NEXT (Global Fashion and Home Retailer)
Overview
NEXT approached the rollout of AI through an "educational lens," positioning the technology as an assistance tool for its 200+ human agents rather than a replacement. This strategy helped build internal credibility and improved the quality of conversations across 10 million customers.
Key Results & Metrics
Increased Agent Productivity: AI acts as a "copilot," providing agents with context and suggested responses.
Enhanced Tone Matching: Using AI to match customer tone, whether formal or casual (including the use of emojis).
Data Visibility: Leveraging the "data gold mine" within customer profiles to personalize interactions.
Strategic Implementation
The AI journey started with the email channel, where it was used to help agents handle high volumes while maintaining a "human" feel. By using Zendesk’s integration capabilities, NEXT ensured that AI lived up to the hype by delivering tangible speed and accuracy improvements.
"Our successful experience with Zendesk AI has given artificial intelligence credibility across our business. For many of us, it’s the first AI tool that lived up to the hype and actually delivered." — Raz Razaq, Head of Customer Contact Experience Technology at NEXT.