The number shows the strengthening of customer services via WhatsApp and Facebook and new services are expected to be released.
Neoenergia's virtual assistant reached the number of 5 million customer services over the past 10 months. The milestone represents the reach and activity of the company's chatbot, which system uses artificial intelligence in order to serve the customers in an automatic and practical manner via WhatsApp and Facebook. There are more than 70 services available; still this year, numerous releases are expected. Among which, the debit inquiry and negotiation are highlights, in addition to the requests for reconnection and new connection. Those services may already be requested via the distribution company's website and will be incorporated into virtual assistant service by creating additional facilities to the consumers into a constant process of delivery in digital services which create better experiences to the customers.
Still in first quarter of 2021, the customers from the concessionaires of the company – Coelba (BA), Celpe (PE), Elektro (SP/MS) and Cosern (RN) – may use the facility of the debit inquiry and negotiation service directly via the virtual assistant. The innovation, which already exists at the distribution company's website via the negotiation platform, will be integrated into WhatsApp and Facebook channels, for the customers to discharge the debts in a practical and simple manner by using the chatbot. It will be automatic via the virtual assistant, which interactively guides the customer through the options. Therefore, they may choose which invoices they intend to negotiate, the number of installments and the payment method.
The new releases expected for this year also include the on-line request for new connections, which will have the face recognition technology within the virtual assistant and reconnection service, which allows the customer to inform the distribution company of the reconnection of the electricity supply at their residence upon paying the bills. “We are expected to offer continuous releases throughout 2021 and those are only a few of the examples. Our objective is to promote dynamic and effective deliveries in accordance with customers' needs", said Neoenergia's Strategy and Digital Service manager, Renato Suplicy.
Among the existing services in the virtual assistant, the registration and delivery of the digital invoice via WhatsApp are highlights, a trailblazing service in the electrical sector released by Neoenergia in October 2020. In addition, with the chatbot, the customers have access to other facilities, such as the issuance of a second copy of the bill, debit inquiry and notice of power outage.
Successful path
From the Neoenergia's chatbot release, in April 2020, to January 2021, the system has accounted for 182 improvement versions. It means about 18 monthly updates over that period in order to perfect and increment the operation of the virtual assistant. “That is possible, among other things, due to the artificial intelligence technology, which learns from interactions with customers and is able to serve in a more accurate manner", explained Neoenergia's Messaging Solutions supervisor, Mateus Prates. The result is that the system is able to recognize 1,231 different topics, reflection of a continuous evolution.
Another point raised by the supervisor is the fact that the chatbot project is managed in accordance with the agile model, which means it privileges quick and efficient deliveries from the consumers' needs and reviews. With all of that, Neoenergia's virtual assistant registers 1.8 million unique customers who have already interacted with the company via WhatsApp from April 2020 to this day. “WhatsApp is a tool present in people's daily life and the success of our virtual assistant is exactly in how easy it is to be accessed", complemented Mateus.
The virtual assistant is in line with Conexão Digital's premises, considered as the most important Research and Development (R&D) project focused on customer in Brazil, regulated by the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL). “The initiative acts over three pillars: customer journey modernization, integrated digital solution development and digital inclusion. Thus, we promote improvements in consumers' experiences, by having customer as the center of the business", complemented Suplicy.
Neoenergia's Customer Services Channels
Website and WhatsApp
Coelba www.coelba.com.br | (71) 3370-6350
Celpe www.celpe.com.br | (81) 3217-6990
Elektro www.elektro.com.br | (19) 2122-1696
Cosern www.cosern.com.br | (84) 3215-6001