South East Water Poised to Unveil Innovative AI Applications
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South East Water Leverages AI for Customer Service Innovation
Quick Read
- South East Water, a government-owned utility in Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, is rolling out AI technologies to enhance customer service.
- Two services from Salesforce Einstein – case classification and summarisation – are set to launch on December 2.
- The deployment of AI aims to decrease call handling times and boost customer satisfaction.
- A comprehensive AI governance framework is in place to ensure data privacy and risk management.
- The utility is also working on a multi-year data lake initiative to provide a “single view of customer.”
Transforming Customer Service with AI
South East Water, a governmental utility provider for Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula, is poised to be a pioneer in the Victorian water utilities industry by embracing artificial intelligence (AI). The organisation is gearing up to activate two Salesforce Einstein AI services—case classification and summarisation—on December 2, which signifies a major step forward in enhancing customer service functionalities.
Peter Hiransi, Group Manager of Customer Strategy and Design, stated during the Salesforce Agentforce World Tour in Melbourne that these AI tools will assist contact centre agents in addressing incoming customer inquiries more effectively. “We want to eliminate wait times for callers in the contact centre,” remarked Hiransi. “Our aim is to provide a better customer experience and satisfaction by lowering call handling durations.”
Data Privacy and Responsible AI Implementation
Understanding the challenges and responsibilities that come with AI, South East Water has opted for a careful and well-organised strategy. The technology unit has devised an AI governance framework, operational control plan, and supportive policies to protect customer data. This framework guarantees that the utility’s data privacy compliance and risk management protocols are strong.
“We want to make sure that everything we implement protects customer data,” Hiransi stressed. “We have conducted thorough risk and privacy evaluations to instill confidence in both us and our customers.”
With these provisions in place, South East Water’s executive team has approved the first two AI applications as pilot programs, paving the way for wider AI integration in the future.
Creating a Cohesive Customer Data Strategy
Alongside its AI efforts, South East Water is embarking on a multi-year project aimed at establishing a unified “single view of customer” through a new data lake. This project seeks to bring together scattered customer records across various systems, thereby promoting a seamless and cohesive method of customer management.
Hiransi pointed out, “When a customer reaches out to us, we want to have a clear picture of who they are, their latest interactions, and all pertinent information from our digital systems. It’s a challenging journey, but it is essential.”
To bolster this initiative, South East Water has fostered a strong culture of data ownership and stewardship. Hiransi himself serves as the data owner for customer information, supported by a committed team of data stewards.
Summary
South East Water is taking significant strides to integrate AI into its customer service framework, all while upholding high ethical and data privacy standards. With the introduction of Salesforce Einstein services and a long-term data lake initiative, the utility is poised to redefine customer experiences and operational effectiveness. These groundbreaking efforts not only set a standard for the Victorian water utilities sector but also showcase the transformative capacity of AI within public services.
Q&A
Q: What are the key AI services being introduced by South East Water?
A:
South East Water is introducing two Salesforce Einstein AI services: case classification and summarisation. These tools are designed to enhance the efficiency of contact centre agents in resolving customer queries.
Q: When will the AI services be operational?
A:
The AI services are planned to launch on December 2.
Q: How is South East Water protecting customer data during this AI implementation?
A:
The utility has established an AI governance framework, an operational control plan, and completed risk and privacy assessments to safeguard customer data.
Q: What is the aim of the data lake initiative?
A:
The data lake initiative focuses on creating a “single view of customer” by integrating fragmented customer records from various systems, allowing for a more streamlined and effective approach to customer management.
Q: What obstacles has South East Water encountered with these initiatives?
A:
Challenges include maintaining data privacy, crafting a comprehensive governance framework, and integrating disparate customer data systems. However, these issues are being tackled through thorough planning and teamwork.
Q: How is South East Water setting a benchmark in the Victorian utilities landscape?
A:
By being the first utility in the sector to deploy AI solutions and pursue a unified customer data project, South East Water is establishing itself as an innovator in customer service excellence.
