Tag Archives: customer service

Man v Robot

Call Centre Agent v AI Chatbot – who wins the customer service battle?

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Introduction

While call centre agents have long been the backbone of customer support, AI chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated. But which one is better? The truth is both have their strengths. Let’s compare five tasks where each excels and see why with Agent v AI Chatbot the best approach might be a hybrid one.

Call Centre Agents Are Best

1. Handling Complex or Emotional Issues

Customers need empathy and understanding, especially in stressful situations. Human agents can read tone, adjust their responses, and provide comfort in ways AI can’t. Plus sometimes it’s just nice to talk to someone.

2. Negotiating & Problem-Solving

Disputes, refunds, or special cases often require creative solutions. A call centre agent can adapt to unusual requests and negotiate resolutions AI wouldn’t and couldn’t think of.

3. Building Customer Relationships

A great agent doesn’t just solve problems, they connect with customers, strengthening brand loyalty and trust through meaningful interactions, humour and rapport.

4. Handling Multi-Step Queries

When a customer’s request involves multiple departments or processes, human agents can navigate complexities much better than AI.

5. Understanding Accents & Dialects

AI speech recognition has come a long way, but humans still outperform chatbots in understanding regional accents, slang, and nuances. How often do you shout at your smart speaker!

Man v Robot

AI v Human

AI Chatbots Are Best

1. Instant Responses & 24/7 Availability

AI chatbots never sleep! They handle thousands of queries simultaneously without customers waiting on hold.

2. Processing Routine Queries

Need to reset a password? Track an order? Get store hours? ID&V? AI chatbots are perfect for repetitive, straightforward tasks.

3. Speed & Efficiency

AI instantly retrieves data and provides answers faster than any human could. No small talk, just solutions.

4. Data Handling & Integration

Chatbots integrate with CRMs, databases, and customer histories to instantly pull up relevant information.

5. Multilingual Support

AI can communicate in multiple languages instantly, making it a great option for businesses with global customers.

The Best Solution? A Hybrid Approach!

Rather than deciding Agent v AI Chatbot, businesses should combine AI chatbots with human agents to create a seamless customer experience.

  • AI Chatbots handle fast, simple queries and direct customers to the right resources.
  • Call Centre Agents step in when empathy, problem-solving, or human insight is needed.

Using an AI driven omnichannel software platform such as Saascoms’ award winning Omnireach, combined with trained agents, provides the backbone to many global brands customer services.

While call centre agents have long been the backbone of customer support, AI chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated. But which one is better? The truth is both have their strengths. Let’s compare five tasks where each excels to see why the best approach might be a hybrid one.

Contact Saascoms
Annoyed customer

The Five Stages of Customer Service (as told by your customers)

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Introduction

Customer Service can be a rollercoaster, sometimes smooth and sometimes stomach churning. Whether you’re the one picking up the phone or the one taking the call, there’s a universal truth, customer frustration is real. But handled the right way, even the most exasperated customers can leave feeling valued. So let’s take a light-hearted look at the five stages of customer service frustration and how businesses can turn frowns into smiles.

Stage 1: The Optimistic Beginning

“Fingers crossed this will be quick!”
Customers start their journey full of hope. They assume their issue will be resolved swiftly until reality kicks in!

How to Keep the Optimism Alive


A friendly, well-crafted automated greeting sets a positive tone. Offer clear next steps and realistic wait times to manage expectations.

Stage 2: The Confusion Spiral

“Why am I pressing 3 for billing
 and then 5 for account info
 and now 7 for who knows what?”
The dreaded IVR menu or uneducated chatbot loop begins. Customers feel like they need a secret code to reach a human!

How to Avoid Confusion


Provide omnichannel support (SMS, email, live chat) so customers can choose their preferred contact method. Design AI chatbots that actually help, not just ones that send customers in circles. Saascoms Omnireach is the perfect solution!

Stage 3: The Rising Frustration

“I just explained this to the last person!”
Ah yes, the classic ‘repeat your issue’ scenario. Customers feel like they’re stuck in a time loop, explaining the same problem to multiple agents!

How to Prevent This


Omnichannel communications need to be centralised, enabling agent transfer or transfer between digital to human to be seamless. Omnireach award-winning omnichannel software is the perfect solution!

Stage 4: The Breakthrough Moment

“Oh, finally! Someone who understands!”
When a knowledgeable, empathetic agent steps in, magic happens. The customer feels heard, and a solution is in sight!

How to Make This Happen Sooner


Train agents to acknowledge frustration before jumping into solutions. Empower support teams with AI-driven insights to resolve issues faster.

Stage 5: The Happy Ending (Or So We Hope)

“That wasn’t too bad
 I guess?”
Customers leave feeling satisfied or at least relieved. A well-handled interaction turns frustration into loyalty!

How to End on a High Note


Send a follow-up message thanking the customer for their patience. Offer a discount or loyalty perk if the issue caused real inconvenience.

happy lady on a phone

Final Thoughts – Turning Frustration into Loyalty

Customer service isn’t perfect, but businesses that anticipate and address the five stages of customer service frustration stand out. Saascoms AI-driven communication tools ensure fewer loops, quicker resolutions, and happier customers without the stress.

For a demo on Omnireach, Mailmaster or any of our award-winning customer service platforms please give the team a call.

Contact Saascoms
Financial Year end 2025

New Financial Year – What Are Your Business Resolutions?

