KARACHI (PRESS RELEASE)
Marking the success of its initiative taken to facilitate customers in a digital world, K-Electric became the first company in the power sector of Pakistan to achieve 100,000 unique subscribers on its WhatsApp service, that too within a record time of just 68 days, as per Infobip – a global leader in omnichannel communication.
The 24/7 service was launched on 13th September, 2021, to provide consumers with a hassle-free experience with real-time responses. The fully automated service is being used to lodge technical or billing complaints, obtain duplicate bills as well as income tax certificates, and download the forms for new connections along with a checklist of required documents. The service was initially only in the English language but for further convenience of the customers, it is now available in Urdu as well which immediately approximately 41% users opted for.
Currently, the most common queries at this self-care channel is of duplicate bill issuance, technical complaints and power status inquiry, all which are also the fastest to avail feedback through WhatsApp. As KE works towards development towards bettering consumer experience, the response via the new platform is within seconds, which in turn is accommodating Karachi’s electricity consumers at an expected faster turnaround-time. Now even the call center and experience center teams are routing traffic towards the the automated channel, creating more awareness and aiming to increase percentage of success of enquiries managed.
With the advent of COVID-19, Pakistan has seen a steady rise in internet usage with more and more people becoming digital-savvy across the country. Reports estimate that smartphone ownership increased by at least 10% since then. Assessing the potential of WhatsApp as a tool to connect with customers in real-time, K-Electric launched this service that turned out to be a massive success.
Elated at this achievement, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at K-Electric, Sadia Dada said “We have a firm belief that an informed customer is an empowered customer. By leveraging the latest technologies, we are constantly offering our consumers new communication platforms that not only offer instant access to their desired information but also provide them the flexibility to communicate with us from anywhere in the world. The substantial rise in subscribers of our newly launched WhatsApp service indicates that we are keeping up with our consumers’ changing preferences of how they wish to engage with us. This also shows that we are heading towards the right direction while being on the path of becoming a truly customer-driven company.”
Connecting with KE through the WhatsApp service is as easy as saying hello to a friend. Consumers simply need to add the number +92-348-0000118 on their phones and message to begin their journey. They may be prompted to provide their 13-digit KE account number only once, after which they will be registered in the system. The platform is free however, mobile internet data charges from telecommunication service providers may apply.
The 24/7 WhatsApp service is another addition to the suite of existing services for customers including the call center 118, SMS service 8119, KE Live App, and social media platforms.