The conversation around AI in customer service is changing. For a while, the question was “Should we implement AI?” Today, the better question is: “How should AI and people work together to deliver a better customer experience?” And customers are already moving faster than many companies.
As customers increasingly turn to third-party generative AI tools, businesses must rethink the role of technology and human expertise in service delivery.
Customer expectations are changing
A 2026 Gartner survey of 3,566 customers found that people are approximately 3× more likely to use third-party GenAI tools than company-provided chatbots when trying to resolve customer-service issues. Customers are also using AI not just to find answers, but to complete tasks and take action.
That creates a new challenge for businesses. Your customer may already be using AI to compare products, understand policies, solve problems, and make decisions—before ever speaking with your team.
AI doesn’t eliminate the need for people
It changes where people create value. McKinsey estimates that applying generative AI to customer-care functions could generate productivity improvements equivalent to 30–45% of current function costs.
But the biggest opportunity isn’t simply replacing interactions with bots. It’s allowing technology to handle repetitive work while people focus on the situations that require:
- Empathy
- Judgment
- Problem-solving
- Relationship building
- Complex decision-making
The future of customer service isn’t human vs. AI. It’s AI + human expertise.
What this means for BPO
The BPO model is evolving with it. Deloitte found that 83% of surveyed executives are already leveraging AI within outsourced services, while organizations are also developing strategies to manage digital workers and automation.
This means modern outsourcing is becoming less about simply adding agents and more about combining: technology + specialized talent + intelligent processes.
That combination can help businesses:
⚡ Increase capacity. Handle more customer interactions without increasing teams at the same pace.
🎯 Improve focus. Let human agents spend more time on complex and valuable conversations.
📈 Scale more intelligently. Add technology and specialized talent according to demand.
💡 Create better experiences. Use AI for speed and consistency while keeping human connection where it matters.
The new BPO opportunity
The companies that win won’t necessarily be the ones with the most automation. They’ll be the ones that know where automation creates value—and where human expertise creates even more.
At Marcas BPO, we believe the future of customer operations is not about choosing between people and technology. It’s about making both work better together.
Smarter operations. Better experiences. More room to grow.
Marcas BPO — Smarter Teams. Better Results.
