respondents still don’t trust bots to handle sales conversations - where empathy and objection handling are key - they are open to automating simpler tasks like:
Outbound reminder calls (e.g., appointment confirmations),
Delivery arrangements,
Product reservations after a human sale,
Other routine follow-ups.
Phone-based routine tasks still take up 60-80% of managers' time, presenting a great opportunity for CRM integration with voice bots.
Missed Calls = Missed Opportunities
Almost every respondent mentioned that missed calls often lead to lost business opportunities. Common reasons include:
Peak hours when managers are overloaded,
Managers juggling calls with other responsibilities.
Solution: A voice bot as a backup on the second line can capture basic information, send email or CRM alerts, and ensure no inquiry is left unanswered.
The Competency Gap - and How to Fix It
Companies where calls occupy up to 60% of staff time often face:
Inconsistent or incorrect responses,
Training gaps due to workload pressure.
This is particularly problematic when:
There’s no centralized call center,
On-site staff are handling customer calls directly.
An AI assistant integrated with a knowledge base or CRM can:
Offload simple inquiries,
Free up staff time for complex tasks and skill development.
Is 24/7 Service Really Necessary?
Interestingly, our assumption that clients want 24/7 support was not confirmed. For half of the respondents, extended hours were irrelevant, and those offering round-the-clock service reported no overload during off-hours.
Common AI Concerns: Irrelevant Answers
The main concern when adopting AI in customer service is receiving irrelevant or "hallucinated" answers.
At Smiddle, our bots are designed with strict algorithms. Their primary AI function is to recognize customer intent.
If the bot can’t match the intent to a programmed scenario:
It won’t fabricate an answer,
It will escalate to a human agent or
Record the inquiry in the CRM with the right status.
But What About Warm Customer Relationships?
Some companies cultivate deep, personal connections with clients and fear a bot might feel “cold” and impersonal.
While technology hasn’t yet reached a level where bots are indistinguishable from humans, we believe:
Human interaction should remain human,
Routine tasks should be automated.
The goal isn’t replacing people - it’s about freeing up their time for skilled work and opening new service opportunities.
Our Step-by-Step Process Recommendations
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Map out all your customer service processes.
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Identify the Top 5 processes that consume the most time.
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Distinguish tasks where human interaction is crucial.
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Automate the rest.
Tip:
Start simple - implement something that can be up and running within 1 - 2 weeks and delivers immediate impact.
Once comfortable, gradually expand your automated phone services.
Get Expert Advice - For Free
Need guidance? Our automation expertise is available at no cost.
Not sure if a voice bot is right for your company?
👉 Try a free demo of Smiddle’s AI Assistant - and see firsthand how it can simplify your business's routine tasks.