Safaricom introduces interactive customer care chatbot

Safaricom has introduced Zuri, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot assistant available on Telegram and Facebook Messenger.

Zuri enables over 17 million Safaricom mobile data users to perform a wide range of tasks like manage subscription services including viewing subscriptions and unsubscribing from chargeable SMS services.

Other queries that Zuri can handle include M-PESA reversals, buying bundles, airtime top up and checking M-PESA and airtime balances

“We are continually working to provide the best experience to our customers by investing in technology and products that are designed to give them more choice and control. Zuri will add to the already existing self-care options we have including USSD and mySafaricom app. Using AI, Zuri will be able to constantly evolve and learn from the interactions it has with customers in order to provide accurate responses”, said Sylvia Mulinge, Chief Customer Officer, Safaricom.

The Chatbot also contains a how to section where customers can find more information about retrieving their PUK number, unlocking their M-PESA account, and how to get a loan.

Last year the telco launched Safaricom Jitambulishe which is a Voice Biometrics identification system. Jitambulishe allows customers to use their voices for authentication before accessing assisted services such as resetting their M-PESA PIN and PUK requests.

In an effort to reduce the number of calls to their call centres, Safaricom has in the recent past increased awareness of their available self-care solutions. This has resulted in 24 million daily uses of the USSD solution and over 700,000 smartphone customers using the mySafaricomapp daily.