Unlocking Impact from AI

Key Notes from our speaker Stuart McCann from BCG

• Customer service transformation is unlocking major value through AI, with leading firms targeting up to 60% cost reductions on the long-term horizon and productivity gains by rethinking team structures and end-to-end service design.

• AI implementation delivers measurable impact, including reduced call volumes and improved agent efficiency, though financial benefits require deeper analysis of value flows.

• Initial adoption centres on basic use cases—like call transcription and knowledge summaries—yet true value comes from broader, AI-augmented workflows and personalisation.

• The next evolution involves self-healing capabilities that pre-empt issues before they reach the customer, an area currently underinvested by most firms.

• Scaling AI remains challenging due to fragmented deployments, organisational resistance, and perfectionism delaying rollout of usable solutions.

• Future-ready support models will rely on a smaller, expert-led workforce, with AI handling the majority of interactions—demanding new skills, new tech stacks, and continuous operational reinvention.