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Introduction

The new tax year starts on April 6th and for many businesses and organisations this is aligned to their new financial year. Whereas the run up to year end is often focused on chasing up outstanding debt, reducing stock levels and maximising sales to finish the year on a high; the new financial year is a time for the implementation of new ideas to move the organisation forward.

So how can Saascoms help?

Award Winning Customer Services Software

For over 20 years Saascoms has been developing customer services and digital marketing software which is used by over 700 brands globally. From digital letters to omnichannel communications, AI integrated customer services to bulk SMS, we are the communications experts.

Saascoms has been recognised by the Credit & Collections Technology Awards every year since 2019, held the title of ‘Number 1 Premier Power Company’ for the last two years and has been awarded a ‘National Innovation Award’. As we enter the new financial year, here’s why you should be talking to Saascoms.

Products & Services

If your organisation engages in customer services marketing, you need to be aware of what Saascoms has to offer. Here’s our top three:

Mailmaster

if you send lots of letters, confidential or otherwise, the cost of posting is astronomical. Do you know if the letter is even opened? Replace physical letters with Mailmaster digital letters. First, we send a text, then the recipient completes a security check. Then the letter is downloaded. The letter can be interactive, so view a balance, make a payment, place an order, book an appointment or complete a survey!

Omnireach

Customer service includes admin and signposting, which if dealt with by a live agent can be costly. Also, customers may interact across multiple digital channels including email, chat, social media and text. This can get messy. Not with Omnireach! Our AI Saasbot handles Identification and Verification (ID&V), assesses the initial query across the digital non-voice platforms your organisation uses and if Saasbot can’t resolve the query; only then will it be passed to a live agent with all the previous customer comms on one screen.

txtpro

Direct, simple, uncluttered and opened by over 95% of recipients – the humble text message! txtpro is a self-serve platform for bulk SMS messaging. It’s as easy as uploading your numbers, writing your message and scheduling delivery times. The reporting suite provides delivery rates and bounce backs, you can adapt for two-way messaging also.

At Saascoms we are at the cutting edge of customer services marketing and communications, powering global brands and constantly innovating. So as we enter a new financial year, get in touch to see how we can impact both your top and bottom line.

Contact Saascoms
Business process outsourcing

Software for Business Process Outsourcing

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Introduction

Since 2004 Saascoms has been developing award-winning customer service software which powers some of the world’s biggest brands. Our white label solutions help our clients to improve their customer service offering using automation, AI, Omnichannel tools and digital communications. Our software for business process outsourcing is a perfect partner.

Whether you are looking to outsource your own processes or are a business process outsourcing specialist, Saascoms can help.

Saascoms – your silent partner

For over 20 years Saascoms software has been behind some of the world’s biggest brands, powering their customer service and experience. Our award winning UK developed software is secure, customer focused and designed to help you address real challenges in customer services.

Saascoms – our software solutions

Mailmaster – everything starts with a text or an email. From that point onwards Mailmaster opens a number of possibilities for customer engagement:

  • Secure Letters – communicate important information or instructions within a password or ID&V protected email or SMS. Save £££’s on the cost of traditional mail.
  • Secure Portal – customise and design a website portal which can contain specific customer information.
  • Digital Surveys – build customer engagement through feedback and opinions which can in turn drive product and service development.
  • Digital Calendar – schedule appointments, payments or reminders.

With MailMaster there is no contract commitment, with commercial flexibility around the size and scope of your business and the features required.

Omnireach – Designed to centralise all forms of non-voice communications into one screen, making customer engagement easy and productive. Omnireach combines the latest AI and Machine Learning to make customer services resolution more efficient. It is particularly suited to software for business process outsourcing:

  • Communications – web chat, text messaging, email, WhatsApp, messenger and social media all on one screen.
  • Administration – AI ‘Saasbot’ completes security, ID&V checks, provides simple information such as balance or changes to payments.
  • Escalation – ‘Saasbot’ can identify vulnerability or complex requirements and escalate to a live agent accordingly.
  • Education – ‘Saasbot’ can learn and constantly improve customer services responses to improve the CX.

txtpro – self-serve bulk SMS platform:

  • 93% of SMS are opened within 5 minutes.
  • API integration and instant reporting.
  • Manage multiple group profiles and set delivery scheduling times.
  • Secure – only tier one telecoms providers to protect your data.

txtpro is a pay as you go commercial model, only pay for the number of messages you send.

RCS Messaging – the future of messaging, RCS features high-resolution photo and video sharing. RCS turns a message into a conversation:

  • Video – send engaging video to educate and inform.
  • Response Buttons – for sales, feedback or payments.
  • Rich Content – combine images and text, two-way conversations and engaging audio.

RCS messaging brings your organisation to life in a text.

Benefits of Saascoms Software

Saascoms solutions can be tailored to support software for business process outsourcing through white label, API and tailored integration services. Key benefits of our combined software solutions include:

  • Reduced Costs – from postal costs to call centre live agents. Digital comms and AI have a substantial impact.
  • Increase Contact Rates – SMS and Email consistently outperform traditional mail in terms of customer response rates.
  • Manage Campaign Delivery – SMS and Email can be scheduled to the minute, whereas traditional post can’t even be scheduled to the day without significant cost.
  • Superior CX – with Omnireach customers can make contact 24/7/365 on their own terms. On average 85% of queries can be resolved by AI without the need for a live agent.

Conclusion

If you require software for business process outsourcing or are a BPO specialist, Saascoms can complement your organisation, reducing costs, increasing engagement and ultimately driving donor support. As an award-winning business working with some of the world’s largest brands, we are your perfect partner.

Contact Saascoms