Most of us know all too well the experience of reaching out to Customer Service and getting a robot on the other end. Or a labyrinthine phone system. Or not being able to find contact information at all.
Who among us has not, at one time or another, shouted “speak to a representative!” into the phone?
And yet, companies across industries are using AI more and more to cut costs and increase efficiency.
We spoke to Reem Hamed, Customer Success Team Leader at Freightos, to discuss this tension: on the one hand, the need to streamline operations, and on the other, the need to address customer needs.
Reem’s answer?
These goals can work together. AI can make company processes smoother – can make employees’ lives easier – while actually improving customer experience.
Here’s how.
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How Freightos uses AI to speed up customer support
Traditionally, one of the biggest pain points for Freightos customers reaching out to customer service has been response time.
Since our customers typically deal with complex freight issues, they take our representatives’ full attention, which means conversations take more time. And every second of speed matters.
But pre-AI, when a customer success agent got a message from a customer, the agent first had to request order information from the customer, who often couldn’t access it quickly; then, once they got the order information, they had to search manually for the order and confirm the shipment status; and only after that could they begin addressing the issue.
Now, Reem explained, a little AI has gone a long way in shaving off some time from each interaction.
It works like this: When a customer starts an online chat, an internal note with the customer’s email, company name, and links to active shipments is automatically generated for the CS representative. The CS rep then asks the customer to simply select the shipment they need help with. Boom – everyone can move on to problem solving.
Not having to ask customers for shipment numbers is a small thing that saves time and frustration, with the bonus of boosting customer trust when they see their correct information appearing quickly.
This use of AI does not replace human interaction—it simply speeds up an important process, allowing agents to focus on solving problems rather than gathering information. In other words, the AI helps humans be better, and faster, at their jobs.
AI helps support teams craft more empathetic responses
Customer support often involves handling frustrated customers who need clear, professional, and empathetic communication. This is another area where the Freightos CS team is using AI to help—not replace—human agents.
Reem’s team uses ChatGPT to refine responses in difficult situations, such as disputes or escalations. But instead of relying on AI to generate a fully automated message, agents provide key information and ask AI to enhance the tone.
For example, when dealing with a frustrated shipper:
- An agent first determines the key facts of the case
- They then input the details to an internal AI model to ensure that the tone lands, using predefined prompts like “make this more empathetic” or “simplify this for a new shipper”
- The AI model refines the wording while maintaining the Freightos brand voice and ensuring that the complexities of international freight are communicated well
“The team has really benefitted from using ChatGPT for frustrated customers—it helps smooth the conversation and language while keeping it professional.”
– Reem Hamed, Customer Success Team Leader, Freightos”
Dealing with frustrated customers can lead to frazzled agents. A little help from AI ensures that agents can communicate effectively, even under pressure.
AI enhances personalization
A new initiative the Freightos team is working on involves AI-powered saved replies, where frequently used responses are automatically suggested to agents based on keywords from customer messages.
For example:
- If a customer mentions Amazon, AI might suggest a pre-written response with relevant information about Amazon’s shipping requirements
- If a shipper asks for a quote, AI can generate a response template with a link to search rates
The key here is that these responses appear as suggestions to agents, who can choose whether to use them, and can edit or personalize them, adding the customer’s name, greetings based on the time of day or season, and reference to previous interactions.
Unlike chatbots, this approach empowers human agents, providing them with tools to make their responses faster and more targeted. This use of AI actually bolsters agents’ connection with customers.
In the image below you can see this in action. The yellow box appears on the agent’s end as soon as the chat is initiated, providing customer information and suggested responses:
Customers still want to talk to a human
When shippers reach out to Customer Success, especially with complex shipping issues, they dread the frustration of trying to explain their situation to a robot. New shippers in particular are often unfamiliar with freight processes and want reassurance that a real expert is guiding them.
In fact, Reem shared that many customers begin their conversations by announcing “I need a human.”
This is why Freightos is committed to using AI as an assistant rather than a replacement. AI helps agents work faster and smarter, but human expertise is still the core of customer interactions.
“We can utilize AI to help us deal with day-to-day tasks, but we need to keep the balance of AI and the human touch.”
– Reem Hamed”
Takeaways: AI in logistics and for SMBs
No matter your company’s industry, AI can help streamline operations and improve customer support – as long as it builds trust rather than eroding it.
See if your business has use cases for AI in the following areas:
AI for speeding up processes
AI can help your customer success team move faster by:
- Providing real-time information during interactions with customers
- Analyzing customer data to find patterns in behavior and preferences
AI for tailoring responses to customers
If used properly, AI can actually make your interactions with customers more personalized by:
- Refining tone and clarity when needed
- Suggesting responses to help agents manage a high volume of requests
- Keeping relevant customer information available and accessible
AI for streamlining routine tasks to make time for more strategic ones
Free up your agents’ time to enable valuable interactions with customers by using AI to:
- Automate data entry, ticket sorting, documentation, and record-keeping
- Monitor and track customer health scores
When it comes to customer service, the human touch is more valuable than ever. Ironically enough, using AI the right way can make your team more human.
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