By Javier Fernandez Martin, Customer Engagement Director at ProdwareAt this point, the impact that generative artificial intelligence will have on the economy and organizations is undeniable. Its influence will be widespread, transforming processes across a wide range of business functions. Experts have already pinpointed departments where this impact will be particularly profound—areas such as content creation, copywriting, financial analysis, legal advisory, and software development. But another critical area where generative AI is set to reshape the landscape is in sales and customer service.
A study by global consulting firm McKinsey estimates that generative AI—like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot—could contribute between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion to global GDP through productivity gains. That’s several times the GDP of Spain. Among the sectors poised to benefit most from this technological leap, McKinsey specifically highlights customer service, marketing, and sales.
Generative AI is Transforming the Contact Center
In the realm of customer service—particularly in contact centers—McKinsey forecasts that widespread adoption of generative AI in the coming years could boost productivity by 30% to 45%. When effectively implemented, generative AI can help agents deliver better, more tailored responses by adapting interactions to each customer’s history and preferences. The goal is to turn every anonymous customer into a VIP by acknowledging and responding to their individual needs.
For routine and repetitive inquiries, language models can automate responses, allowing human agents to focus on more complex, high-value cases. Additionally, generative AI can analyze massive volumes of customer interactions to detect patterns, trends, or opportunities for improvement—leading to long-term gains in customer satisfaction. AI systems also excel at handling spikes in call volume, such as during promotional campaigns, thanks to their ability to manage multiple conversations simultaneously without compromising quality.
Empowering Sales Teams
In marketing and sales, the productivity gains from generative AI will also be significant in the medium term—McKinsey projects an increase of 5% to 15%. Generative AI enhances sales teams’ capabilities in several key ways. First, it frees them from repetitive, low-value tasks, allowing them to focus on what really matters: understanding and engaging with customers.
AI will speed up the creation of commercial content, such as marketing campaigns, product descriptions, promotional emails, and social media posts, which will eliminate the fear of the blank page.
Daily work with CRM systems will also evolve. Sales reps will save time through the automation of tasks such as scheduling appointments, tracking emails, and updating records. But perhaps the most transformative change is the ability to personalize communications. With tools like Microsoft Copilot, sales professionals can craft messages tailored to each customer’s purchase history and preferences.
During the sales process, AI can recommend products, anticipate objections, and suggest appropriate responses. Generative AI can be trained to analyze past sales and customer behavior, allowing teams to pinpoint the best price or offer for each situation, predict future trends, and focus their efforts on the most promising leads. Standardized responses will become a thing of the past. Once again, the aim is to offer VIP treatment to as many (current or potential) customers as possible.
Copilot Makes Sales Reps More Empathetic
Customer service agents and sales professionals now have a powerful ally in Microsoft Copilot, a generative AI system based on OpenAI technology. It’s the same pioneering company that introduced ChatGPT in late 2022, marking a new era in tech. Copilot has a wide range of capabilities. It can handle the “administrative burden” of managing emails, scheduling meetings, and updating CRM records.
It also helps users generate Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. And thanks to built-in machine learning that improves with each interaction, Copilot can recommend sales strategies tailored to specific customer profiles, market segments, or even the real-time context of a conversation.
A customer who feels truly heard is far more likely to be a loyal one. And from there, closing a sale is just one step away. Again, the goal is the same: deliver a VIP experience to everyone, made possible by generative AI.
In Conclusion
A company that equips every sales rep with a Copilot ensures that each customer receives the best possible response at every touchpoint. That’s a major advantage in a world where standardized answers and lack of empathy too often leave customers feeling unseen. Generative AI changes the equation, by making personalization, empathy, and excellence the new standard.
Article originally published on Marketing News.
