Client
The client is an e-commerce company specializing in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), offering a wide range of quality products and well-known brands through their online platform. Renowned for their commitment to high-quality products and reliable, on-time delivery, the company has built a strong reputation in the market.
Problem
With a strong reputation and years of experience in the industry, the client receives thousands of daily orders. However, this high volume of business also leads to hundreds of customer inquiries and issue resolution calls each day. Although the client has an in-house team to handle these calls, the sheer volume has made it difficult for the team to effectively manage all inquiries. As a result, many existing customers are left unsatisfied, and potential customers become confused, leading to lost sales as they hesitate to make purchase decisions.
In an attempt to address these challenges, the client initially outsourced their customer service to a third-party provider, but this solution did not meet expectations. They also invested in a chatbot system, but it failed to deliver the desired results. Frustrated by these setbacks, the client turned to Genesis NGN to leverage technology and find a more effective solution to resolve the issue.
Research
To gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, Genesis NGN assembled a dedicated team to observe the client’s customer service operations firsthand. The team conducted an on-site visit to the call center over several days, closely monitoring the workflow, call volume, and issue-handling processes.
During their observation, they noted that many customer inquiries were basic and could be resolved using information readily available on the client’s website. Despite this, these calls contributed significantly to the overall call volume, putting additional pressure on the customer service team.
The team also discovered that call volumes could reach up to 3,000 calls on busy days, with an average genuine inquiry call lasting between 4 to 10 minutes. However, the customer service department had only 27 team members, including both call attendants and managers. This shortage of staff made it challenging to manage calls efficiently.
Additionally, when no agents were available, incoming calls were routed to an automated answering system, informing customers to wait. This often led to frustration, with some customers disconnecting the call or becoming annoyed by the delay. Once an agent became available, calls were frequently transferred between team members to address queries, further contributing to inefficiencies and fatigue among the staff.
Solution
After reviewing the findings, Genesis NGN proposed an innovative solution: AI-powered virtual call agents designed to handle customer inquiries efficiently. Once the client approved the idea, the Genesis NGN team began by creating a structured and integrated database system to serve as the foundation for the virtual agents. This system consisted of three dynamic, real-time databases:
- Product Database: Contained detailed information about the client’s product catalog, including specifications, brands, use cases, sizes, prices, discounts, and availability.
- Policy Database: Included all company-related policies, such as shipping terms, return policies, and general operational guidelines.
- Customer Interaction Database: Stored data on current and past customers, including order histories, active orders, returns, and preferences.
These databases were interconnected with the client’s existing systems to ensure real-time updates and accurate information at all times. Using this data infrastructure, Genesis NGN developed four specialized virtual call agents:
- Product Inquiry Virtual Agent: This agent handled all questions related to product details, ensuring customers received accurate and instant responses about specifications, availability, and pricing.
- Policy Information Virtual Agent: Focused on customer queries about shipping, returns, and company policies, providing clear and consistent answers to reduce confusion.
- Order Assistance Virtual Agent: Addressed personalized queries regarding a customer’s past or current orders, such as delivery status, returns, or order history, offering tailored assistance based on real-time data.
- Call Routing Virtual Agent: Served as the first point of contact, welcoming customers and determining the nature of their queries. This agent directed customers to the appropriate virtual agent and, if necessary, escalated the query to a right and available human agent seamlessly.
This solution not only streamlined customer service operations but also significantly improved customer satisfaction by providing prompt, accurate, and personalized support. The integration of these AI-powered agents reduced the burden on human agents, enabling them to focus on complex or high-priority issues.
The Benefits
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Faster responses, accurate answers, and personalized support enhanced the overall customer experience.
- Operational Efficiency: Automated basic inquiries and efficient call routing reduced agent workload and improved productivity.
- Cost Savings: Reduced the need for additional staff, lowering operational costs.
- Scalability: Easily handled high call volumes during peak periods without service disruptions.
- Actionable Insights: Centralized databases provided valuable data to improve products and services.
- Seamless Integration: Integrated with existing systems for smooth implementation.
- Competitive Advantage: Strengthened the client’s reputation, attracting and retaining more customers.
