Artificial intelligence (AI) made an entrance into our daily life with KLM’s new facility on Sept 26. KLM customers can now book a ticket in a conversational way via a service bot called BlueBOt (BB) on the airline’s Messenger. BB, self-learning with her own personality — helpful, friendly, professional and edgy — takes over customer service from KLM agents with the help of AI connected to KLM technology. However, humans still form part of the equation as BB is supported by 250 human service colleagues who step in to help customers whenever BB is not able to assist them further. BB will soon be able to offer more services and be compatible with different digital channels, including voice.
“KLM is well known for its personal approach. On social media, we offer 24/7 service with our team of 250 human agents, handling more than 16,000 cases a week,” Pieter Groeneveld, senior vice-president of Digital Air France KLM said. “Volumes will continue to grow. At the same time, customers require a speedy response. We have therefore been experimenting with artificial intelligence to support our agents to provide a personal, timely and correct answer. With BB, KLM is taking the next step in its social media strategy, offering personal service through technology, supported by human agents when needed.”
