Say Goodbye to Misunderstandings: How ChatGPT Is Improving Communication in Customer Service

January 8, 2024
Say Goodbye to Misunderstandings: How ChatGPT Is Improving Communication in Customer Service

Let’s face it, effective communication is crucial when it comes to customer service. So, what happens when a customer doesn't speak the same language as the customer service representative? Frustration and misunderstandings–and this happens on both ends. According to a study by Statista, 73% of global customers prefer product reviews in their native language, and 40% of people surveyed won’t even buy from a website that is not in their mother tongue. Customer service representatives themselves often feel helpless and ineffective when dealing with customers who do not speak the same language as them. Not only do they believe that the quality of service they offer is compromised, but that it impacts the brand’s overall relationship with its customers.

But, with every problem, there’s a solution. Large language models like ChatGPT can finally offer real-time translation for both customers and customer service reps alike. Built on neural network architecture to adopt human-like thought processes, ChatGPT has the ability to understand and respond to inquiries in multiple languages. This can help eliminate language barriers and improve communication between customers and customer service representatives all around the world. 

In this article, we will take a look at the benefits of models like ChatGPT and how they can improve communication in the realm of customer service and care.

 

The Role of ChatGPT in Customer Translations 

ChatGPT’s ability to understand and respond to inquiries in multiple languages can facilitate communication between customers and customer service like never before. Imagine being able to express your concern in your native tongue and having a customer service representative respond in the same language. Goodbye trying to cobble together a conversation with your limited foreign language knowledge, or feeling frustrated when attempting to express the issues you’ve experienced with a particular service or product but not being able to get your point across. Without this language barrier, problems can be more easily resolved, which can greatly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

ChatGPT can also help with voice commands in translation by using Speech-to-Text (STT) and Text-to-Speech (TTS) technologies. STT technology allows the language model to convert speech into text, so it can understand the user’s voice commands in real time. Are you someone who prefers to talk rather than text? Or perhaps you have difficulty typing or do not possess the faculties to do so? Then ChatGPT with STT may be of particular use to you during your customer service requests. On the other end of the spectrum, TTS technology also allows the language model to convert text into speech. This can be particularly helpful for phone calls in a foreign language with customer support. Companies can automatically integrate ChatGPT translation functions into TTS technologies and phone services, which allows the customer to communicate their issues in their native tongue without any problem. Plus, it gives customer support the chance to understand customer issues clearly and provide relevant solutions in real time without being obstructed by the language barrier.

 

Additional Technologies Required for ChatGPT in Customer Support Services

It should be noted that a large language model like ChatGPT needs certain technologies to function properly in customer service. Among these technologies, one of the most important for customer success is an API, or application programming interface. An API allows the application (so, in this case, the customer service software such as email or phone services) to send data to the language model and receive translations, which is crucial for providing real-time translations. Another impressive thing about an API is that it enables the application to provide feedback to the language model, so it can learn and improve its performance over time.

Another important technology that ChatGPT relies on is Natural Language Processing (NLP). NLP is a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that deals with the interaction between computers and human languages. NLP technologies are used to understand the input text, extract information, and determine the intent of the user. Think of it as a tool that takes the whole of a message to understand its meaning rather than translating the text word for word. Because no language is the same and syntax often changes from one to the next, an NLP is crucial for providing accurate translations and communicating customer needs.

Machine Learning (ML) technologies also play a big role in securing ChatGPT’s performance. ML is a subset of AI that enables the language model to learn from data and improve its accuracy and efficiency over time. So, not only does this help provide accurate translations, but the technology also allows ChatGPT to better understand the industry, its terminology, and recurrent customer demands. Over time, as it grasps the major challenges of a company, ML can provide more pertinent responses that improve overall efficiency.

These technologies work together to provide accurate and efficient translations in real-time, which allows ChatGPT to understand and respond to customer inquiries in multiple languages through various supports. This way, customers can interact quickly and easily with support services wherever they are.

 

Real-World Implementation of ChatGPT

So, how does ChatGPT work in the real world? 

As an example, let’s take a look at how the model could be used for customer support for an e-commerce website. Let’s say a Spanish-speaking customer is trying to purchase a product from an American e-commerce site. They run into a problem with the order and decide to reach out to customer support for assistance. However, the company is quite small and the support staff only speaks English. What can be done?

With ChatGPT, the customer can go to the customer support page of the website, select their preferred language of Spanish from a drop-down menu, and write their inquiry in the contact window. As soon as the message has been sent, it is automatically translated and arrives in the customer support inbox in English. The support representative can then easily understand the customer’s issue and respond accordingly in English. The answer is then translated into Spanish and arrives in the customer’s personal inbox. Here, two people who speak two completely different languages can communicate and come to a resolution thanks to ChatGPT technology. This type of real-time translation can be integrated into live chats and phone calls, too. In truth, the possibilities are endless, as long as the proper tools are implemented.

 

Conclusion

In today’s globalized world, the ability to communicate with customers in their preferred language is more important than ever. By using a large language model like ChatGPT, industries of all kinds and companies of any size can improve customer satisfaction and increase their sales. The future of customer service is looking brighter than ever with this technology and it will be exciting to see how it continues to evolve and improve.

By Natalie Worden

Natalie Worden is a freelance translator, copywriter, and localization specialist. She holds a master’s degree in professional and literary translation from the Institut de Traducteurs, d'Interprètes et de Relations Internationales at the University of Strasbourg.

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