Enhancing Customer Engagement with Generative AI-Powered Customer Service Support Assistant

Client

The client is a leading financial services provider specializing in a wide array of investment products, including ETFs and mutual funds. Their digital platform serves as a critical resource for US-based and global customers seeking tailored investment solutions. With a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences and accurate financial information, the client has recognized the growing need for improved search function on their website combined with  scalable, intuitive support. The client aimed to optimize the platform by introducing AI-driven customer support with an AI-Powered Customer Service Assistant to better serve their diverse customer base, ranging from individual investors to institutional clients, with the goal of  ensuring personalised support, seamless navigation and efficient information retrieval. 

Business Challenge

The client faced challenges in improving customer engagement and efficiency in delivering product information. Key pain points included:

• Information Retrieval Complexity: Users struggled to locate relevant product details easily on the platform through the existing search bar and drop down menu. 
• Inefficient Customer Experience: Slow and fragmented query responses diminished user satisfaction.
• Missed Opportunities: Lack of real-time personalized interaction limited potential revenue growth.
• Support Scalability: With the existing platform the client currently does not offer any dedicated online support.  Introducing a live chat or call center would require significant investment, and as customer queries grow rapidly, maintaining service would require substantial staffing increases and higher operational costs, potentially slowing growth and driving up expenses.  An An AI-driven customer support solution with an AI-Powered Customer Service Assistant addresses scalability concerns with its ability to provide real-time, cost-effective support that can handle increasing query volumes without a proportional rise in staffing needs.

Solution

To address the client’s challenges, a tailored AI-driven customer support solution with a Generative AI-powered  assistant solution was designed and proposed as a Stage One implementation. Our intelligent assistant combines cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of the client’s needs. It acts as a virtual support agent, offering scalable, real-time support while enhancing customer engagement and operational efficiency. The main components of the solution are detailed below:

Natural Language Interface:

• The assistant was designed to seamlessly integrate with the client’s existing website and CMS, creating a user-friendly platform for customer interaction.
• Leveraging advanced Generative AI, the interface interprets user queries expressed in everyday language, ensuring accessibility for a broad audience, including those unfamiliar with financial jargon.
• Context retention functionality enables the assistant to handle multi-turn conversations, maintaining the thread of discussion across multiple queries, which enhances the conversational experience and reduces repetition for the user.

Robust Functionality:

• The assistant’s primary use case focuses on retrieving detailed investment product information, such as ETFs and mutual funds. Product data is vectorized to enhance search precision and relevance.
• Users can quickly and easily locate information by product name, features, or descriptions, with the system providing structured responses for clarity.
• The system is designed to offer clear and concise responses.  If a query cannot be resolved, the assistant politely suggests rephrasing the question and provides details for human support.

Integration with Existing Systems:

• The assistant integrates directly with the client’s Optimizely (EpiServer) CMS, leveraging static content to provide accurate and consistent responses. 
• Daily content synchronization ensures the system remains up-to-date, enabling the assistant to deliver reliable information even as the client’s portfolio evolves.

Enhanced Customer Experience:

• A thoughtfully designed user interface ensures the assistant is intuitive and accessible, with clear prompts and helpful feedback loops to guide user interactions.
• Feedback mechanisms allow users to rate the quality of responses or escalate complex issues to human agents, fostering a sense of reliability and trust in the system.
• The assistant provides responses in a conversational tone, enhancing engagement and building confidence in the platform’s expertise.

Technology Stack:

• The solution is built on Azure Functions, leveraging the scalability, reliability, and security of cloud computing. This ensures the system can handle high query volumes and adapt to growing customer demands without compromising performance.
• Additional tools, such as LangSmith and LangFuse, are employed to manage AI workflows, maintain performance standards, and evaluate user interactions.
• Advanced safeguards are incorporated, including content filtering and grounding techniques, to mitigate risks such as hallucinations, bias, or inappropriate responses.

Data Accuracy and Security:

• A comprehensive evaluation framework ensures the assistant’s responses meet high standards for relevance, accuracy, and contextual alignment. Metrics such as Answer Relevance and Faithfulness are continuously monitored and improved.
• Threat mitigation strategies, including Red Teaming and simulated adversarial attacks, ensure the assistant remains secure and aligned with the client’s intended use cases.

This solution not only addresses the client’s immediate needs but also establishes a strong foundation for future enhancements, including multi-language support, dynamic content integration, and advanced personalization features. By combining robust functionality with scalable and secure technology, the assistant delivers a transformative improvement in customer engagement and operational efficiency.

Expected Results

Following implementation the  solution expected to deliver significant business benefits:

• Increased Efficiency: Faster, precise responses reduced the time customers spent searching for information.
• Scalability: The platform supports a growing customer base without proportional increases in support staff.
• Revenue Growth: Enhanced customer experiences contribute to better product discovery and potential sales uplift.
• Strategic Foundation: Laid groundwork for future functionality upgrades, including multi-language support and dynamic data integration.