Automation in contact centres is often measured by a single number: how many requests were handled automatically? Yet answering a request does not mean the customer's problem has been solved.

An automated reply can make life easier for someone looking for a simple piece of information. But that same customer may want to speak to an agent when faced with an unexpected charge or an answer that does not explain their situation. The real question is therefore: which requests are genuinely resolved through automation, and which need human support?

Start with the nature of the request.

Not all requests are the same. Some can be resolved with a single piece of information. Others require understanding the customer's situation, explaining the options or reviewing a previous transaction.

That is why dividing enquiries into “easy” and “difficult” is not enough. You also need to consider what the customer is trying to do and whether they can complete it after receiving an automated reply.

For example, an automated channel may show the status of an application. But if it does not explain what that status means or what to do when a transaction has not gone through, the customer still needs help. The record says “answered”, while the customer's question remains open.

Measure resolution, not replies.

The number of automated interactions is not, on its own, a measure of success. If a manager focuses only on that figure, unresolved issues can go unnoticed. These questions offer a more realistic picture:

  • Which enquiries are actually completed through the automated channel?
  • On which issues do customers frequently contact an agent?
  • Does the customer come back about the same issue after the automated reply?
  • Can the agent see the information the customer has already provided?
  • Can customers easily reach a person when they need human support?

The aim is not to transfer every request to an agent. It is to understand where automation works and where additional support is needed.

How should an unresolved issue reach an agent?

Reaching an agent is not the end of the customer experience. If customers have to provide the same details again, explain the issue from the beginning or deal with a transfer to the wrong team, getting help requires extra effort.

Automation and agents should therefore not be managed as separate worlds. The automated channel should guide the customer to the right place, and the agent should be able to start with the information already available.

Team training matters here. Beyond a standard greeting, agents need to know how to review an incoming request and when to ask for support.

Does the same route suit every customer?

The same issue can raise different questions for different customers. One may simply want to check a transaction's status; another may want to understand why it has changed. A topic label alone is not enough to assume that every conversation can be resolved automatically.

Clear choices help: customers should be able to view the information themselves, read an explanation and contact an agent if necessary. Which option is most prominent should depend on the company's service and customer feedback.

Coorbiz's Perspective

Contact centre services are one of Coorbiz's areas of expertise. In Coorbiz's approach to team building, training and management, an agent does more than take over requests that automation cannot resolve. They understand the customer's need, see the previous interaction and identify the right next step.

Coorbiz does not believe there is a single ratio of automation to human support that works for everyone. Each manager should track the issues on which their own customers find answers and those on which they need support.

Ultimately, what matters is not how many requests receive an automated reply, but how many customers can complete what they set out to do. Easy access to help when automation does not resolve the issue is part of that success.