New AI virtual assistant to provide personalized services in English and Arabic to Etisalat subscribers across Egypt
By ; Saber Mohamed - Mohamed Shawkh
Etisalat Misr, one of the leading telecom companies in Egypt, turned to IBM (NYSE:IBM) to introduce its first AI virtual assistant to transform its customers’ experience. The new virtual agent is powered by IBM Watson Assistant, IBM’s conversation AI platform delivered on IBM public cloud, and will help Etisalat meet the evolving expectations of its customers for more personalized experiences.
With technological advancements, the Egyptian market has witnessed a tremendous shift in consumer behavior that became more demanding and aware of the quality of services. Etisalat Misr, the digital services leader in the Egyptian telecom market, was an early adaptor of AI technology through providing one of the first AI virtual assistants in the market powered by IBM Watson technology.
Through collaborating with IBM, the new virtual assistant will enable Etisalat customers to subscribe in variety of services that include; renewing their bundle, transferring & distributing their family monthly quota, checking their balance, paying their bills and many other services.
The new virtual assistant is able to ingest and comprehend massive amounts of data and learn from previous interactions to provide real-time responses to customer inquiries and requests in both English and Arabic. Etisalat customers will be able to access the virtual agent on their preferred channels 24 hours a day, allowing the company’s resources to focus on more complex issues that require staff intervention.
“As telecom companies look to optimize their operations and provide their clients with seamless experiences, technology becomes their key ally to deliver unprecedented services. Our collaboration with IBM, offered us in Etisalat new operational directions by transforming our processes and the way we serve our clients through introducing an AI based chatbot, showing our unique capabilities” said Amr Fathy, Vice President, IT, Etisalat Misr.
“Furthermore, through the Watson powered chatbot, we managed to provide distinguished customer experience while minimizing the operations’ cost during the pandemic outbreak by enriching our chatbot with information about COVID-19, means of protection and useful precautions tips, as well as dynamic updates on figures of the daily cases,” added Fathy.
“Our collaboration with Etisalat Misr is just another example of how technology is shaping the future of customers service and bringing new efficiencies,” said Wael Abdoush, Country General Manager, IBM Egypt. “Through the use of AI, Etisalat Misr will reshape its relationship with its clients and meet their individual requirements”.
