How to use ChatGPT for faster, more empathetic customer support

Sam Dehart

Product Community Manager

October 18, 2023

10 min read

If you work in a frontline customer service role, then you’ve probably wondered how recent developments in AI technology will impact your role. The good news is this: For all the fearmongering about how AI will make your job obsolete, the reality is far more complicated. If anything, it will make your job less repetitive and more strategic — and that’s a good thing!

The use cases and applications for AI in customer support are as varied as all the different branches and disciplines that fall under the broad AI umbrella. But the ones that best serve the sweet spot between employee and customer needs are the ones that don’t replace agents outright. Rather, they augment your ability to do your job faster and more efficiently — all while maintaining a standard of empathy and care that customers deserve when contacting your business.

When it comes to implementing this technology in the contact center, some companies are moving much faster than others. Maybe your team is already piloting new AI-powered software. Or maybe they’re in the process of evaluating vendors. But for those of you just waiting for an AI bomb to drop, why not get a head start on familiarizing yourself with its explosive potential?

In this guide, we share practical tips for customer support agents who want to use the free version of ChatGPT to make their day-to-day lives a little easier. Start by signing up for the free version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and read on.

Use ChatGPT to generate empathetic responses to customers

When it comes to crafting thoughtful responses, ChatGPT is your friend — even and especially when your well of empathy is running a little dry. Here's how you can harness its power across various platforms:

• Email: The formal nature of email communication often requires careful word choice. With ChatGPT, you can quickly brainstorm and refine appropriate responses, ensuring that your message strikes the right chord.
• Live chat: Real-time customer interactions demand speed without compromising on quality. ChatGPT can suggest entire responses or help you polish your own messages in a matter of seconds.
• Social media and reviews: Public-facing responses require special care. ChatGPT can help you navigate the nuanced world of public replies, ensuring that your responses project a professional, empathetic image.

What not to do

While AI tools add supercharge your superpowers, it's important to keep their ethical implications top of mind. Here are some key considerations:

• Avoid sharing sensitive information: Never input customer's private details — like their full name, email address, or any personal identifying data — into ChatGPT (or any other public tool, for that matter). Instead, use generic placeholders like "Customer" or "[NAME]" when drafting a prompt.
• Don't rely solely on AI: While ChatGPT is powerful, a human touch is what really makes support interactions memorable for customers. Always review and adjust AI-generated responses to ensure they fit the context and truly meet the customer's needs.

Example prompts for ChatGPT

• Prompt:"A customer is unhappy with a delayed shipment. How can I respond empathetically?"

• Sample output: "I'm truly sorry for the delay in your shipment. We understand how frustrating this can be, and we're doing everything we can to resolve this as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding."

• Prompt:"How can I apologize for a mistake in a customer's order on social media?"

• Sample output: "We sincerely apologize for the oversight in your order. We understand the inconvenience this may have caused and are committed to making it right. Please DM us, so we can assist you further. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."

• Prompt:"A customer left a negative review about our product's quality. How can I address this?"

• Sample output: "Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're genuinely sorry to hear that our product didn't meet your expectations. Your input is invaluable, and we're keen to understand more and ensure this is addressed. Please get in touch with our team so we can assist further."

Say it with me: “ChatGPT is here to help me, not replace me.” By combining AI’s strengths with your expertise, you can deliver exceptional customer service across all platforms.

Use ChatGPT to quickly summarize customer interactions

While customers will judge their interactions with you by the level of empathy they receive, your team leads will more likely to judge how quickly you can move through support tickets — including after-call work. Here are the benefits of using ChatGPT to quickly distill the essence of customer interactions:

• Speed: Instead of spending valuable minutes or even hours manually summarizing, ChatGPT can assist you in crafting concise summaries in seconds.
• Consistency: Ensure that all summaries maintain a consistent level of detail and format, making it easier for other team members to understand and action upon them.
• Error reduction: With ChatGPT's assistance, reduce the chances of overlooking critical details from interactions.

How to use ChatGPT for summaries

• Provide context: When using ChatGPT, start your prompt by specifying the type of summary you're looking for. For instance: "Provide a concise summary of the following customer complaint."
• Use key points: Instead of inputting lengthy customer interactions verbatim, highlight the main points or events. This ensures that ChatGPT focuses on the critical aspects.
• Refinement: If the initial summary isn't perfect, you can always ask ChatGPT to refine or shorten it further. For instance: "Can you make the previous summary even more concise?"

Example prompts for ChatGPT

• Prompt:"Summarize the following feedback: A customer contacted us today to complain about a faulty widget. They said it stopped working after two weeks and felt the quality was inferior compared to the price they paid."

• Sample output: "Customer expressed dissatisfaction with a widget's quality, which malfunctioned within two weeks, considering its cost."

• Prompt:"Provide a brief summary of this interaction: A customer wrote a long email praising our new software update, mentioning how it improved their workflow and saved them hours of work each week."

• Sample output: "Customer praised the recent software update, highlighting significant workflow improvements and time savings."

• Prompt:"Condense the following review: A customer reviewed our service on social media, stating that while they loved our product range, they wished we had faster shipping options."

• Sample output: "Customer loves product variety but desires quicker shipping."

Using ChatGPT to summarize customer interactions can drastically increase the efficiency and consistency of your customer service operations. As always, remember to review and adjust any summaries to ensure they fully capture the essence and nuances of the original interaction.

Use ChatGPT to overcome language barriers in customer interactions

We live in an increasingly global society, which means you might be paired up with a customer who needs your support but doesn’t speak the same language as you. If you don’t have access to professional translation services or a bilingual teammate, ChatGPT can be a temporary (albeit imperfect) solution.

Words of caution

• Not a dedicated translator: ChatGPT is primarily a conversational AI, not a dedicated translation tool. As such, while it can translate languages, it might not always be as accurate as specialized tools or professional translators.
• Always communicate: If you decide to use ChatGPT for translation, always let the customer know that you're using an AI-powered translator and apologize in advance for potential inaccuracies.
• Clarify when unsure: If there's any uncertainty about the translation's accuracy, ask the customer for clarification or rephrase your message.

Best practices for using ChatGPT to translate different languages

• Short and simple: Keep sentences short and avoid jargon or complex terminology to increase the likelihood of accurate translations.
• Feedback loop: If a customer points out a translation error, take note of it. This will help improve your usage of the tool in future interactions and educate your team on common pitfalls.

Example prompt for ChatGPT

• Prompt:"Translate the following customer feedback from Spanish to English: 'El producto llegó dañado y quiero un reembolso.'"
• Sample output: "The product arrived damaged, and I want a refund."

After using ChatGPT for translation, you might respond to the customer with: "I apologize for any inconvenience. I'm using an AI translator to assist with our conversation, so please let me know if there are any misunderstandings. We will process your refund request promptly."

By integrating ChatGPT as a backup solution for overcoming language barriers, you can ensure smoother interactions in diverse linguistic scenarios. That said, it's crucial to remain transparent, patient, and apologetic, ensuring that the customer feels valued and understood, despite potential translation hiccups.

Conclusion

As the digital landscape evolves, so too do the tools at our disposal. ChatGPT can be a powerful ally for customer service agents, promising speed, empathy, and even a bridge across language divides. Yet, as with all tools, its efficacy lies in judicious use. When deployed thoughtfully, it can elevate customer interactions, streamlining processes and ensuring clearer communication.

As we move toward a future where AI plays an ever-increasing role, it's essential to remember the human touch at the heart of customer service. By blending technology with genuine care and understanding, you can deliver service that not only meets but exceeds expectations.