ZOHO Corp. expects more companies in the Philippines to use artificial intelligence (AI)-powered customer service to streamline their operations.
“Generative AI can be used to streamline customer journeys via automation,” Gibu Mathew, Zoho vice-president for Asia-Pacific, said in a Viber message. “It can analyze large amounts of customer data, identify patterns and generate insights to improve service quality, identify potential issues and anticipate customer needs.”
The technology company, which is based in India, said Philippine companies could leverage generative AI to drive growth by increasing productivity through task automation and process optimization.
AI could also be used in so-called hyper-personalization because it could deliver more impactful customer recommendations and purchase history data, allowing businesses to tailor-fit product offerings or services aligned with customers’ preferences, Mr. Mathew said.
He said micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME), start-up firms and other low-tech industries could benefit more from the growing adoption of AI in the Philippines.
“We’re seeing it being applied in low-tech sectors, as well as in a diverse range of business functions, from pre-production to post-production,” Mr. Mathew said.
“Generative AI can also identify patterns and generate insights to improve service quality, identify potential issues and anticipate customer needs as a result. MSMEs become more agile and proactive in the face of risks like customer churn,” he added.
Upskilling remains to be the threat in the wider adoption of AI because the lack of basic information and communications technology skills could hinder its growth.
“There are also issues such as data bias, misinformation, intellectual property rights, security concerns, and interpretability,” Mr. Mathew said. “These challenges pose serious risks to brand reputation, and responsible AI practices are imperative.” — Ashley Erika O. Jose
