More than 52% of Poles believe that artificial intelligence has a significant impact on their lives. [1] Because AI is taking on the following roles that have been reserved for humans until now, and we are feeding it more often and in ever-larger portions. However, we are primarily focused on improving the machine's IQ, forgetting that human intelligence also consists of its emotional and social dimensions.
Development of technologies and ... humanism
Until recently, visionary professions included, first of all, those related to the IT industry. Meanwhile, the market took an unexpected turn. The industry has begun to actively use the process automation offered by AI. In 2023 alone, more than 260 thousand IT professionals lost their jobs. For comparison, in 2022, this figure was approximately 160 thousand. [2]
This was supposed to save time and energy and eliminate the monotony of work in favor of more creative activities. However, we also got an uncertain future in the package. Because while AI has actually simplified a number of processes, those who have been responsible for them so far have not suddenly started disabling coupons.
When asked what I can do after losing my job in IT, the GPT chat suggested that I hone my skills, try freelancing and, above all, be positive. He concluded by saying that I could also ask a professional for advice. Because who better to understand the pain of a man of flesh and blood, if not ... another person. Thus, it turns out that professions that were once considered insufficiently promising may soon experience a revival. The majority of Poles would not trust AI, for example, to teach children (56%) or help with psychological support (64%). Only 2-3 times fewer respondents would take such a step. [3]
"Hello there! How can I help you?”
Corporate chatbots most often greet us with these words. Until quite recently, we could hear such a question, first of all, from the store service. And even if such help was really useful to us, we most often answered: "Thank you, just looking!". This is an instinct-we feel that someone wants to influence us in some way, and we defend ourselves.
With AI, everything is easier. Because such a chatbot won't have a worse day, won't be offended, and will be ready to help 24/7. So, if designed correctly, it can have a positive impact on our experience-just like other interface elements. However, the relationship with the chatbot is essentially one-sided. He is part of the role that we will offer him, and imitates only those emotions that he can read. They can accept the tone of voice developed by the company, and the interlocutor will naturally apply the rules of social life to them. However, a flaw will cause frustration and frustration.
The world is at your fingertips
And there's nothing complicated about it. We like to have everything at hand, so new folders appear on the screens of our smartphones, and when there is not enough space for them, we add screens. At Foodsi, we try to keep up with technological trends. We are making new changes that, on the one hand, should simplify the application as much as possible and make it more intuitive, and on the other-provide important information for users. This is m.in so we are expanding our app with ratings of places, packages and filters. Even last year, the app underwent major changes in its architecture, so today you can save various types of products from loss even more conveniently.
Therefore, we are not closed to new technologies and see the potential in using AI chatbots that will improve our work. However, Customer Support is a special department where (at the moment) the bot can actually only receive basic information about the application submission. In our case, this will be the package ID and a photo of its contents. That would be the end of his job.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help you.”
Every entrepreneur would like to avoid negative connotations with their brand. Even if its product is improved, there are still areas that can affect the overall level of customer satisfaction. In Foodsi, the product is not tangible, but is a platform that connects sellers with users. The former display surplus products in the app, while the latter buy them at a discount of up to 70%. The fact that we can't influence certain processes can cause a lot of problems.
Sometimes sellers confuse the packages or pack the wrong products in them. Of course, access to the specified information (package ID and image) will simplify the whole process and speed up the response time on our side. Ultimately, however, there are too many variables for us to afford full automation in this regard. Most applications require you to contact your partner or their legal guardian.
According to a study conducted by Gartner, Inc., only 8% of customers used a chatbot during their last customer service session. Of these, only 25% said they would use this chatbot again in the future.[4] it turns out that chatbots are still not an effective tool for solving most customer problems. The chatbot still acts as an obstacle that must be overcome in order to reach the person who will understand and solve our problem.
A support service is not a department, but a group of actions
When the user enters a closed room, a quick call to the partner allows you to determine that there was a power outage, the restaurant was closed, and therefore the user jumped away from the door. In other cases, when they realize at home that they have received too little of one package, contacting the support service will let us know that in the throes of work, someone actually missed one of the packages. And such situations multiply. In 2023 alone, we adopted approx. 20 thousand applications, of which 4.5 thousand were submitted. these were complaints.
Each case is subject to a separate assessment, and although we are not locked in AI, we are not satisfied with the current solutions. We rely on an individual approach to each submission and do not want our users to get nervous because of a clumsy conversation with a bot, which most likely will not solve their problem.
Locality is in our blood
From the very beginning, Foodsi has focused on supporting local businesses. And even though we work with global networks today, we still want to be close to our users. Like the lady from the vegetable store, from whom, in addition to the fruit grid, we get a lot of gossip. Sometimes she needs our support.
So what if we have a functional app if you use a flip phone? We don't want to shut anyone down, and while the prospect of automating customer service is tempting, we are more concerned with individual approach, understanding the needs and solving the problem. And positive comments at the end of the day reinforce our belief that the path we are on is the right one.
[1] Social Research Report, Artificial Intelligence in Society and Economy, NASK State Research Institute, Warsaw 2019
[3] Social Research Report, Artificial Intelligence in Society and Economy, NASK State Research Institute, Warsaw 2019
[4] https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-06-15-gartner-survey-reveals-only-8-percent-of-customers-used-a-chatbot-during-their-most-recent-customer-service-interaction
Authors of the text:
Marfa Pavlusinskaya
Customer Care Specialist
"Understanding and empathy are the best answer to human problems.”
Simon Urban
Content Marketing Specialist
"Every technology has a person behind it. It is with him that we should be able to communicate in the first place.”
Junior specialist in Marketing Communications and PR.
He is a graduate of the University of Warsaw and the Main School of Agriculture. We have been in the HoReCa industry for more than 10 years. For many years, he has been associated with the Trip group, Sobienie Royal Golf and Country Club, and the Florentin Restaurant in Warsaw.
She graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Warsaw Technical University with a degree in Architecture for the Knowledge Society and Visual Communications at the Polytechnic University of Milan. A specialist in creating a mood. She has gained experience at home and abroad at numerous international seminars (Seville, Lisbon, Florence), fellowships at La Sapienza (Rome), etc. m.in. in Carmi e Ubertis and ADM Milano.
A manager with many years of experience in the cosmetics, food, and children's industries. During his career, he was associated with such companies as: L'Oreal, Samsung, Danone-Nutricia, Unilever. During his professional life, he was responsible, among other things, for the development of e-commerce sales and content in Poland and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. 
