AI Monitoring of Customer Service Staff: A Step Too Far?

Is AI Monitoring of Customer Service Staff a Step Too Far?

In a groundbreaking move, Japanese supermarket chain AEON has become the first company to utilize artificial intelligence to monitor the tone and demeanor of its customer-facing staff. The “Mr Smile” solution, developed by InstaVR, aims to standardize the smiles of customer service employees across AEON’s 240 stores by analyzing over 450 elements, including facial expressions, voice volume, and greeting tone.

The AI-powered program then rates a customer-facing employee’s overall attitude and includes a competitive game element to encourage staff to improve their scores. AEON believes that this technology will help boost customer experience by standardizing staff members’ smiles and satisfying customers to the maximum.

During a three-month trial across eight stores, AEON reported a 1.6 times improvement in the attitudes of its customer service staff. However, the implementation of this new technology raises serious questions about the morality of pressuring workers to express themselves in a particular way.

While AEON claims that its employees’ attitudes have improved, it is unclear whether this information is derived from the Mr Smile solution or direct feedback from employees. This ambiguity highlights the issue of measuring customer service agents’ attitudes and the potential loss of individuality and freedom to express themselves authentically.

Criticism from Japanese customer service workers in a union survey suggests that the pressure to conform to a standard smile is seen as a form of customer harassment. Some employees believe that smiles should be genuine and heartfelt, not standardized like a product. The use of AI to standardize attitudes is viewed as cold and inauthentic by those who value individual expression.

The introduction of AI to monitor employees’ attitudes is not a new concept, as other companies have deployed similar technology to provide personal support to agents. For example, Cisco Webex introduced an Agent Burnout Detection tool to combat contact center agent stress, resulting in reduced stress levels and improved customer satisfaction.

However, the backlash faced by First Horizon Bank for additional features included in their stress-reducing tool serves as a cautionary tale. The bank’s decision to display family photos and play favorite songs during breaks was criticized as bleak and reminiscent of a dystopian scenario.

Similarly, SoftBank Corp is testing AI software to moderate the tone of irate customers in an effort to improve customer retention. While this technology has the potential to benefit both customers and agents, there are concerns about misjudging customer tones and responding inadequately.

In conclusion, the use of AI to monitor and standardize customer service staff’s attitudes raises ethical concerns about individual expression and authenticity. While the intention may be to enhance customer experience and support employee well-being, companies must consider the impact on employee morale and autonomy. Finding a balance between leveraging technology for improvement and respecting individuality is crucial in navigating the evolving landscape of customer service.