How to overcome resistance to the AI helpdesk: 6 proven strategies

Tue Nov 28 2023

3 mins read

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How to overcome employee resistance to the AI helpdesk

The AI helpdesk offers the promise of efficiency, speed, and unparalleled support for employees. However, we know that with great innovation comes great resistance. End users and helpdesk support agents alike may not be very eager to adopt AI in their everyday work life, feeling concerned about being replaced, errors, or not being understood. Fear not, we've got your back! \ \ Let's dive into the strategies to conquer those common concerns and pave the way for a seamless AI helpdesk adoption throughout your company. ## 1. Addressing the fear of job loss: elevate, don’t eliminate One of the biggest fears surrounding the AI helpdesk adoption is the worry that it will replace human jobs. Reassure your team that AI is here to augment, not replace. Emphasize that AI takes care of repetitive, mundane tasks, allowing your team to focus on more complex issues that require the human touch, and more strategic projects that require their expertise and offer value to them. It's a synergy, not a takeover. \ \ At Gaspar AI, for instance, we augment employee helpdesk teams’ capabilities and empower them to perform better and more efficiently by removing the boring, repetitive helpdesk tasks and enabling them to focus on strategic projects. Our AI helpdesk [blends the best of AI technology with the best of human experience](https://www.gaspar.ai/blog/balance-ai-and-humans-in-it-support): a chatbot that is trained on advanced LLMs to accurately solve employee queries, with the option to easily create a ticket which will be automatically routed to the right human agent for complex issues where auto-resolution is not possible. ## 2. The user-friendliness conundrum: choose an intuitive AI helpdesk Resistance often stems from the fear of the unknown. Select AI solutions that are intuitive and user-friendly. If your employees can seamlessly integrate AI into their daily workflow without a steep learning curve, you'll witness a smoother transition. The goal is to make AI a helping hand, not an additional headache. \ \ Gaspar AI for examples does not require any special skills from employees and service desk teams to be used: the chatbot is added on [Slack](https://gaspar-www.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b9e329e31f16f7dea5631904a8df6efd.pdf), [MS Teams](https://gaspar-www.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4cb64c3ce625f2ff1649d2250d5832b5.pdf) or [Jira SM support portal](https://www.gaspar.ai/xence-ai), employees interact with it in their everyday language, and the whole support process happens on these platforms. ## 3. Transparency is key: demystify the AI black box Many fear what they don't understand. Demystify AI by shedding light on how it works, its decision-making process, and the benefits it brings. Hold workshops, facilitate Q&A sessions, and create an open dialogue. When your helpdesk team and employees understand the why and how, resistance tends to fade away. ## 4. Start small, grow big: pilot programs for success Instead of diving headfirst into the AI pool, start with pilot programs. Choose specific tasks or areas where the AI helpdesk can make an immediate impact. Showcase these successes to your helpdesk team and employees, proving the tangible benefits of AI adoption. Success stories are powerful antidotes to resistance. \ \ At Gaspar AI we usually recommend starting with an initial number of end users who will have access to our chatbot and subsequent automations. Depending on how this goes, IT managers and helpdesk teams can decide whether they want to expand the offering to all company employees. IT Admins also have the option to disable certain automated tasks and choose a limited number, until everyone is at ease with using the AI helpdesk auto-resolution. ## 5. Continuous learning culture: embrace the AI helpdesk evolution Highlight the fact that AI is not stagnant. It evolves, learns, and adapts. Encourage a culture of continuous learning. Train your team on new AI features, share success stories, and demonstrate how AI can grow alongside them, enhancing their skill set and career trajectory. ## 6. Humanize the AI helpdesk: it's a team player, not a solo act Position AI as a team player. It's there to support, learn, and collaborate. Showcase how AI can sift through vast data quickly, access your knowledge base and integrate with multiple applications to provide faster, more accurate solutions, minimizing everyone’s frustration and loss of productive time. Emphasize the collaborative power of humans and AI working hand in hand. \ \ Some examples you could highlight with Gaspar AI include the possibility to [onboard new employees in just minutes vs hours](https://www.gaspar.ai/blog/how-to-complete-employee-it-onboarding-in-under-one-minute), thanks to our workflow automation. You could also explain to employees [how easy and quick it is to reset a password](https://www.gaspar.ai/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-password-reset-requests-in-ten-seconds) thanks to Gaspar AI’s employee helpdesk. ## Overcoming employee resistance to AI helpdesk with strategic solutions In conclusion, conquering employee resistance to your AI helpdesk is not an insurmountable challenge. It's an opportunity to redefine efficiency, boost morale and trust, and offer new skills to employees. Choose AI helpdesk solutions that align with your team's and employees’ needs, foster a culture of transparency and continuous learning, and watch as resistance transforms into enthusiasm. The future of employee helpdesk support is AI, and it's time to welcome it with open arms. \ \ If you’d like to discuss the AI helpdesk and how it can transform your IT and HR support operations, [contact us](https://www.gaspar.ai/contact-us) or [schedule a free demo](https://www.gaspar.ai/demo-request).

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How to overcome resistance to the AI helpdesk: 6 proven strategies