Vodafone has introduced SuperTOBi, a new generative AI chatbot designed to enhance user interactions significantly.
This latest innovation, operating on Microsoft Azure OpenAI, is already functional in Portugal and Italy. Plans are for expansion into Germany and Turkey this month and other regions later this year. Vodafone has also announced an investment of €140 million to foster this cutting-edge technology.
Revolutionizing customer interaction
SuperTOBi represents a substantial upgrade from its predecessor, TOBi, active in 13 countries across Europe and Africa and supports 11 languages. Unlike traditional chatbots that handle basic queries, SuperTOBi can process complex questions and engage in more natural conversations.
SuperTOBi provides personalized responses and can escalate issues it cannot resolve to human agents. This enhanced capability has significantly improved first-contact resolution rates in Portugal from 15% to 60%, while customer satisfaction scores have soared from 14 to 64 points.
SuperAgent boosts customer service support
Furthering its AI-driven initiatives, Vodafone has also rolled out SuperAgent, another AI assistant, to support its customer service staff. SuperAgent, powered by Microsoft Azure’s Copilot solution, generates summaries of customer conversations, thereby streamlining the handling of customer inquiries.
This tool accesses only Vodafone’s private databases, ensuring reliable and secure data usage. The introduction of SuperAgent is part of Vodafone’s broader strategy to enhance service efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Strategic partnership and future investments
Earlier this year, Vodafone solidified a ten-year strategic partnership with Microsoft, aiming to leverage generative AI technologies to enhance customer experiences and expand its Internet of Things (IoT) business. This collaboration also intends to grow M-Pesa, a mobile money service in Africa, to boost financial inclusion. Over the next decade, Vodafone plans to invest an additional $1.5 billion in cloud services and AI-powered solutions to transform the digital experience for business customers and medium enterprises.
Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone Group, emphasized the impact of this partnership, stating that it will “accelerate the digital transformation of our business customers and enhance the quality of customer experience for consumers.” This initiative marks a significant step in Vodafone’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge technologies to improve service delivery and customer engagement globally.