Customer service stories - Page 5

StarHub has launched a compact fast-service store at Suntec City, targeting office workers and city shoppers seeking quicker, human-led support.

Babeltext debuts MC-ML-AI, a standard to turn multilingual, multichannel customer chats into completed bookings, transactions and cases.

Partners Life has appointed experienced insurance leader Debbie Eyre as chief operating officer, with her role to begin in February 2026.

Chargebacks surge after record online holiday sales, with USD $181 billion in returns putting retailers’ first-quarter profits at risk.

Forrester says AI will cut US jobs but stop short of apocalypse, driving 6% of losses by 2030 while reshaping millions more roles.

Google launches a Universal Commerce Protocol and Business Agent tools as it bets on AI agents to drive the next era of online shopping.

Ant backs Google’s new Universal Commerce Protocol to standardise how AI agents handle shopping, payments and post-purchase support.

Nintex warns enterprise agentic AI will face a 2026 reality check, with tighter budgets, targeted use cases and tougher governance.

AI will reshape risk, trust and compliance in 2026 as firms swap hype for embedded tools, tighter controls and higher regulatory scrutiny.

SAS predicts agentic AI will run core banking by 2026, reshaping trust, fraud defences, climate risk and quantum-powered decision making.

Klaviyo forecasts 2026 surge in AI voice shopping, automated returns and connected-device purchases reshaping how consumers buy.

AI is set to manage 41% of Singapore’s customer service cases by 2027, as service teams embrace “agentic” tools despite security concerns.

AI agents will reshape how shoppers discover brands, forcing retailers to rethink visibility as SaaS vendors and ad budgets come under strain.

Zendesk warns APAC brands that rising CX expectations demand transparent, context-rich AI that resolves issues instantly or risks churn.

UK councils ramp up AI spending to boost efficiency and services, but poor strategy and complexity risk wasting taxpayers’ money.

Salesforce launches Agentforce 360 retail tools to unify AI across marketing, eCommerce and service, promising smoother shopper journeys.

Renfrewshire’s AI adviser Millie cuts calls, saves GBP £110,000 and wins awards, as Scotland is hailed a model for council services.

Crew Clothing rolls out Cegid Retail Store Excellence across 217 UK stores, unifying operations and boosting multi-brand visibility in real time.

Quail Digital launches Pro12 wireless headsets to boost safety and incident response as UK retailers battle surging theft and staff abuse.

Talkdesk unveils Commerce Orchestration and Consumer Goods Experience Cloud to coordinate AI-driven retail journeys end to end.