Virgin Media O2 UK launch a new AI voice agent to support broadband fault calls

UK ISP Virgin Media (O2) have this morning followed yesterday’s news from Liberty Global by announcing the expected launch of a new AI voice agent, which will initially be deployed to support selected broadband fault calls (i.e. helping customers get routine issues resolved more quickly) and will later “gradually” be expanded to cater for other issues.

At present the “routine broadband fault calls” that Virgin Media seem to be targeting are only said to represent a “small proportion of total call volumes“, while VMO2 promised that human agents would remain available to support customers with more complex issues. As per yesterday’s news, this is all being built using Sierra’s conversational AI technology.

The launch is said to build on VMO2’s “ongoing customer service transformation“, including its Institute of Customer Service (ICS) partnership, the introduction of a specialist UK-based team (more than 500 strong) for complex customer support needs, Lumi AI tools for advisors, and “wider investment in improving customer experience“.

Suffice to say that the announcement goes to great lengths to say that this is all about improving support for consumers, although it does occur at the same time as the company are known to be consider a major cost cutting drive and the related potential for further job cuts. How much impact all of this may have on their future performance is yet to be known.

However, VMO2 points to how Ofcom’s official data shows they’ve delivered “sustained reductions in complaints from … customers over the past 18 months“, as well as an increase in the proportion of complaints resolved within 24 hours.

Alan Stott, COO at Virgin Media O2, said:

“Customers want support that is quick, simple and effective, and our people want the right tools to help them deliver brilliant service. Launching this service is another step forward in our plan to use technology responsibly to improve the customer experience.

This is about supporting our people, not replacing them. By using AI to help with routine journeys, we can give customers faster support where it makes sense, while freeing up our advisors to focus on the complex, sensitive and human moments where their expertise and experience make the biggest difference.

We’ve made real progress improving customer service, from investing in specialist teams and accredited training to rolling out AI tools like Lumi that empower our advisors. But we know there is more to do, and we’ll continue testing, learning and investing so we can deliver even better service for our customers.”

Much as we said yesterday, the big challenge here is that consumer sentiment toward the use of AI chatbots and voice agents tends to be quite mixed, with many viewing it as being more of a negative (i.e. a way of reducing the number of actual humans that are available to provide support) – often regardless of whether or not they help to resolve problems more quickly.

On the other hand, if such systems do end up making it quicker and easier for customers to get their issues resolved and the perception challenge can also be overcome, then this could still end up being a positive change. Time will tell.