Technology has drastically changed the way we communicate – how we connect with each other, how we receive our news and how we enjoy our entertainment.
For Comcast, technology has also allowed for improved communication with customers, and created a better customer experience.
“As a tech company, we have a lot of capacity to help customers,” explains Piers Lingle, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, who leads Comcast’s Customer Experience Product Team. “How can we use technology to identify challenges customers experience, and help them get the most from their service?”
The solution: Build innovative reactive (Voice Remote), proactive (RealTime Assist) and interactive (Xfinity Assistant) digital tools that help customers better manage their experience.
Here’s how this technology is improving the experience for customers in WA:
X1 Platform & Voice Remote – Technology is at the heart of Comcast’s voice control platform, which uses artificial intelligence to understand what customers are saying, interpret those commands, and access what they want in real time.
Recognizing thousands of commands – including Spanish – and learning from user preferences, the X1 Remote presents new content based on your interests, including television programming, news, music, sports stats and more. “Teach me more” shares tips and tricks, answers questions and helps customers make their experience with X1 even better.
And for people with disabilities, the Remote, combined with the Talking Guide, eliminates barriers to enjoying their favorite content.
RealTime Assist – Beginning with the process involved when customers move homes, Lingle’s team wanted to create a simpler, less stressful experience. Viewing the process as a journey, with multiple steps, Real Time Assist provides timely updates about technician appointments, equipment updates, self-install kit deliveries, network upgrades and planned maintenance through text messages, the My Account app, or on their TV screen.
Simply enter your move details online or speak with an agent to get helpful information right to your phone – track the shipment of your self-install kit, receive a text reminder to unpack your TV before the tech arrives, and more.
In the last year, Comcast has interacted with more than 8 million customers, and an “opt out” of just 1 percent suggests useful information is arriving at the right time.
Xfinity Assistant – Realizing customers also valued two-way dialogue, Comcast created a virtual assistant that uses machine intelligence and natural language understanding to deliver informed, personalized customer service solutions. “When you start reaching out to customers, you realize customers want to talk back,” Lingle says.
Xfinity Assistant lets you ask questions about your service or respond to service-related texts to find quick, easy solutions, while the evolving technology learns from what’s asked of it and which solutions resolved your issues.
Reaching 2.3 million customers in 2018 through existing customer platforms like SMS text, the My Account mobile app and Facebook Messenger (through the Xfinity Facebook page), the program will also continue to expand across other preferred consumer platforms.
In Washington state, approximately 116,000 customers interacted with Xfinity Assistant this past year. Combined with RealTime Assist, more than 700,000 Washington customers have benefited from these technology-based customer service and experience channels.
The technology is also used to anticipate service-related inquiries. Instead of waiting for a customer to identify a problem, these technologies assist in identifying issues, sharing helpful information and resolving issues rapidly.
Comcast’s Real Time Assist provides timely updates about technician appointments, equipment updates and more through text messages, the My Account app, or on your TV screen.
Recognizing thousands of commands and learning from user preferences, the X1 Remote presents new content based on your interests, including television programming, news, music, sports stats and more.
