Electricity and Control August 2023

RESKILLING, UPSKILLING + TRAINING

Personalised customer service will safeguard people’s jobs

D espite the significant advances in AI, human connec tion, rooted in empathy and proficiency is irreplacea ble in meeting and exceeding customers’ needs. Wherever we look, someone, somewhere is discussing artificial intelligence right now. As exciting as the technology is, it is understandable that workers around the world are worried by it. AI presents a real threat to jobs. Consulting ser vices firm PwC forecasts that globally, 44% of workers with low education will be at risk of losing their jobs by the mid 2030s. Based on its findings, the company indicates more men will be affected in the long run as machines replace manual tasks traditionally performed by men. However, it is women who will be most affected initially, due to their higher representation in clerical and administrative functions. Investment bank Goldman Sachs has put job losses at some 300 million in the next decade. Yet this is only one side of the debate. The same PwC anal ysis suggests that the implementation of AI and other smart automation has the potential to contribute up to $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030, as a result of greater productivi ty. It also states that as much as employment will be lost, jobs will also be gained as needs change in the AI world. What is missing from these equations, however, is the aspect of human empathy, which remains a vital part of do ing business and is a key differentiator in creating value for clients. “Attention to detail, precision, accuracy and meaningful visibility are just some of the enablers needed when servic ing clients,” says Marcus Ellappan, Operations Director at Bidvest International Logistics (BIL). “In an industry where competition is aggressive, meet ing clients’ KPIs and adding value to their supply chain can lead to a long-term partnership with the client.” Ellappan’s colleague Rhett Oertel, who heads BIL’s sales division, agrees that there is simply no substitute for per sonal interaction in building relationships. While AI is based on logic and data, the essence of excellent customer ser vice is a “feeling” that arises between service provider and client when looking for solutions. “I believe AI could possibly help with suggestions in solving problems that arise, by analysing data or scenarios, but ultimately, it’s the people who will decide,” Oertel says. For the moment and the foreseeable future, the human ability to put oneself in a client’s position enables a busi ness to gauge the impact every decision has on a custom er’s operations. “By showing empathy, we can gain a better understand ing of the client’s needs and challenges. Logistics and sup ply chains don’t always go as planned, so we need to be able to provide reassurance, show understanding and offer effective solutions to the problems. Over time, these inter actions also build trust,” Oertel says. Key skills needed to optimise effective client relation ships include: - Proactive communication

Bidvest International Logistics says there is no substitute for personal interaction in building customer relationships.

- A problem-solving mindset - Responsiveness - Expertise - Empathy and understanding - Adherence to KPIs - Joint value creation and - Ongoing quality improvement projects.

At the same time, Ellappan and Oertel urge businesses not to fear automation and AI capabilities as they can be useful. “AI is here to stay and we will need to develop comple mentary skills so we can maximise the benefits of people working with AI,” Oertel says. “We should not be afraid of testing it and using it in sce narios. AI can and will have an impact on our day-to-day working environment, but I believe we could use it to make decisions more quickly, test different scenarios, provide faster feedback and take over the mundane parts of a job, allowing us to focus on the more value-adding activities.” Ellappan likens the advent of AI to the introduction of wheels on a suitcase. This innovation, while subtle, created convenience in that it reduced the manual effort of carrying luggage around. Similarly, with digital transformation be coming a key focus in businesses today, we need to keep up with innovation and technology. “With big data, AI, robotics and machine learning, more manual tasks are becoming automated. Getting to under stand the data from the automated process is imperative for everyone involved. Data-driven decisions will be key to producing solutions generally, to improve customer service and costs.” PwC notes that governments and businesses will need to work together to help people adjust to the new technol ogies, and it will be essential to establish a culture of ad aptability and lifelong learning to spread the benefits of AI across society.

For more information visit: www.bidvestil.com/

AUGUST 2023 Electricity + Control

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