Google suite leverages conversational AI for customer support

Google Cloud has introduced Customer Engagement Suite with Google AI, an application suite that combines conversational AI with contact-center-as-a-service (CCaaS) functionality for automated customer relations support. The software uses the Google Gemini 1.5 Flash model for AI. Introduced September 24, Customer Engagement Suite with Google AI offers four ways to improve the quality of the customer experience and the speed of generative AI adoption, Google Cloud said.

The first feature, omnichannel engagement, orchestrates customer experience across web, mobile, voice, email, and apps. The Conversational Insights product, formerly known as Contact Center AI Insights, analyzes real-time data from across customer operations to provide key performance indicators, inquiry topic categories to prioritize, and areas of improvement. AI-based analytics are applied to customer interactions and the Quality AI feature auto-scores customer conversations.

The application also offers a multimodal approach, using the latest Gemini AI models. Multimodal information is supported, including text, voice, and images. As an example, Google Cloud cited a use case scenario in which a customer calls their mobile provider about trading in a phone. Virtual agents would guide the process with step-by-step instructions and send images to the user’s phone for additional support.

Rule-based controls are implemented using Conversational Agents, which combines strict controls with natural language instructions alongside adaptive generative AI. Hybrid agents are created to personalize self-service, with agents integrating prescriptive actions for predetermined questions along with the Gemini model’s ability to address a broader range of topics.

The application also features Agent Assist capabilities to improve employee productivity. Gemini models used by Conversational Agents and Agent Assist products can be grounded in information from an organization’s own resources to increase accuracy in the responses generated.

Also featured as part of Customer Engagement Suite with Google AI is generative knowledge assist, a coaching model, summarization, smart reply, and live translation service trained on Gemini models.