The document discusses the implementation of AI, specifically Cisco Cora, in customer service to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience. Key recommendations include proactive disruption management and improving service processes through AI-driven tools, aiming for decreased service costs and enhanced customer retention. The overall goal is to position Cisco Cora as a marketable SaaS solution while leveraging data to optimize customer service interactions.

1. AI in Customer Service
Cisco National Supply Chain Case Competition
Throughput, Next
Georgia Tech
April 1, 2019
Jorge Cruz Serrallés
Conner Reinhardt
Akash Dalal

2. Summary Table of
Contents
1
Why AI? Strategy
3
Main Takeaways
4
Recommendations
2

3. Why AI?

4. Chuck on AI
Some companies will decide that AI is
a business for them. For us, it is an
enabler of every piece of technology
that we build.”
Chuck Robbins, Cisco CEO
Why AI?

5. Uncertainty in Cisco’s
Supply Chain
Why AI?
Weather
Customs
Clearance
Supplier
Shortages
Product
Quality
Damaged
Goods
Short/
Mis-Ships

6. Uncertainty in Customer
Behavior
Change Address Returns Demand Fluctuation Expedites
Why AI?

7. Why AI?
Has Tool? Example ReasonsInquiry Type
Types of Inquiries
Return Item (CCW Returns Tool)
Change / Cancel Order (Change Order Tool)
Assistance
Request
Order Status (CCW)
Invoice Info (Invoice Tool)
Information
Request
Expedites / Shipment Forwarding
Short / Incorrect Shipments
Insurance Claims
Assistance
Required

8. A Two-Pronged Approach
Lorem
ipsum
With Internal System Improvements
Prevent service requests by using AI to
eliminate the causes that create them.
Proactive
● AI disruption management system
● (Computer vision in warehouses for detecting
damaged and short shipped loads)
With Customer Service 2.0
Improve service experience by augmenting
existing teams with “Cisco Cora” AI.
Reactive
● Cora Phone answers and directs calls
● Cora Email re-routes emails correctly
Why AI?

9. Competitive Landscape
Why AI?
85%
AI bots will power 85% of customer service
interactions by 2020 (Gartner)
32%
32% of major companies already use AI to augment
their customer service (Tata Consultancy Services)

10. Recommendations

11. Disruption Management AI
(Proactive)
Recommendations
Predict
● Late Trucks
● Uncovered Loads
● Supplier Shortages
Explore
● Network Impact
● Reasons for Delay
● Recovery Options
Resolve
● Recovery Bookings
● Appt. Rescheduling
● Alternative Sourcing

12. Better
Customer
Experience
Cisco
Cora
Easier
Menu
Navigation
Fewer
Resolution
Errors
Faster
Case
Resolution
Right Agent
First Time
Intuitive Interface
Online Redesign
Customer Service 2.0
(Reactive)
Recommendations

13. Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response
Cisco Cora Phone
Recommendations
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue

14. Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response
Cisco Cora Phone
Recommendations
Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue

15. Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response
Cisco Cora Phone
Recommendations
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue

16. Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cisco Cora Phone
Recommendations
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response

17. Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response
Cisco Cora Phone
Recommendations
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response

18. Cora Receives Call
Menu-less Experience
Zero Hold Time
Faster routing
Cora Provides Help
Points Caller to
Specific Online Tool
(Where Applicable)
Ask Questions to
Gather Relevant
Case Info
Cora Informs Agent
Seamless Handoff to
Qualified Agent
(If Human Required)
Info Passed to Agent
for Faster Response
Cisco Cora Phone
Recommendations
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves
Customer
Information
Diagnoses Issue

19. Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience
Cisco Cora Email
Recommendations

20. Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience
Cisco Cora Email
Recommendations
Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email

21. Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email
Cisco Cora Email
Recommendations
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience

22. Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cisco Cora Email
Recommendations
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience

23. Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience
Cisco Cora Email
Recommendations
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience

24. Cora Receives Email
Immediate Case
Creation
Instant Customer
Tracking of Case
Cora Defines Issue
Retrieves and
Populates
Customer Data
Diagnoses and
Categorizes Issue
From Initial Email
Cora Provides Help
Personalized Link to
Online Tool (Where
Applicable)
Personalized
Follow-Up (With
Questions)
Cora Informs Agent
Priority Assignment
to Specific Agent
Optimized Allocation
for Improved Service
Experience
Cisco Cora Email
Recommendations

25. Recommendations
Decreased
Customer Service
Costs
Cora could be leveraged
to reduce payroll costs
by up to 29%, and reduce
costs in sales. (McKinsey)
Increased
Revenue
Higher quality
customer service will
increase revenue by
6% (Bain).
Marketable
Service
Cisco Cora could be
marketed to Comcast,
General Electric, and
other customers that
have large customer
service departments.
03
01 02
Financial Benefits

