Octopus Energy improved customer satisfaction by integrating GenAI to manage email responses and streamline service during an energy crisis.
Octopus Energy, a leading UK energy provider, implemented GenAI to enhance customer service during a significant increase in customer inquiries sparked by the energy crisis. The company faced unprecedented demand for customer support as energy prices surged, doubling the volume of calls and emails and increasing the complexity of customer needs.
Octopus Energy integrated GenAI to assist in drafting email responses. The AI learned agents’ styles, including emoji usage, to personalize communications. AI-generated summaries of customer interactions were provided to agents, offering a holistic view of each customer’s history and needs.
The integration of GenAI resulted in a significant improvement in customer satisfaction rates. AI-assisted emails achieved an 85% customer satisfaction rate, markedly higher than the 65% for human-only responses. Over time, the company increased the proportion of AI-assisted email responses to over 50%, effectively managing half of the daily 50,000 emails through AI.
Octopus continues to expand AI use, including automating actions like refund processing to enhance efficiency further and reduce manual labor. This application of AI in customer service improved immediate support metrics and set a new standard in personalized customer care, demonstrating the transformative potential of AI in operational settings.