2024-09-06 19:23:47
Summary: Using Microsoft Azure AI Studio, Azure OpenAI Service and Microsoft Copilot, along with Azure AI Search, Vodafone is enhancing its virtual assistant called TOBi and has developed a customer agent solution, called SuperAgent, to empower customer service agents to answer multiple questions, as well as broaden their knowledge and allow them to focus on more varied work.
September 6, 2024 – With a focus on Europe and Africa, Vodafone is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, serving more than 330 million customers in 15 countries. Faced with growing consumer demand for new digital services, the provider is exploring innovative ways to enhance the customer experience, including better handling of complex queries and ensuring timely and personalized responses. With support from Microsoft, the operator tested TOBi and SuperAgent: two generative AI solutions in its call center that led to improved customer satisfaction and retention.
“Our mission has always been to connect people and data for a better future, enabling inclusive and sustainable digital societies,” said Ignacio Garcia, CIO Italy and Global Head of Data Analytics and AI at Vodafone Group. “We are constantly looking for new ways to offer better and more services to our customers through research, development and experimentation of new technologies.”
Vodafone knew that by empowering its call center employees with cutting-edge tools and resources, it could improve customer interactions and create better experiences for both customers and its call center agents. In addition, the operator wanted to empower employees to develop their own solutions to address operational issues in real time and further fuel the culture of innovation and inclusion within the company.
“Our goal is to deliver fast, personalized customer experiences that inspire trust,” said Ahmed Elsayed, UK and Europe Digital Engineering Director at Vodafone Group. “But to continue to do this in the face of rising customer expectations, we needed to find a better way to handle complex customer queries efficiently and ensure timely, personalized responses.”
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Wanting to use generative AI technology to deliver more personalized and differentiated customer experiences across channels, Vodafone chose to partner with Microsoft for its leadership in AI, especially responsible AI, under a far-reaching strategic partnership. “Beyond the technology, Microsoft’s commitment to responsible AI was a differentiator,” says Garcia. “As we work with new technologies to build the inclusive digital communities of tomorrow, this is a critical foundation.”
Vodafone chose to use the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, o Azure AI Studio and the Microsoft Copilottogether with the Azure AI Searchto support two different types of virtual assistants. One is an enhancement to its existing chatbot, TOBi, serving customers on the frontline, addressing more common questions such as account status or troubleshooting simple technical issues. The other is a conversational AI search interface, called SuperAgent, to support Vodafone’s human agents in answering more complicated customer queries.
The company worked with its call center in Corso, Italy, to understand the depth and breadth of customer questions and agent needs. The goal was also to test both solutions in the call center before deploying them to the larger company.
Elsayed says the process of building enterprise-grade AI solutions has been simplified with Azure AI Studio. “Part of using new technologies is experimentation and the ability to collaborate easily. With Azure AI Studio, you can interact with others and projects through a code-first approach to seamlessly explore, build, test, and deploy using cutting-edge AI tools and machine learning models.”
With Azure OpenAI Service models as its foundation, TOBi can leverage generative AI to understand and respond to user input in a more intelligent and personal way than traditional chatbots. “TOBi can now use Azure OpenAI Service for context-aware conversations, adapting its responses based on ongoing dialogue with a customer,” explains Beverley Bartlett, head of digital service at Vodafone Group. “This makes the conversation more natural, and our customers are better able to get their questions answered and enjoy the experience,” she says. TOBi can do everything from helping a customer pay their bills to assisting them with network issues and ordering a new phone. If TOBi can’t answer a customer’s question, it will automatically transfer the customer to a human customer support agent.
“TOBi sends a summary of their interaction with the customer to the agent, so that agent can take immediate action,” says Bartlett. “If for some reason the agent needs additional support, they have SuperAgent at their disposal.” This second AI tool helps agents resolve more complicated issues by locating relevant information in Vodafone’s database. “It mirrors Microsoft Copilot to help our agents search for detailed information, ensuring they can resolve issues quickly and provide more personalized customer service,” says Bartlett.
In the past, an agent might have to wade through a 20-page PDF to answer a technical question, which would have disrupted the customer experience. Now, SuperAgent automatically pulls up the right information in seconds. Elsayed adds that with generative AI, the information returned to the agent is not generic or vague. All generated content is specific and delivered in more natural, dynamic language that agents can easily and immediately use with customers.
SuperAgent also has a quality assurance element that assesses call and chat transcripts against compliance checks (such as policies and regulations) to assess risk and training needs. “This helps to increase SuperAgent’s capability and accuracy over time, as well as the skills of our employees,” adds Elsayed.
Increasing customer satisfaction
“By working with Microsoft and leveraging generative AI, we now have two powerful solutions: a super-capable virtual assistant that answers common questions even faster, and a SuperAgent that helps agents solve complex customer issues,” says Garcia.