26. Recommendations
Decreased
Customer Service
Costs
Cora could be leveraged
to reduce payroll costs
by up to 29%, and reduce
costs in sales. (McKinsey)
Increased
Revenue
Higher quality
customer service will
increase revenue by
6% (Bain).
Marketable
Service
Cisco Cora could be
marketed to Comcast,
General Electric, and
other customers that
have large customer
service departments.
03
01 02
Financial Benefits

27. Recommendations
Decreased
Customer Service
Costs
Cora could be leveraged
to reduce payroll costs
by up to 29%, and reduce
costs in sales. (McKinsey)
Increased
Revenue
Higher quality
customer service will
increase revenue by
6% (Bain).
Marketable
Service
Cisco Cora could be
marketed to Comcast,
General Electric, and
other customers that
have large customer
service departments.
03
01 02
Financial Benefits

28. Recommendations
Decreased
Customer Service
Costs
Cora could be leveraged
to reduce payroll costs
by up to 29%, and reduce
costs in sales. (McKinsey)
Increased
Revenue
Higher quality
customer service will
increase revenue by
6% (Bain).
Marketable
Service
Cisco Cora could be
marketed to Comcast,
General Electric, and
other customers that
have large customer
service departments.
03
01 02
Financial Benefits

29. Recommendations
Financial Benefits

30. Benefits of Cora
Increase in first
call completion
25%
Decrease in
customer call wait
time
3x
Increase potential
customer retention
52%
Recommendations
(Cisco Customer Representatives) (Estimates) (Salesforce)

31. Costs of Cora
Initial R&D Cost
$5M
Development Time
Frame (using Cisco
Cortex teams)
4 months
Recommendations
(according to industry averages) (according to industry averages)

32. Strategy

33. Strategy
User
Acceptance
Testing Teams
Forecasted
Customer Order
Information
Warehouse
and
Logistics
Specialists
Development Team
with Experience in
NLP
Historical
Customer
Service
Support
Data
What’s Required

34. Recommendation Timeline
2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Redesign
Website & Tools
1st
Replace IVR &
Email Queue
with “Cisco
Cora”
Leverage AI in
Disruption
Management
Develop Cora as
a B2B SaaS
Strategy
Add Servicing
Functionality to
Cora

35. Pitfalls
Strategy
Overbuilding
Cora
Focusing on low
value use cases
Neglecting the
value of data
generated by
Cora

36. Main Takeaways

37. Main Takeaways
Takeaways
Yes! Invest in AI for
Customer Service1
● 32% of major companies already use AI
● 85% of customer service will be powered by AI by 2020
● Predict and prevent
Develop Cisco Cora
Phone and Email2
● 25% increase in first call completion
● 3x decrease in customer call wait time
● 52% increase in potential customer retention
3
● Turn Cora into a marketable SaaS
○ 15% of companies using AI for customer service
● Leverage AI in disruption management
What Comes Next?

38. Questions?

39. ● Source on IT Statistics:
○ https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2018-10-17-gartner-says-global-it-
spending-to-grow-3-2-percent-in-2019
● Marketing Statistics Source:
○ https://www.emarketer.com/content/emarketer-total-media-ad-spending-worldwide-will-
rise-7-4-in-2018
● McKinsey Report on Workplace Automation
○ https://www.marutitech.com/artificial-intelligence-for-customer-service-2/
● Chatbot Statistics and Expectations
○ https://www.inc.com/rebecca-hinds/by-2020-youre-more-likely-to-have-a-conversation-
with-this-than-with-your-spouse.html
● Statistics and Information on Customer Experience
○ https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2018/08/customer-experience-personalization-state-ma
rketing-report.html
Appendix

40. ● Cost for Cora R&D
○ https://azati.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-a-chatbot/
● Timeline for Cora R&D
○ https://chatbotslife.com/5-must-haves-for-selecting-an-enterprise-ai-chatbot-platform-a
06187e3d3fd
● End User Experience Survey:
○ Three Support Specialists (Jose, Luis and Alex)
● Maruti AI in Customer Service Report
○ https://www.marutitech.com/artificial-intelligence-for-customer-service-2/
● Gartner Report on CRM
○ https://www.gartner.com/doc/3875220/magic-quadrant-crm-customer-engagement
● DHL paper on logistics and AI
○ https://www.logistics.dhl/content/dam/dhl/global/core/documents/pdf/glo-ai-in-logistics-white-pap
er.pdf
● Information on IBM Watson and Customer Service
○ https://www.ibm.com/watson/ai-customer-service?cm_mmc=OSocial_Blog-_-Watson%20
Core_Watson%20Core%20-%20Conversation-_-WW_WW-_-10%20reasons%20why%20Blog%
202%2010%202&cm_mmca1=000027BD&cm_mmca2=10004432&
Appendix