AI-Powered Employee Support: The Next Frontier in E-Commerce

In e-commerce, speed and service often steal the spotlight. But behind every seamless order, every quick resolution, and every delighted customer is a team under immense pressure—especially during peak seasons. The reality is clear: if companies want loyal customers, they must first invest in supporting their employees. Poor employee service leads to high turnover, burnout, and disengagement—all of which ultimately show up in the customer experience. In fact, more than half of consumers will switch to a competitor after just one bad interaction.

This is where artificial intelligence is starting to make a difference. By removing repetitive tasks, streamlining internal processes, and providing instant access to support, AI is helping HR and IT teams create smoother, smarter work environments. The result: fewer bottlenecks, more empowered employees, and stronger business outcomes.

Speaking to CIOL, Maureen Chong, Regional Vice President, Asia & India, Zendesk,underscores why employee service is critical in e-commerce, and how AI can transform support, engagement, and customer satisfaction. “In a competitive space like e-commerce, customer retention is everything. But it’s not just about the end customer—it’s also about the people behind the scenes,” she says. “When employees are engaged and supported, the customer experience naturally improves. AI-driven employee experiences take the pressure off, align teams with business goals, and make work easier—ultimately fuelling customer satisfaction and long-term growth.” 

In the e-commerce industry, companies often concentrate on improving the customer experience and may neglect the support and service provided to their own employees. Why do you think “employee service” is frequently overlooked in e-commerce, and what impact can that oversight have on customer satisfaction?

E-commerce is an industry where customer experience is a top priority, owing to fierce competition, rising customer demands, and a culture of instant gratification. Naturally, most investments tend to focus on initiatives that directly impact end customers, often pushing employee service down the priority list.

Overlooking employee service can have a direct and lasting impact on employee satisfaction, which will ultimately undermine customer satisfaction. Gallup’s research found that declining employee engagement cost the world economy US$438 billion in lost productivity in 2024. When employees feel disengaged, overworked, or unsupported by outdated internal systems, it inevitably affects how they interact with customers. Burnout, high attrition, and low morale often translate into slower service, inconsistent communication, and a lack of ownership, causing negative customer experiences and eroding business performance.

But highly engaged employees—with the right support and systems—deliver better service and drive better business outcomes. Gallup reports 23% higher profitability, 18% more productivity, and stronger customer loyalty for organisations with engaged teams. Forward-thinking e-commerce leaders who invest in employee service can unlock this potential, creating a positive cycle where empowered staff fuel customer satisfaction, innovation, and long-term growth.

E-commerce can be a high-pressure, fast-paced environment for the people working behind the scenes. How is artificial intelligence transforming the way companies support their staff in such high-stress conditions, and what changes stand out as the most impactful for employees?

E-commerce businesses operate against a backdrop of rapid growth and fluctuating demand, often onboarding waves of contingent staff during peak periods. To keep operations running smoothly, companies are turning to AI-powered solutions that seamlessly scale employee support. AI-powered automation ensures that every employee—whether full-time or temporary—can get instant answers to HR and IT questions, request support, or access resources at any time.

These tools do more than just answer common requests or automate basic HR and IT workflows. By analysing patterns in support requests, AI highlights workload imbalances and signals where additional help might be needed, so leaders can take action before problems impact performance. AI-powered quality assurance features can also flag conversations for real-time coaching, giving supervisors actionable insights and enabling them to guide employees in the moment. This not only helps prevent burnout and maintain high engagement, but ensures staff at every level can continuously improve—delivering better experiences for customers and the business alike.

In a sector where even minor lapses in experience can affect sales, giving employees the tools to excel not only safeguards business outcomes but also fosters greater loyalty among staff and customers alike.

How is Zendesk helping businesses use AI to better support employees working in such fast-paced, high-stress environments?