Garcia adds that early reports from Corso’s call center indicate that employees and agents are benefiting. TOBi currently handles nearly 45 million customer calls per month, fully resolving 70 percent of customer inquiries that come in through the company’s digital channels.
The remaining 30% is directed to a customer service agent who can rely on SuperAgent for support. On average, customer call times have been reduced by at least one minute, streamlining the experience for both customers and agents. Customer satisfaction scores have increased since using TOBi and SuperAgent with generative AI, and this bodes well for Vodafone as it looks ahead to the launch of both solutions for additional call centers.
Another benefit of Vodafone’s AI journey has been extending the use of Azure AI Studio to other employees. For example, the company is training senior call center agents in Corso to create solutions that help them in their daily work. “For us, this helps drive innovation and enhance everyone’s capabilities. We are promoting inclusion through the democratization of technology,” says Garcia. “We are still on our journey with AI, but with Microsoft’s support, the roadmap is clear,” he concludes.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates AI-powered platforms and tools to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI widely available and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. In Brazil for 35 years, the company launched the Microsoft Mais Brasil Plan in 2020 with the aim of supporting the country’s sustainable economic development, contributing with actions capable of preparing professionals for the digital economy, reducing inequalities and promoting digital inclusion.
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Table of Contents
Enhancing Customer Experience with Generative AI: Vodafone’s Innovative Approach
In today’s digital age, telecommunications companies are under pressure to provide exceptional customer experiences to stay ahead of the competition. Vodafone, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, has taken
Vodafone AI
Revolutionizing Customer Experience with AI-Powered Virtual Assistants: Vodafone’s Success Story
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, telecommunication companies like Vodafone are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance customer experiences and stay ahead of the competition. With over 330 million customers across 15 countries, Vodafone knew it had to adopt cutting-edge technologies to deliver personalized and timely responses to complex customer queries. This is where Microsoft Azure’s AI-powered solutions come in, empowering Vodafone to develop two revolutionary virtual assistants: TOBi and SuperAgent.
The Challenge: Handling Complex Customer Queries
Vodafone’s customer service agents were struggling to efficiently handle complex queries, leading to longer response times and decreased customer satisfaction. The company needed a solution that would not only provide timely responses but also empower its agents to focus on more varied and complex tasks.
The Solution: Microsoft Azure AI-Powered Virtual Assistants
Vodafone partnered with Microsoft to leverage its industry-leading AI capabilities, particularly responsible AI, under a far-reaching strategic partnership [[3]]. By utilizing Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI Service, AI Studio, Microsoft Copilot, and AI Search, Vodafone created two innovative virtual assistants: TOBi and SuperAgent.
TOBi: Enhancing Customer Interactions
TOBi is an enhancement to Vodafone’s existing chatbot, designed to address common customer questions such as account status or troubleshooting simple technical issues. This AI-powered virtual assistant has significantly improved customer interactions, providing faster and more personalized responses.
SuperAgent: Empowering Customer Service Agents
SuperAgent is a conversational AI search interface that supports Vodafone’s human agents in answering more complicated customer queries. This solution has enabled agents to focus on more complex tasks, broadening their knowledge and expertise. With SuperAgent, Vodafone’s customer service team can now respond to customers more efficiently, providing a more personalized and holistic experience.
The Benefits: Improved Customer Satisfaction and Retention
By implementing TOBi and SuperAgent, Vodafone has witnessed significant improvements in customer satisfaction and retention. These AI-powered virtual assistants have enabled the company to:
Deliver fast and personalized customer experiences that inspire trust
Empower customer service agents to focus on more varied and complex tasks
* Improve customer interactions, leading to increased satisfaction and retention
The Partnership: Vodafone and Microsoft
Vodafone’s partnership with Microsoft has been instrumental in driving this innovation. By leveraging Microsoft Azure’s AI capabilities, Vodafone has been able to simplify the process of building enterprise-grade AI solutions. As Ignacio Garcia, CIO Italy and Global Head of Data Analytics and AI at Vodafone Group, notes, “Beyond the technology, Microsoft’s commitment to responsible AI was a differentiator. As we work with new technologies to build the inclusive digital communities of tomorrow, this is a critical foundation.”
The Future of Customer Experience
As consumer demand for digital services continues to grow, telecommunication companies like Vodafone must stay at the forefront of innovation. By harnessing the power of AI and machine learning, Vodafone is revolutionizing the customer experience, paving the way for a more personalized and efficient future.
Vodafone’s success story is a testament to the power of AI-powered virtual assistants in transforming customer experiences. By partnering with Microsoft and leveraging Azure’s AI capabilities, Vodafone has set a new standard for customer service, empowering its agents to deliver fast, personalized, and trustworthy experiences that inspire customer loyalty.
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