Train operator One has turned to the Web to help reduce pressure on its helpline, by creating a virtual customer service assistant (pictured).Following is a copy of a New Media Age article by Claire Armitt
Train operator One has turned to the Web to help reduce pressure on its helpline, by creating a virtual customer service assistant (pictured).
Commuters are now able to log on to onerailway.com at any time and have a conversation with the animated person, to find out train times, ticket prices, job vacancies and general railway information.
One's virtual assistant, which uses 'Lingubot', technology, was created and programmed by digital agency Fortune Cookie and digital technology company Creative Virtual.
The sophisticated word and phrase recognition technology allows the assistant to remember previous answers given, so the more people interact with it, the wider its knowledge base will be and the quicker it will respond.
"The assistant can also take customers to relevant Web pages on One's site, or provide a link with an answer," said Creative Virtual MD Chris Ezekiel.
Nick Wilson, applications services manager at One, said the virtual assistant will also help the train operator to optimise Web content.
"We'll make sure people are getting the information they want from the site," he said. "It also takes the pressure off the customer services team and saves us time and money.
The online service will be promoted on leaflets and tickets given out at One's network of stations.