du continues to reinvent their customer experience by using WhatsApp to make consumers' lives more convenient.

Dubai, UAE 5 March 2019 - UAE:  based telecommunications company du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has begun using WhatsApp for customer care by launching ‘Blu' - a multi-channel Artificial Intelligence-based virtual assistant on WhatsApp to its 9+ million fixed, mobile, IP and broadband customers.

This innovative move further enhances du's ambition to deliver world-class customer care by making it easy for customers to connect with du through the platform they use every day.

Anthony Shiner, Chief Digital Lifestyle and Innovation Officer, EITC, said: “As an ICT service provider, we are at the forefront of the latest technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

We recognise the importance of messaging for our customers. Making our virtual assistant available on WhatsApp makes it easy for our customers to connect with us. We'd like our customers to play an active role in creating a great chat experience, so we'll be inviting them to help train the virtual assistant. Think of it as a new employee who has some core skills, but continues to learn and grow through experience.”

Implementing a pilot utilising UIB's UnificationEngine®, du's virtual assistant helps customers with common queries which they currently seek to address by contacting the Contact Centre or visiting a retail store. This is just the start, as du plans to quickly build upon these initial capabilities. Customers are encouraged to help du to teach the virtual assistant new skills to ensure it continues to deliver on what's important to them.
 
Toby Ruckert, CEO – UIB, said: “du is taking active steps to improve customer care and as a WhatsApp Business solution provider, we are excited to deliver a new conversational experience to their 9+ million customers across the UAE.”