Technology
How to Level Up Customer Support Automation Today
One of the most powerful ways to modernize a support team is by optimizing support operations with AI automation.
When implemented thoughtfully, automation doesn’t replace human agents—it elevates them.
Less duplicated work‚ resolving issues faster‚ and providing a consistent experience on different channels․
Since there are many content formats in the current content environment‚ the most effective formats for guidelines are those that are structured‚ practical‚ and focused on “what you can actually do,”‚ as opposed to abstract theory․
This article follows that same intent‚ and seeks to document the journey to better customer support automation‚ without mentioning brand names or links․
1. Automate first‑contact triage with smart workflows
One of the common entry points into support automation is to respond to end customers’ requests as soon as they are received‚ rather than making them wait for a human agent to pick up a chat channel or email, as is customary․
This is done through clever workflows that ask a few questions‚ qualify and classify the issue, and recommend a next best action․
This can mean transferring to a human agent‚ directing the user to a specific help article‚ or beginning a guided self-service flow right within the chat․
It reduces the friction to get started and shows customers they are being heard from the first message․
It reduces the burden on agents because they only see tickets that require human judgement․
In the best implementations‚ the bot feels like a helpful assistant and not a hindrance to the customer reaching a resolution․
2. Route tickets with intelligence, not just speed
Responsiveness is still important‚ but smart routing is what takes automation from simple ticketing to responsive‚ scalable support․
Instead of shuffling tickets to the agent available‚ the system can route based on the subject‚ difficulty‚ language‚ or even expected resolution․
This way, billing problems are routed to billing experts‚ complaints about product setup are routed to technical experts‚ and routine status inquiries are routed to agents who can handle volume․
For example‚ clever routing could send high-touch or high-stakes tickets to a more senior agent or tickets that ask the same question repeatedly to agents specialized in a specific workflow․
It’s this kind of intelligence that allows teams to be faster and happier when they are thinking of routing-based automation beyond simple round robin distribution․
3. Turn FAQs into self‑service journeys
Another area the current content focuses on is changing the format of FAQs into more interactive self-service experiences that guide customers through flows‚ checklists, or conversational search‚ as opposed to serving them a long list of links‚ making it easier to discover a solution․
This reduces the need to create tickets in the first instance and reduces the support workload by focusing on more high-value ‚ complex interactions․
An organized help center can examine common patterns in failed searches and proactively suggest the most appropriate articles or troubleshooting steps․
It can also serve as the backbone for mini-chatbots that can guide the user through setup‚ configuration‚ or troubleshooting paths without opening a ticket․
When teams invest in AI automation to better support their operation‚ a self-service capability is often one of the first investments made․
4. Automate routine follow‑ups and escalations
In modern ticketing systems‚ the entire life cycle of the ticket from its creation can be automated․
Instead of relying on agents to remember to do a status update‚ a satisfaction survey‚ or an escalation‚ rules can be set up to automate these processes․
For example‚ if a ticket has been placed in the “pending customer reply” state for a specified period of time‚ a notification to the customer can be sent out to remind them‚ or if a complaint has not been resolved within any specified period‚ the ticket can be escalated to a manager․
The result is processes that are always followed‚ never missed SLAs‚ less manual work‚ and agents are freed up from the tedious tracking of time and sending reminders to focus on resolving problems․
A mix of automation and human intervention is often the optimal solution for a better experience for customers and agents alike․
5. Use AI to draft and summarize responses
AI-assisted writing has become the norm to scale support teams‚ with the tool helping staff draft an initial response‚ summarize long email threads‚ and suggest templated replies which agents personalize․
It is especially useful in high-volume or multi-language support environments‚ where replies to common questions must be timely and consistent․
This type of automation doesn’t replace agents‚ but acts as a force multiplier for them‚ ensuring that baseline questions are answered correctly and on-brand‚ while still enabling subtlety and empathy in less obvious situations․
Some teams use AI to translate or simplify support communications for different audiences‚ enabling them to support global customers without needing to hire additional staff․
6. Automate onboarding and welcome communications
Automation can also play an important role in onboarding‚ by providing an automated welcome sequence for new customers to help them get set up‚ implement best practices‚ and learn about key features and resources․
These sequences can incorporate email‚ in-app messages‚ and chat prompts to create a cross-channel experience․
To the support staff who deal with these customers‚ this reduces the number of “I don’t know where to start” help desk questions that pile up in the first few days after signing up․
Perhaps more considerably‚ walking users through the most important workflows has contributed to increased activation and retention rates․
One of the most visible ways to use AI automation in support is by transitioning from firefighting to empowering customers and agents with self-service and insights․
7. Trigger proactive support with behavior signals
