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The Right Way to Get Started with AI

Turning Buzz Into Action With Strategy, Data, and Human Connection


Artificial Intelligence is everywhere — but cutting through the noise to find what truly drives results takes more than enthusiasm. That’s why our latest Lunch & Learn session, The Right Way to Get Started with AI, brought together industry professionals eager to move beyond hype and begin their AI journey with clarity and confidence.


We were joined by our dynamic guest speaker Camilla Ferreira 🇧🇷🇨🇴🇨🇱🇮🇪🇲🇽🇺🇸, who shared real-world insights on how global organizations are adopting blended human + AI approaches to improve efficiency, empathy, and engagement.

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The Hype Cycle and Rising Expectations

AI dominates customer-experience (CX) conversations—but not every implementation succeeds.


  • 92% of executives plan to increase AI investments within the next three years.

  • 71% anticipate challenges tied to ethics, privacy, and regulation.

  • 80% of customers now expect instant, personalized service (Forrester 2024).

  • 74% will switch brands after just one bad experience (Zendesk 2024).


We’re at the peak of the AI Hype Cycle—with agentic AI, generative chatbots, and “AI-ready” data leading the trend. Yet many organizations are sliding into the trough of disillusionment, where early promises meet operational and compliance obstacles.

Looking ahead, by 2029, AI will autonomously resolve up to 80% of common issues, but only when combined with human oversight and blended strategies.



Hype vs. Reality


The numbers reveal the risks of rushing in:

  • 80% of AI migrations fail without expert planning, often leading to costly rework.

  • 10–20% of AI responses show hallucinations or inaccuracies.

  • CSAT scores drop up to 50% when empathy disappears.

  • 30% of customer complaints can stem from AI systems lacking context or escalation paths.


Why Blended Models Win


AI excels at scale, speed, and 24/7 availability — while humans bring empathy, creativity, and trust. When both work together, the results speak for themselves:

  • 50% reduction in cost per call

  • 20% faster handle times

  • 15–20% CSAT improvement

  • 3.7× higher value than AI-only models


Example: A travel company used AI for repetitive tasks while live agents focused on meaningful customer interactions — achieving 50% lower costs and stronger loyalty.


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Readiness & Best Practices

Before diving into deployment, use the AI Readiness Scorecard to evaluate where your organization stands across ten key factors:

  • Data Quality

  • System Integration

  • Agent Training

  • Infrastructure (Cloud)

  • Budget Availability

  • Use Case Clarity

  • Compliance Readiness

  • Leadership Buy-In

  • Customer Expectations

  • Performance Monitoring


Best Practices for Success

  • Define Clear Objectives: Tie AI use cases directly to business goals.

  • Prioritize Data Quality: Train on accurate, current datasets.

  • Promote Human–AI Collaboration: Position AI as an assistant, not a replacement.

  • Test and Iterate: Start small, monitor KPIs, and refine continuously.


Real-World Wins

Leading brands are already demonstrating what’s possible when AI is implemented the right way:

  • Carnival Cruises: Real-time AI assistance empowered employees and earned the 2024 International CX Excellence Award.

  • Sony: Automated complex self-service interactions in six months by analyzing 60,000 + conversations.

  • KP: Used AI-driven coaching to cut average handle time by 30 seconds while improving empathy and active-listening skills.


Key Takeaways

✅ AI adoption is accelerating, but hype often overshadows reality.

✅ Blended human + AI models outperform AI-only approaches in cost, speed, and satisfaction.

✅ Assess readiness first—identify gaps before investing.

✅ Success requires clean data, leadership alignment, and iterative pilots.


🥪 Join Our Lunch & Learn Series


Our Lunch & Learn events happen every 3rd Thursday at noon (30 minutes) — and yes, lunch is on us!Each session dives into a timely topic that helps you turn insight into action immediately.


Bring a colleague — attendees who bring a guest unlock referral perks (details after registration).


Ready to explore how AI can transform your contact center or CX strategy? 📧 skip@singlepoint.us  | 📞 303-564-9876 Move beyond the buzz — start your AI journey the right way.

 
 
 

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