Artificial Intelligence (AI), once seen as something otherworldly, is now becoming a key part of customer satisfaction. The contradiction seen in customer relations is that while customers want products and services very quickly, in most cases delivered right to their doors, they also want to feel as if they are the most important customer in the world. Customers want to feel as if every question they have will be answered quickly, or their problems solved. In fact, increasingly businesses must be able to meet customer demands as quickly as possible, which is an impossible task as a business grows. However, AI is now considered a valuable tool to enhance customer satisfaction.

Provides Reliable Service/Improves Customer Experience

AI provides business customers with more reliable service and an improved customer experience through voice AI-powered customer service. Artificial Intelligence allows businesses to increase the resolution of customer problems with one call. Customers often complain about being put on hold when they try to call a business with a problem, and their calls are often dropped. Customers hate being transferred from person to person with no resolution in sight. In addition, customers are looking for their problem to be solved in one call, rather than multiple calls. AI reduces the number of time customers has to spend on calls. With AI, an employee is also able to monitor the response time and the fulfillment time of customer questions and problems.

In addition, AI works to improve customer experiences as well. Through AI, customers may be able to get their questions answered quickly or their problems routed to the correct person by answering a few questions during the early portion of the phone call. Using AI can result in customers with problems being solved quickly and with less time on hold, which results in improved wait times and customer satisfaction.

Helps to Improve Business Operations/Reduces Operating Costs 

Artificial Intelligence can also help improve business operations as well as reduce operating costs because of streamlined processes in many areas of the business. In addition, to call monitoring and improved customer service via phone calls, AI can help businesses with lead generation and integration, so that business owners don’t waste their valuable time looking for new business. Instead, AI can drive customers to the business. In addition, AI can help with targeted marketing, so that the information about the products and services the business has reaches the customers who need their products and services. AI also allows businesses to continue to reach their customers with emails about new products and services, as well as upcoming sales and discount days.

AI can also help the business through its accounting services. There are AI programs that can handle invoicing, receive payments online with customer notification, and graph data including sales and expenses. AI can make payroll as well, with programs that upload employee tax information, tax information, time and vacations, and pay employees electronically. AI can also keep track of payrolls after they have been paid in case there is a problem with time, hours or vacations.

Artificial intelligence can also make finding potential customers easier as well. Lead generation is a vital part of a successful business, and AI has programs that work to generate leads, not only within areas in close proximity to the business as well as those customers who are far away but are interested in the business's products and services. In the past, most customers who came to a business were in the areas surrounding a business. However, in the 21st century, customers could come from all over the world, and businesses must be ready to provide products and services to customers around the corner or around the world.

Optimal Service Enhanced by Big Data Technology/Helpful in Data Storage

Another service provided by AI for small businesses is in data storage and data technology. AI, more than any other business service, provides businesses with data storage options. AI can choose which files within a business are no longer needed, or can be stored for later retrieval. Cloud storage with AI means that businesses can lose the filing cabinets and the computer list of files in favor of cloud storage using AI.

In addition, AI helps cloud storage components with data encryption and security. In the era of information loss, hacking and storage retrieval, it is important that cloud data be secure. AI can warn businesses about a security breach, ensure which files are seen by which employees, and bar other employees from accessing the files that they do not have permission to access. AI can also analyze data for possible combinations of files that business owners did not think of. Grouping of data cuts down on the number of data files stored separately, which saves time during the retrieval process.

Whether businesses are prepared or not, AI is coming to every business over time. AI can help businesses in every aspect of the business cycle, from the beginning to research leads and lead generation, to customer satisfaction and customer service through AI voice calling and customer tracking. Sales also benefit from AI, as the technology can help track which members of the population -- nearby and far away -- can benefit from a business's products or services. AI aids businesses in basic accounting services, such as invoicing, sales tracking, payroll and the graphing of payments on invoices and expenses, to track how money within the company is being spent.

While in the past, businesses thought of artificial intelligence as something they could not afford, in reality, AI is becoming cheaper to use in a small business format. Businesses, even small businesses, can benefit from AI, as it will not only save small businesses money, but it saves them time as well. While business owners were buried in piles of receipts and paperwork for everything from personnel files to last month’s expenditures and customer complaints, AI can simplify the tasks of a business, so business owners can focus on customer retention and business growth.