Vodafone-Idea launches WhatsApp chatbot to solve customer query: How to use

The VIC service has been developed by ORISERVE and the company claims that it can deliver instant responses on a host of user queries like bill payments, recharges, VAS, plan activation, new connection, data balance, bill requests and more. Moreover, the service is live 24×7.

ORISERVE states that the VIC service has been built exclusively for Vodafone Idea Limited. It is built upon cutting-edge AI, NLP, deep learning and other trailblazing technologies.

Today we are going to take a look at how the service works on WhatsApp:

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First, you need to start a chat with the VIC on WhatsApp, which can be done using multiple ways. First one being, when you receive an SMS from Vodafone Idea on your number with a link to initiate a conversation with VIC on WhatsApp. Other one being, saving the company’s numbers and starting a WhatsApp chat manually. The number for Vodafone Care is – 9654297000 and the number for Idea Care is 7065297000.

If you are stuck in a jam and need to get something done fast, using this instead of calling the customer care will surely save you some time. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)

The system did not feel very intuitive when used. It seems to have pre-fed responses and does not reply in a customised manner when you send a query. After sending a query it will give you multiple options which you can choose from by entering the corresponding number.

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One good thing about this is that it picked my number from inside of my WhatsApp and asked me if that was the number I wanted to send the query for. After selecting YES I had to enter the OTP to verify.

The bot was quite fast in providing me with the answers. For every query I threw at it it had an answer. But after a few queries it started giving me repetitive answers. For instance, when I asked for a port out, it provided my the option to talk to a customer service representative or check out customised plans. After choosing the customised plans option, it kept on offering me the customised plans again and again when I wrote the query port out.

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The service is helpful for a few services like check out or activate value added services, check data balance and more. But is not a replacement for a customer service representative as Vodafone claims. But, if you are stuck in a jam and need to get something done fast, using this instead of calling the customer care will surely save you some time.