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Case Studies
AGL Energy
AGL Energy is revolutionizing customer service with AI-powered self-service
Smarter, faster and more personalized experiences, tailored for everyone through innovative digital solutions
Leveraging AI-driven self-service to provide customers with another 24/7 support option
AGL Energy is one of the oldest energy companies in Australia and has been a cornerstone of the nation's energy sector for over 180 years. As a leading integrated energy provider, AGL operates a diverse portfolio that powers millions of homes and businesses across the country. The company is dedicated to pioneering sustainable energy solutions and innovation, driving Australia's transition to a low-carbon future.
As an essential service provider, AGL is committed to providing customers with help and support when it’s needed. The AGL Assistant provides customers with another option for 24/7 support.
Empowering customers with more personalized digital experiences
The journey began in 2016 when a customer-facing bot was conceptually born with the objective to assist customers to self-serve using AGL’s digital channels. In 2017, the first iteration of the Alfie Bot using AI and automation was released to assist customers with updating their account details.
In early 2020, the AGL Assist and AI team in close collaboration with IBM replaced the Alfie Bot with a new Virtual Assistant that answers FAQs and is personalised using APIs. Since then, the team have continuously enhanced the now named AGL Assistant. Starting with channel specific content so customers are getting relevant help whether they are chatting on AGL.com.au, My Account (authenticated web) or on the AGL Mobile App. More recently, the team have built out several transactional journeys enabling the Assistant to not only assist, but in-fact complete actions for the customer. These journeys were built using IBM® watsonx Assistant™ integrated with the company's ERP software. With the assitance of ISW, the team have also made several watsonx Assistant updates including the move to Watson Actions.
Today, 125,000 customers each month are starting a chat with the AGL Assistant and 36-38% of these chats are successfully serviced without requiring a frontline agent.
Over the past five years, AGL has continued to design the AGL Assistant to cater to a wide range of customer needs, including new journeys to enable customers to view and add their concession cards digitally. A customer can provide their concession card details to the AGL Assistant. The AGL Assistant will validate the card with the card issuer in real-time and add the card to the CRM without agent intervention.
As the company steps into the generative AI era, the AGL Assist and AI team are exploring the addition of generative AI capabilities to further enhance the AGL Assistant’s ability to answer customer questions and assist self-service. The team are committed to continue exploring new technology available to further enhance the experience for their customers.
At AGL (link resides outside of ibm.com), we believe energy makes life better and are passionate about powering the way Australians live, move and work. Proudly Australian for more than 185 years, AGL supplies around 4.5 million[1] energy, telecommunications and Netflix customer services. AGL is committed to providing our customers simple, fair and accessible essential services as they decarbonise and electrify the way they live, move and work. AGL operates Australia’s largest private electricity generation portfolio within the National Electricity Market, comprising coal and gas-fired generation, renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro and solar, batteries and other firming technology, and storage assets. We are building on our history as one of Australia’s leading private investors in renewable energy to now lead the business of transition to a lower emissions, affordable and smart energy future in line with the goals of our Climate Transition Action Plan. We’ll continue to innovate in energy and other essential services to enhance the way Australians live, and to help preserve the world around us for future generations.
For more information visit agl.com.au
ISW (link resides outside of ibm.com) is a multi-award-winning Australian systems integrator and IT solutions provider, offering a wide range of services that include cloud infrastructure, software development, data integration, enterprise security and AI-powered solutions. With a focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, ISW leverages its deep expertise in technologies to help businesses enhance their operational efficiency and achieve their strategic goals. Offering a comprehensive range of services, from consulting and implementation to managed services and support, ISW partners with clients to deliver tailored solutions that drive growth and competitive advantage. Renowned for its commitment to excellence and customer success, ISW remains a trusted partner for businesses that are navigating the complexities of the digital age.
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