Meesho launches GenAI-powered voice bot to provide 24x7 customer support

New Delhi: E-commerce platform Meesho on Tuesday announced the launch of its GenAI-powered voice bot to improve user experience and ensure round-the-clock customer support.

The voice bot, which started operating about a month back, is currently available in English and Hindi, and is likely to expand to six additional regional languages -- Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil.

"Designed to autonomously handle a wide range of customer interactions, the voice bot currently handles about 60,000 calls daily, providing fast and efficient resolutions. With an impressive 95 per cent resolution rate, it significantly reduces the need for human intervention, streamlining support and minimising escalations.

"This efficiency has also contributed to a nearly 50 per cent improvement in Average Handle Time (AHT), resulting in quicker and more effective customer service," a company statement said.

The solution leverages agentic AI to autonomously analyse data, make informed decisions, and respond to customer queries in real time.

Effectively managing common inquiries, it allows human customer support agents to dedicate their time to more intricate problems, thereby improving service quality and maximising overall support efficiency, the statement said.

Considering that 80 per cent of Meesho's users originate from tier-2 cities and beyond, the voice bot is designed for flexibility, operating effectively on basic smartphones and in noisy conditions.

Its advanced interruption management feature differentiates between casual affirmations (like "yes", "ji", or "okay") and genuine interruptions, ensuring the conversation continues smoothly unless a meaningful interruption occurs, it said.

"Its human-like interaction is a standout feature, enhancing communication ease, building trust, and delivering support that feels natural and relatable," said Sanjeev Barnwal, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Meesho.

Future updates will include detecting user emotions for empathetic interactions, he said.

Softbank-backed Meesho in October had reported a narrowing of adjusted losses by 97 per cent from Rs 1,569 crore in FY23 to Rs 53 crore in FY24, on account of reduction in general and administrative expenses.

Its revenue from operations grew 33 per cent to Rs 7,615 crore in FY24, from Rs 5,735 crore in FY23.