Roundtable Discussion: Companies that do not adapt to the use of AI will be left behind
The event Virtual agents: the coexistence of humans and artificial intelligence concluded with a roundtable discussion moderated by Matjaž Možina. Panellists included Burcu Begić from A1 Slovenija, Katja Kojadinović from CME Adria (PROPLUS/VOYO), Matej Pintar from Elektro Gorenjska and Rok Izlakar from GLS Slovenija. The speakers collectively concluded that virtual agents do not replace humans, but serve as key partners, enabling more efficient work and improving the customer experience.
Here, we summarise the key insights of the speakers on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual agents and their experiences in their implementation and use in practice.
Virtual agents relieve the burden on employees and improve services
Katja Kojadinović highlighted that virtual agents take over routine and repetitive tasks, freeing human agents to focus on more complex tasks. "Human agents have more time to deal with more complex tasks, while virtual agents handle answering standard, repetitive questions," she said. This improves the efficiency of contact centres and increases customer satisfaction.
Strategy and real need are key to successful implementation
Matej Pintar pointed out that at Elektro Gorenjska, the use of virtual agents is part of a broader strategy to improve the customer experience. "We have made it a part of our strategy that we want to improve our customers’ experience," he said. The adoption of AI is supported by various initiatives, underscoring the importance of a strategic approach when introducing new technologies.
At GLS Slovenia, the high volume of daily package enquiries from customers drove the need for virtual agents. Rok Izlakar said: "To service this volume efficiently, we would need 100 agents." Virtual agents at GLS allow such routine issues to be handled quickly and efficiently, easing the workload of the human team.
Convincing management and colleagues of AI’s benefits
Implementing AI often requires persuading management and employees of its benefits. Burcu Begić noted that the biggest challenge at A1 Slovenia was convincing other departments in the conservative telecommunications industry. "Telecommunications is a traditional industry, so we had to convince other departments," she explained. She stressed that the key was to demonstrate clear added value, such as cost savings and improved customer service.
Rok Izlakar from GLS Slovenia stressed how important it was to have his superiors trust the solution. "It was crucial that my superiors understood the added value and that they were confident in its reliability in terms of security and data protection," he said. Their young team was able to implement the solution in just four months, showing the importance of agility and openness to new technologies.
Employees and customers adapting to AI
The introduction of virtual agents also requires employees and customers to adapt. Burcu Begić pointed out that A1 Slovenija aims for consistency in communication for both groups. "Our goal is for everyone, both customers and employees, to get the same answers," she emphasized. This approach improves efficiency and ensures a uniform experience.
Katja Kojadinović added that PRO PLUS uses a single platform for contact centres across all countries, consolidating all the information they need to do their work. "In the future, we can integrate AI tools into these internal websites, essentially creating a kind of internal Wikipedia, so that all users are on the same page," she said, hinting at the potential to extend to expand the solution for internal use in the future.
Rok Izlakar (GLS Slovenia) highlighted another important use of AI, explaining that the tool helps the company onboard new agents and maintain transparency in internal policies. "We already use the tool to onboard new agents and review all internal policies," he explained, showing how AI facilitates faster integration of new employees and alignment with internal policies.
The future: voice agents and multi-channel presence
The speakers shared their plans for the future, including the introduction of voice agents and expanding the use of AI to new communication channels. Burcu Begić said that A1 Slovenia plans to implement a voice chatbot. "We expect that up to 60% of our customer interactions will be through voice AI in the future," she revealed. This allows customers to choose the channel that suits them best.
Matej Pintar outlined plans to extend the virtual assistant to the Viber platform and integrate it into systems for effective persuasion of users. "We have identified 36 states and the necessary input information, and in the coming year we want to simplify this process by using a chatbot and easy customer identification," he explained. This approach will improve the user experience and reduce the complexity of the processes.
Preserving the human element in the era of the rise of artificial intelligence
Participants stressed that AI should not replace people. Katja Kojadinović warned: "When implementing AI tools, we need to be sensible above all, keep our wits about us and think critically. We use AI tools as assistants." Matej Pintar added: "We need to see AI as a help. It will never replace humans."
Adaptation as a necessity for the future
The final takeaway of the roundtable was that adapting to AI is essential for staying competitive. Burcu Begić stressed: "Companies that do not adapt will be left behind. There is no going back; people need to adapt and evolve." Rok Izlakar added that AI is a tool that we need to master or the competition will overtake us.
Virtual agents and AI are already key elements in customer support and companies' internal processes. They are tools that can significantly improve efficiency and service quality, but they must be used wisely. The coexistence of AI and humans is therefore not only a possibility, but a necessary path for the future, presenting both new opportunities and challenges. Companies that are willing to embrace and leverage these technologies will have a competitive edge in an increasingly digitalised world.
