Virgin Media O2 now has an AI answering some of its broadband calls
Key Points
- Virgin Media O2 launched an AI voice agent for selected broadband fault calls
- Sierra, co-founded by Bret Taylor, built the system with the operator
- Customers can still ask to speak to a human advisor
- Rollout starts small and will expand gradually
- The move follows a 500-strong specialist team and Lumi AI for advisors
Virgin Media O2 has started using an AI voice agent to answer selected broadband fault calls.
The company announced the rollout on Thursday (24 September), saying it built the system with Sierra, a conversational AI platform co-founded by former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor.
Virgin Media O2 said it will introduce the AI agent gradually, starting with routine broadband fault calls that make up a small proportion of its total call volumes.
Customers who reach the AI agent can still ask to speak to a member of the support team.
Virgin Media O2 said its teams would monitor the calls closely and use customer feedback to measure performance and improve the service.
The company said the AI agent will resolve simpler issues faster and give human advisors more time for complex or sensitive cases.
“Customers want support that is quick, simple and effective, and our people want the right tools to help them deliver brilliant service,” said Alan Stott, chief operating officer at Virgin Media O2.
“This is about supporting our people, not replacing them,” Stott said.
“By using AI to help with routine journeys, we can give customers faster support where it makes sense, while freeing up our advisors to focus on the complex, sensitive and human moments where their expertise and experience make the biggest difference,” he added.
The AI agent forms part of a wider customer service overhaul at the company, which recently set up a UK-based team of more than 500 specialist agents.
That team handles bereavements, complex complaints and support for vulnerable customers.
Virgin Media O2 also partnered with the Institute of Customer Service on an accredited training programme for contact centre staff handling difficult customer interactions.
Its advisors already use Lumi AI, a tool that analyses customer conversations in real time and suggests prompts based on millions of previous interactions.
The company said Ofcom data shows sustained drops in complaints from Virgin Media and O2 customers over the past 18 months.
It added that a larger share of complaints now gets resolved within 24 hours.
“The companies getting the most from AI start with a clear business goal and use AI to reach it – rather than approaching AI as a standalone project,” said Bret Taylor, CEO and co-founder of Sierra.
Taylor said Virgin Media O2 planned to start with the broadband use case, learn from it and expand over time.
