AI's role in redefining IT support

Days filled with dull, repetitive tasks are not what your average IT support professional signs up for. In fact, a recent study by InformationWeek revealed that dealing with mundane tasks not only fails to inspire IT support agents, it drains their morale, pushing them towards seeking brighter opportunities elsewhere. Read on for a look at how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing IT support and freeing up agents to focus on more meaningful work.

It’s a Wednesday mid-morning and Susie is drowning in a sea of routine support inquiries. There are other bigger, brighter things she should be working on but for now, it’s just her, a lukewarm cup of coffee, and what seems like a never-ending stream of requests. Unsure where to begin, she opens the first ticket, ‘there’s a knowledge base article on this somewhere’ she thinks as she begrudgingly starts her search for answers.

How could AI swoop in to rescue Susie? Let’s look at three areas where AI technology is revolutionizing IT support.

In short, an intelligent virtual agent (IVA) is an AI-enabled software designed to engage users in a human-like interaction. They work 24/7, handle multiple requests simultaneously, and, as luck would have it, they excel at dealing with tedious routine tasks.

Before delving further into the capabilities of modern IVAs, it’s important to dispel any lingering associations readers may have with the frustration-inducing chatbots of yesteryear. In contrast to their easily confused ancestors, modern IVAs offer a significantly enhanced user experience. The key to this notable improvement lies in the incorporation of natural language processing (NLP) — a branch of AI concerned with giving computers the ability to understand text and spoken words.

What does this mean exactly? Well, put simply, it means that NLP-powered virtual agents understand natural language and can confidently interpret the intent behind user requests. Unlike old-school chatbots, these clever cyber helpers aren’t phased by variations in expression or the odd spelling mistake. The result is user interactions that flow in a manner remarkably akin to genuine human conversations.

IVAs can also integrate with company CRMs and knowledge bases, meaning that, after they have established the intent of a request, they can go about finding an answer. Machine learning (ML), an application of AI, allows IVAs to scan knowledge bases seeking out and then autonomously delivering the information needed to drive a resolution.

But it doesn’t end there — the AI also draws on data from previous interactions to optimize how information is delivered to the user. So not only does the IVA find and deliver necessary information to solve a request, but it also delivers the information in a manner that best facilitates understanding.

Where the solution to an inquiry is more complicated, AI can still be of assistance by providing the right support agent with the information they need (more on this later).

For IT support professionals like Susie, AI-powered virtual agents not only alleviate the burden of repetitive tasks but, thanks to NLP, they can handle inquiries with human-like skill.