Vodafone has today announced the newest addition to its AI family.

Introducing TOBi the chatbot. Powered by cutting edge AI technology, TOBi has been launched as an innovative way of offering customers a quicker web chat service.

TOBi will be able to help customers with roaming related questions – just in time for the summer holidays.

TOBi will also be available on the Contact Us page to save customers time on the phone. Visitors to the page will be able to use a search tool so TOBi can direct them straight to the correct team rather than seeing the traditional list of numbers.

Vodafone’s Customer Operations Director, Helen van Orton, explains how TOBi will be complementary to Vodafone’s current customer service team.

“TOBi is a great way for customers to ask those quick fire questions that need an answer right away, freeing up time for our frontline agents to spend with customers who have larger, more complex queries.

“TOBi’s great for dealing with simple queries, and customers can always transition through to a human advisor if they get stuck,” van Orton said.

There are also plans for TOBi to be available through the My Vodafone app in the future, so customers will be able to get their questions answered whenever they want and while they are on the go*.

The platform, powered by IBM Watson, provides customers with a smooth and efficient way of having simple queries answered.

“TOBi is an exciting step forward in giving our customers the quick and seamless service they want,” van Orton adds, “Our ambition is to give our customers the best experience possible, and TOBi is another important step towards achieving that ambition.”

As with most AI, TOBi will learn more through experience. Customers are encouraged to interact with the chatbot to accelerate how user friendly and helpful TOBi becomes, and expand the range of support TOBi can offer.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

• *Customers can currently communicate with TOBi via the following webpages:
  • Roaming: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/roaming/ and https://www.vodafone.co.nz/daily-roaming/
  • Contact us: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/contact/
  • On Account mobile payments: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/help/bill-payment/about-mobile-bill/
  • Prepay roaming: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/prepay-roaming/
  • NZ Travel SIM: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/roaming/welcome-to-nz/
  • Before you roam: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/help/mobile/before-you-roam/
• More details on TOBi will follow in the next few months