Evergy Achieves 67% Call Containment Rate with AI Solutions
Evergy's innovative use of AI has transformed its customer service, achieving a remarkable 67% containment rate and deflecting millions of calls. Discover how this utility is setting new standards in customer experience.
Key Facts
- Evergy's 67% containment rate outperforms the 58% industry average, showcasing superior efficiency.
- Deflecting 12.7M calls since 2020 highlights significant cost savings and improved customer service.
- AI reduced service call times by nearly 50%, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
- Award-winning digital experience positions Evergy as a leader, strengthening its competitive market stance.
- Ongoing AI collaboration with SoundHound indicates strategic commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
Summary
Summary
Evergy, a utility company, faced challenges in efficiently managing customer service calls while maintaining a human touch. They implemented AI agents in collaboration with SoundHound AI to handle routine inquiries, resulting in a 67% containment rate and deflecting 12.7 million calls from their contact center since 2020.
Background
Evergy operates in the utility sector and serves a large customer base. Before deploying AI, their traditional voice response system struggled to meet customer service demands efficiently. Rising call costs and the need for improved self-service options prompted the company to seek a solution that would enhance customer experience while managing operational costs.
Challenge
The primary challenge was to improve customer self-service capabilities and reduce the volume of calls directed to the contact center. Evergy needed a way to handle routine inquiries—such as billing, payment plans, and outage reports—without overwhelming their human agents.
Solution
Evergy partnered with SoundHound AI to implement AI agents capable of managing routine customer interactions. The AI system was designed to resolve common requests, allowing human representatives to focus on more complex issues that required personal attention. This collaboration involved continuous analysis and refinement of the AI's capabilities to ensure it could effectively address a growing range of customer needs.
Results
Since the AI deployment in 2020, Evergy has achieved significant outcomes:
- 67% containment rate, surpassing the industry average of 58%.
- Deflected nearly 13 million calls from the contact center.
- Handled over 4 million calls annually, leading to reduced costs to serve customers.
These results indicate a marked improvement in operational efficiency and customer self-service.
Key Insights
Evergy's experience highlights the importance of treating AI as a dynamic asset that evolves through continuous collaboration. By integrating AI with human support, companies can enhance customer service while reducing operational costs. This approach allows for a balance between efficiency and the necessary human touch in customer interactions.
Customer Testimonial
"AI agents can handle a range of tasks, allowing human agents to focus on interactions that require empathy, deeper problem solving, and dedicated time with the customer."
— Kelly Reynolds, Senior Digital Product Manager, Evergy
Entities Mentioned
Companies
Technologies
People
Organizations
Key Concepts
Definitions
- AI agents
- AI agents are automated systems designed to handle routine customer inquiries, allowing human agents to focus on more complex issues.
- Call deflection
- Call deflection refers to the strategy of reducing the number of calls to a contact center by resolving issues through self-service options.
- Containment rate
- Containment rate is the percentage of customer inquiries resolved without the need for human intervention.
- Digital experience
- Digital experience encompasses the interactions customers have with a company through digital channels, emphasizing ease and efficiency.
- Operational efficiency
- Operational efficiency is the ability to deliver services effectively while minimizing costs and maximizing customer satisfaction.
Use Cases
- →Handling billing inquiries
- →Setting up payment plans
- →Reporting power outages
- →Starting or stopping utility service
- →Providing updates during outages
- →Facilitating autopay or paperless billing
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Evergy implement AI in their customer service?
Evergy implemented AI by collaborating with SoundHound AI to develop agents that handle routine inquiries, allowing human representatives to focus on more complex customer needs.
What results did Evergy achieve with AI?
Evergy achieved a 67% containment rate, deflected nearly 13 million calls from their contact center, and significantly increased customer self-service since launching their AI solution.
What challenges did Evergy face before using AI?
Evergy faced challenges with a traditional voice response system that could not efficiently serve customers, leading to high call volumes and rising costs.
How does Evergy ensure the effectiveness of their AI agents?
Evergy ensures the effectiveness of their AI agents through ongoing collaboration with SoundHound AI, regularly analyzing customer interactions to refine and expand the capabilities of the AI system.
What is the future of AI in Evergy's operations?
Evergy plans to expand the use of AI across additional workflows and deepen integration with their systems, aiming to further modernize customer experience while maintaining a human touch.