In an unprecedented move, Meesho, a Bengaluru-based e-commerce platform backed by SoftBank, has launched what it claims to be the first generative AI (GenAI) voice bot tailored specifically for customer support in the Indian e-commerce landscape. This innovative approach has reportedly reduced operational costs associated with customer support by an astounding 75%. As organizations strive to leverage technology to improve efficiency, Meesho’s initiative stands out as a notable advancement in the integration of artificial intelligence within service sectors.
Generative AI encompasses advanced software capable of generating and interpreting human-like text and voice responses by analyzing extensive datasets. Meesho has rolled out this feature just as the demand for seamless customer interaction is surging among its vast customer base of over 160 million, predominantly residing in smaller towns and villages across India. It is a strategic move to enhance user experience, particularly for customers less familiar with technology.
Creating an AI entity capable of understanding and responding to customer inquiries is a complex challenge, especially considering the diverse linguistic and contextual landscape of India. Sanjeev Barnwal, co-founder and CTO of Meesho, elaborated on the technical obstacles faced during the bot’s development. One significant hurdle was ensuring voice quality in environments where many users are equipped with low-end smartphones, often surrounded by noisy backgrounds. Barnwal noted the necessity of adapting the bot to filter out noise while maintaining clear, natural conversations.
Rather than attempting to create its own large language model (LLM), Meesho has strategically utilized existing models, which have proven efficient in languages like Hindi and English, and coupled them with custom components designed to cater to the local context and specific nuances in communication. This approach not only mitigates development time but also capitalizes on pre-existing technology to offer immediate changes to customer support.
With the current capability of handling around 60,000 calls daily in both English and Hindi, Meesho’s voice bot is set to expand its reach by incorporating six more Indian languages. This highlights the startup’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in customer support, catering to a broader demographic. The firm has achieved an impressive 95% query resolution rate through this AI-driven solution, with only 5% of calls necessitating human intervention. Such statistics indicate that Meesho’s implementation of GenAI technology has not only elevated customer service standards but has also significantly reduced the average call handling time by half.
More importantly, the integration of this AI system does not signify the replacement of human customer service agents but rather their redeployment to tackle more complex queries and provide enhanced seller support. This evolution ensures that Meesho maintains a strong human element in its service while utilizing AI to streamline operations.
As the Indian tech industry rapidly embraces AI, Meesho’s decision to utilize off-the-shelf models rather than develop its own raises questions about the availability of talent within the country to support such initiatives. Hemant Mohapatra, a partner at Lightspeed, pointed out the industry’s struggle to find enough qualified personnel to construct foundational models. This reality reinforces the notion that startups may find greater success in leveraging existing technologies while investing in innovative applications suited to their unique needs.
Meesho has successfully navigated the balance between utilizing external resources and enhancing customer support processes. As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, one can expect further advancements from the company, especially if it commits to expanding its AI capabilities. The rollout of this voice bot not only showcases Meesho’s agility in adopting technological advancements but also earmarks a pivotal moment in Indian e-commerce, where AI becomes an integral part of seamless user interaction.
Meesho’s AI voice bot signifies a remarkable step towards innovative customer support, aligning efficiency with consumer expectations. With continued enhancements and upcoming language support, the platform is well-positioned to remain a key player in India’s rapidly growing e-commerce sector.