International Airline

Virtual chat is helping this airline to provide faster, better information to customers looking for quick answers. The company has cut inbound telephone calls by 18%, increased customer interaction rates by 133%, switched 65% of customer service inquiries to online channels and achieved a dramatic overall increase in customer satisfaction. 

Founded over 60 years ago, this major European international airline was facing increasing competition and price and cost pressures. Customer service and satisfaction had become an increasingly decisive factor for clients in choosing their airline.

The organization needed to automate aspects of customer service to increase efficiency and cut costs. Specific objectives were to:

• Automate and optimize customer service processes
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Significantly reduce customer service costs
• Move inquiries from expensive phone channels to cheaper and more efficient chat channels

The solution: use virtual assistants to handle the basics!

Artificial Solutions developed a 'proof of concept' pilot solution focusing on:

• A clear improvement opportunity in the phone channel. There was evidence of many lost calls and long waiting times
• A clear improvement opportunity in the chat channel. Research had shown that many customers had difficulties finding the information they were looking for

The initial solution combined Teneo Virtual Assistant and Teneo Chat. The Virtual Assistant was designed as a first line of support, carrying out interactive dialogues in a helpful, friendly way and providing accurate answers to customers making inquiries via the organization's web site. This was supported by a seamless handover to live Agent Based Chat for questions that could not be answered using the initial Knowledge Base.

The initial pilot was extremely successful and led to a full deployment which continues to deliver increased cost savings and efficiencies.

Virtual Assistant

• Highly efficient in dealing with simple questions (including follow-up questions and dialogue)
• Gives fast, short and accurate answers.
• Helps the customer to find the correct content or web address
• Can redirect the customer to the right live service agent/knowledge centre or call back/email solution.
• Can handle many customers at the same time, looking for the same information about major events, such as terrorist alerts, adverse weather or strikes
• Can push customers to new offers or services.

Agent Based Chat

• Can handle complex questions or issues
• More efficient than a phone call or email
• Can use the web (push urls) to solve the questions/issue
• Increase the conversion rate in the booking dialogue
• Add-on sales