AI is increasingly being integrated into service operations to enhance efficiencies without compromising quality. A significant 73% of service organizations in India currently use or evaluate AI technologies, and an impressive 93% plan to ramp up their AI investments within the year.
Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), a global leader in CRM technology, today released its latest “State of Service” report, which provides in-depth insights into the customer service landscape. The report draws from the responses of over 5,500 service professionals from 30 countries, including 300 from India, to highlight the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sector.
State of Service” report, released by Salesforce pinpoints the top three AI applications in Indian service sectors as automated summaries and reports, intelligent offers and recommendations, and the creation of knowledge articles. A notable 94% of Indian service professionals employing AI acknowledged that it considerably saves time, allowing them to focus more on complex tasks.
The trend of viewing customer service as a potential revenue generator rather than a cost center is gaining traction. Around 79% of organisations in India foresee a higher revenue contribution from their service departments this year, with 85% expecting increased budgets and 80% anticipating a rise in headcount to meet escalating demands.
Service agents, however, are under pressure with the rising expectations of customers. The average service agent in India spends only 35% of their time directly assisting customers, and 77% of service organisations anticipate a higher case volume next year. Furthermore, 88% of service professionals reported that customers are more demanding than they were in the past.
In terms of data capabilities, the sector is seeing substantial investment. About 92% of service professionals believe that enhanced access to data from other teams could significantly improve support, with 81% of organisations planning to increase their investment in data integration this year.
Arun Kumar Parmeswaran, Managing Director – Sales at Salesforce India, commented on the findings, “As customer expectations continue to rise, the benefits of AI are unmistakably clear—increased productivity, cost reduction, and improved customer experiences. Organisations are refining their ability to deliver high-quality service swiftly, augmented by the growing sophistication of automation and data capabilities. AI and data are propelling customer experience to new heights, proving their value across diverse use cases and unlocking lucrative revenue opportunities.”
This report underscores the pivotal role of AI and data in shaping the future of customer service in India, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges faced by service organizations in an increasingly digital landscape.