An even more advanced form of automation involves proactively reaching out to customers before they reach out to you by identifying usage trends or risk signals based on the way they are using the product․
For example‚ when a user repeats the same action‚ fails to complete a key workflow‚ or is beginning to disengage‚ a system could send a personalized message or offer assistance before the customer churns․
These models may be based on behavioral analytics and artificial intelligence models‚ which have tracked tens of thousands of data points‚ events‚ and user behaviors to identify signals that can be used in a support flow to prevent and surface issues before they arise to improve customer satisfaction․
As well‚ proactive messaging must be finely tuned so as not to be perceived as spam‚ and teams iterate based on feedback and response rates․
8. Automate feedback collection and analysis
Many teams capture this feedback automatically as part of their improvement processes‚ for example‚ automatically sending out a customer satisfaction survey once a ticket is closed or analyzing customer messages to understand the sentiment․
This can also support testing‚ benchmarking‚ tracking performance versus targets‚ identifying trends and patterns to tackle, and prioritizing product or process changes․
For support leaders‚ this automation means raw interaction data is transformed into structured insights․
Instead of manually reviewing tickets‚ they view dashboards containing information about common problems‚ emerging topics‚ agent performance‚ etc․
Another effective way to improve efficiency in support is through AI automation․
Every interaction can be a learning and improvement opportunity․
9. Integrate omnichannel experiences
Omnichannel integration is a common thread in customer support automation workflows․
Customers do not care what channel they are in․
Customers expect the context to move with them as they continue the conversation via chat‚ email‚ phone‚ social media, or in an in-app message․
Automation across channels offers the advantage that each interaction builds on prior interactions‚ instead of beginning with a blank slate․
For example‚ if a customer starts a chat conversation and later sends an email‚ we want to show the chat conversation in the history view for the email conversation‚ and vice versa‚ so that the agent doesn’t have to ask the customer for context each time․
This is a feature that differentiates fragmented support experiences from single-threaded experiences‚ and is a common area of focus for teams modernizing their support workflows․
10. Build a feedback‑driven automation roadmap
The best customer support automation is not a single project․
Top teams start by identifying manual activities that take the most time or happen most often‚ and then determine which of those can be fully or partially automated․
They roll out gradual changes and analyze their effects in order to improve them based on real-world data․
This roadmap often includes:
- Pinpointing the top 20% of support scenarios that consume the most time.
- Designing workflows that combine bots, knowledge bases, and human agents.
- Continuously monitoring metrics like resolution time, satisfaction scores, and agent workload.
By combining this with a full focus on AI automating support operations‚ your support function can be scaled better․
There are options emerging like Ferndesk, which do seem to align with most of these points․
But the fundamental principle remains for any support teams the same: to automate support to be faster‚ smarter, and more human․
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) have introduced a new regulatory requirement mandating prior approval for significant changes in the ownership structure of telecommunications companies operating in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha and Head of Public Affairs at the Corporate Affairs Commission, Mr Rasheed Mahe.
According to a joint press release issued by the two agencies, the directive, which takes immediate effect, requires all licensed telecom operators seeking to transfer ownership or control of shares amounting to 10 per cent or more of their total share capital to first obtain a Letter of No Objection from the NCC before such transactions can be registered by the CAC.
The statement reads in part, “The directive, which takes immediate effect, requires all licensed communications companies seeking to transfer ownership or control of shares amounting to 10 per cent or more of their total share capital to obtain a Letter of No Objection from the NCC before such transactions can be registered with the CAC.
“The requirement is in line with the provisions of Section 90 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, Regulation 28(2) of the Competition Practices Regulations 2007, and Regulation 42 of the Licensing Regulations 2019, which empower the NCC to monitor transactions involving licensees and ensure fair competition within the sector.
“Under the new arrangement, the CAC will only process and register requests for changes in shareholding structures of telecommunications companies where the transaction involves 10 per cent or more of the company’s shares and is accompanied by evidence of prior approval from the NCC.
“According to the two regulatory agencies, the measure is aimed at strengthening oversight of significant ownership changes, preventing anti-competitive practices, and preserving a fair and competitive communications market. It is also expected to enhance transparency, boost investor confidence, provide greater regulatory certainty, and support the long-term stability and sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
The NCC and CAC reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a transparent, stable, and investor-friendly business environment. Both agencies pledged continued collaboration to promote fair market practices, strengthen regulatory compliance, and ensure the orderly development of Nigeria’s communications sector.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The relevant stakeholders have been urged to take urgent action to curb the rising sophistication of cyber threats, which could undermine business sustainability and profitability.