Zendesk enables businesses to bring the same level of innovation seen in customer experience (CX) to employee support, helping teams operate efficiently even in the most demanding e-commerce settings. While companies are making significant strides in CX tools, over half of companies still use complex and outdated employee experience tools. The same Zendesk study found that 80% of HR and IT leaders believe their company could do more to enhance the employee experience, and 71% see a clear gap between the service offered to staff and customers.

To address this, Zendesk AI intelligently triages routine HR and IT requests, provides instant access to information, and proactively surfaces resources tailored to each employee’s needs. Implementation is fast, meaning businesses can realise value almost immediately—an important advantage for fast-paced industries where time to market is crucial. With out-of-the-box automations and intuitive user experience, organisations can quickly unlock meaningful benefits as our AI can be configured to meet changing demands.

Our research shows that 83% of HR and IT leaders have seen improved decision-making from AI, and nearly 80% report tangible improvements in work quality. By reducing manual workloads, enabling around-the-clock support, and closing service gaps, Zendesk helps employees stay focused, productive, and better able to deliver outstanding service.

One of the promises of AI is its ability to provide personalised experiences at scale. How can this benefit employees on the job? For example, how might AI enable more personalised yet scalable support or training for each employee across a large organisation?

AI’s ability to personalise support at scale means employees get answers, resources, and help tailored to their unique needs—whether they’re seeking HR guidance, troubleshooting IT issues, or accessing training. AI agents can instantly resolve common queries or route complex requests to the right person based on skill or department, helping employees get faster, more relevant support.

Integrations with core platforms like Workday allow for real-time, relevant responses, while advanced analytics and quality assurance features help identify when internal support team members may need targeted coaching or additional resources. By analysing past interactions, sentiment, and intent, these tools provide contextual responses without the need for employees to switch between different tools or manually piece together information.

By delivering the right help at the right moment—tailored to each person’s needs—employees feel supported and valued, and are empowered to do their best work, develop new skills, and avoid burnout.

It’s often said that there’s a direct link between how well you treat your employees and the experience those employees deliver to customers. From your perspective, how does investing in better support and tools for employees translate into better customer experiences and even tangible business results for a company?

Investing in the right employee support tools means staff can resolve their own queries, access policies and resources, and handle routine tasks without delays—a shift that frees people up to focus on building genuine customer relationships. When employees spend less energy wrestling with internal processes, they have greater capacity to proactively solve problems and deliver empathetic, memorable experiences at every touchpoint.

Even small moments—like obtaining swift system access or finding the right product information—can determine whether employees deliver seamless service. This operational confidence allows employees to engage meaningfully with customers, personalise solutions, and maintain brand standards at scale, turning every interaction into an opportunity to win loyalty.

In e-commerce, where agility and responsiveness set brands apart, removing friction from the employee journey directly translates into faster resolutions and more positive customer experiences. Over time, organisations that build this kind of supportive environment find it creates a culture of engagement and trust, paving the way for sustained business growth and loyalty among both staff and customers.

What advice would you give to e-commerce leaders who want to leverage AI to better support their employees? Are there any first steps or best practices they should follow to ensure these AI initiatives truly boost employee engagement and ultimately drive customer satisfaction?

When integrating AI into the workplace, it’s important to begin with a clear objective—one that aligns with real business needs and employee pain points. Start by listening to your employees and workforce managers to identify the areas with the most friction, such as repetitive HR queries, IT support bottlenecks, or onboarding processes.

Low- and no-code AI solutions can be especially valuable in this environment. They enable HR and support teams to quickly adapt workflows or introduce new automation, all without requiring specialist technical skills. This flexibility empowers businesses to respond rapidly to changing workforce needs and allows those closest to daily operations to refine and optimise processes on the go. Pilot these tools with specific teams, gather feedback, and track measurable improvements using defined KPIs—such as resolution times, employee satisfaction, and engagement levels. This ensures the technology delivers meaningful results.

It’s also crucial to ensure that AI is complementing, not replacing, human judgement. The best gains come from combining automation with human empathy and support. Companies that take this measured, people-centred approach are most likely to see sustained improvements in satisfaction and productivity among employees, and subsequently, customers.