Tips to Drive Service AI Adoption

AI promises a significant return on investment in field service and customer support—but only if people actually use it. Adoption is everything. You can have the most advanced AI model in the world, but if workers or customers don’t trust it or find it clunky, it becomes a wasted investment.

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Here’s how service leaders can drive meaningful AI adoption—for both their teams and customers.

1. Start with the Experts

Before deploying an AI for service tool, involve your subject matter experts (SMEs), the seasoned technicians who know how to fix systems without needing documentation.

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SMEs understand edge cases, common failures, and real-world workarounds that no manual can fully capture. They’re essential for validating the technology. These experts will quickly spot process challenges, surface gaps in AI outputs, and help refine the system.

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But before you ask for their involvement, have a recognition and feedback plan in place.

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“We made a mistake early on. We were receiving feedback from really tenured technicians, but we never told them, ‘We received your feedback—thank you,’” recalls one service leader.

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That team quickly updated their feedback process to ensure responses were acknowledged, appreciation was expressed, and SMEs saw how their input influenced improvements. As a result, engagement rose significantly among senior techs.

2. Show How AI Makes the Job Easier—Not Obsolete

According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America survey, 38% of U.S. workers fear AI could make their roles obsolete. That fear is real for field techs and customer support teams.

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One service leader noted that when technicians hear “this tool will help you improve,” they interpret it as “you’re doing it wrong.” You need to flip that script.

Make it clear that AI isn’t replacing expertise, it’s amplifying it. By serving up just-in-time, contextual service guidance, AI can help techs make better decisions faster. That’s not threatening. That’s empowering.

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And don’t skip the why: Explain how the AI aligns with broader company goals and the team’s mission. Purpose drives buy-in.

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Finally, identify internal champions—respected peers who can model behavior and advocate for the tool. A colleague saying, “This saved me 30 minutes on my last call,” has more impact than any training video.

3. Embed AI Into Existing Workflows

If technicians have to switch platforms or jump through hoops to use AI, they won’t. Instead, integrate it directly into the tools they already use, such as ServiceNow, Slack, and Salesforce.

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One company embedded AI into the “work in progress” stage of the dispatch flow. As soon as a technician arrived on site, the AI tool surfaced automatically—offering support without disrupting the workflow. That’s how you drive adoption: reduce friction and meet users where they are.

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The same principle applies to customers. AI should feel seamless and consistent in how they interact with your business. If you’re introducing new self-service experiences, involve customer stakeholders early in your planning. Their insights are critical to driving trust and adoption on the customer side.

4. Incentivize and Track Usage

Make adoption measurable. And fun.

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One company launched its AI initiative during the Olympics and gamified the rollout with themed challenges, driving buzz and participation.

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They also used analytics to track how long each technician interacted with the system. But rather than using that data in a judgemental way, they connected it to quality metrics. Adoption wasn’t enforced, it was encouraged.

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Another company took a human-centered approach, conducting user interviews and launching awards programs. One standout initiative, “Walk a Mile,” recognized top AI users with custom Nike shoes.

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Recognition is fuel. Spotlight power users, celebrate wins, and share stories of real-world impact.

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At the same time, remember that adoption doesn’t stop at rollout. Keep tracking usage, surfacing friction points, and providing ongoing training and support. Use feedback to continuously refine the experience.

Bottom Line

Adopting AI in service organizations is about people, not just technology. Involve the right experts early, make the tools seamless to use, and clearly communicate how AI helps people do their jobs better. Build trust, reward engagement, and commit to ongoing improvement.

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That’s how you drive adoption that sticks.

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