This call was made by the Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN) during its monthly meeting held in collaboration with MAXUT Consulting.
The group noted that identity theft, mobile fraud, ransomware, and social engineering attacks are threats to organisations, especially those who may struggle to protect information assets, maintain operational resilience, and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
The president of ISSAN, Mr David Isiavwe, who doubles as the Executive Director for Risk Management at Nova Bank, stressed that cybercriminals are deploying increasingly sophisticated attack methods targeting individuals, businesses, critical national infrastructure, and strategic assets.
Among the threats highlighted were identity theft, Business Email Compromise (BEC), phishing, ransomware, WhatsApp account hijacking, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, payment card fraud, cryptocurrency-related attacks, and other forms of social engineering.
According to him, the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks mean cybersecurity can no longer be viewed solely as an IT issue but as a critical business and national security priority.
To address these challenges, he urged organisations to adopt proactive risk management practices, implement continuous monitoring systems, promptly address vulnerabilities, and invest in regular cybersecurity awareness programmes for employees and customers.
Also, the importance of leveraging emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and automation to enhance threat detection and response capabilities was emphasised.
“No organisation can successfully confront today’s cyber threats in isolation. Information sharing, collaboration, and collective vigilance remain essential to protecting our digital ecosystem and safeguarding public trust,” the ISSAN leader said at the event, which featured a technical presentation titled, Confronting the New Mobile Threat Landscape: Beyond User Authentication.
ISSAN reaffirmed its commitment to promoting cybersecurity awareness, capacity building, information sharing, and industry collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s cyber resilience and support a secure digital economy.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A designed-in-house server known as Nathu La has been launched by a global technology company, Zoho Corporation.
Nathu La is engineered with hardware-rooted security at every layer of the stack. Its indigenous IP-driven approach reduces dependency on external entities for security audits, firmware updates, and licensing continuity.
The solution aligns with open-source software principles and reflects Zoho’s broader commitment to building sustainable, secure, and scalable digital infrastructure. It also supports the growing global focus on digital sovereignty, local innovation ecosystems, and high-performance computing capabilities.
The platform was introduced by the company as part of a pivotal step in its journey towards building its full technology stack, from the hardware layer to software applications.
With Nathu La, Zoho has achieved equivalent performance with 12-18 per cent lower power consumption and 20-30 per cent lower total cost of ownership (TCO), thereby reducing inference costs.
The Nathu La server, comprising Intel® Xeon® 6 processors, was developed collaboratively with Intel, leveraging their enablement capabilities and technical expertise.
The design philosophy behind Nathu La is rooted in the Open Compute Project (OCP), emphasising modularity, thermal efficiency, and ease of maintenance. This enables Zoho’s data centres to significantly reduce total cost of ownership and power consumption.
Zoho plans to host its applications on the Nathu La server platform, enabling the company to optimise the full software-hardware stack for its specific workloads, reduce costs, improve performance, and strengthen data governance for its global customers. This will also help bring down inference costs for Zoho’s AI usage.
The Nathu La server motherboard and chassis platform is the result of five years of R&D across hardware, firmware, and systems management. Based on Intel® Xeon® 6 Processors, the server is designed to optimise performance for virtualisation (VM), High Performance Computing (HPC), AI inference, and storage applications. This results in improved performance of Zoho applications for end users.
The server features customised power delivery subsystems, an in-house DC-SCM (Data Centre Secure Control Module) design, and modular chassis options compatible with diverse end-user environments, offering flexibility across deployment types.
All modular components – including the DC-SCM and NIC (Network Interface Card) – were designed in-house by Zoho’s hardware engineering team and assembled through electronics manufacturing partners, enabling tighter integration and quality control across the platform. Over five patents have been filed covering advanced thermal management and cost-optimised server architecture designs.
“Zoho Corporation has invested in building its own technology stack from the ground up over the last three decades. The Nathu La server launch is in line with that goal.
“With our strategy of using contextual, right-sized models, running on our own platform, on our own servers, in our own data centres, we are compounding the benefits accrued from owning and operating our entire technology stack. This ensures that our solutions are more sustainable and accessible for businesses.
“These long-term R&D investments we are making at every layer of the stack are aimed at delivering customer value,” the Country Head for Zoho Nigeria, Mr Kehinde Ogundare, stated.
In 2020, Zoho established a small R&D team in Nagpur, a Tier 2 town in India, focused on projects such as server design and systems engineering.
Members of the Nathu La R&D team include hires from SETU – short for Students’ Engagement for Transformative Upskilling – an initiative designed to build a pipeline of industry-ready engineers, with a focus on advanced learning in Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).
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