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BT Group deploys new AI-enabled unified customer experience platform

Refreshed platform has significantly enhanced customer experience and support processes for Group’s customer service guides.

BT Group has deployed Spinklr’s unified platform to provide improved customer experience using AI.

By integrating advanced AI and generative AI (gen AI) technologies, the refreshed platform has significantly enhanced the EE and BT customer experience, as well as the support processes for the Group’s customer service guides across its business, consumer and internal contact channels. 

The platform draws on BT Group’s data to provide a personalised, accurate response to a customer seeking support. The platform, which powers EE’s virtual assistant Aimee, also provides messaging capability for real-time online chat with customers. 

The platform enables BT Group to use generative AI to support various customer experiences, for sales and support for both EE and BT customers. For example, the gen AI-enhanced experience within Aimee which helps customers prepare for international travel has halved the need for online chat/messaging support due to its ability to understand and respond to customer needs. This leaves guides free for more complex requests and helps customers get what they need, faster.  

Another place it’s making a difference is in billing support, where gen AI provides detailed explanations of billing charges, enhancing transparency and customer satisfaction. Rich media within Aimee also means the chat experience isn’t just a text exchange; product cards and carousels are more engaging and valuable for customers. More than 30 separate customer experiences have been defined within Aimee so far, with more to follow. Aimee’s use has risen 51 per cent year-on-year, demonstrating customer enthusiasm for the channel as its capabilities continue to be improved. 

BT Group plans to expand its use of gen AI to improve customer support. Upcoming features are expected to include AI-driven summaries of customer interactions and real-time support and guidance. With this, Aimee will act as a virtual AI assistant for its guides, helping to improve efficiency, effectiveness, colleague and customer experience.  

BT Group has experienced a big growth in customer interactions enabled by Aimee. Around 60,000 conversations a week are now handled through Aimee, compared to around 30,000 a week two years ago. This frees time for guides to help customers with more complex issues and deliver a more personal experience. 

BT Group has also implemented key ethical guardrails to ensure robust data privacy and security measures. AI capabilities are hosted on a private cloud instance, ensuring compliance with data and privacy regulations, and data policies are set by BT Group’s internal data management platform, Data Fabric. This allows BT Group to maintain control over its data while benefitting from Sprinklr's AI capabilities. 

BT Group remains agnostic about which Large Language Model (LLM) it uses in gen AI, continuing to draw on different LLMs. The architecture in the customer contact platform allows BT Group to select the optimal LLM for each use case and will integrate with its new GenAI Gateway in the future.  

Harry Singh, MD of consumer digital at BT Group, said, "The collaboration with Sprinklr marks a significant step forward in BT Group's commitment to using cutting-edge technology to deliver exceptional customer experiences. With our customer contact platform, we have unlocked powerful AI-enhanced capabilities for our customer service, boosting satisfaction and creating exciting new opportunities for customer experience." 

Sprinklr president and CEO, Rory Read, said, “We’re delighted to be working alongside the iconic brands within BT Group, at the forefront of innovative customer engagement through effective AI. AI has huge potential to enhance and elevate customer experiences, and it’s been fantastic to help BT Group achieve such brilliant results, so quickly.”  

 

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