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Fledgling challenger brand Rebel Energy, due to supply its first customers later this year, is creating a “digital workforce” to complement its human customer service team.
The company will combine employees with intelligent automation platform Blue Prism Cloud, allowing many customer service issues to be automated. Where the platform cannot resolve issues automatically, the team will be notified.
Rebel joins fellow challenger goto.energy which has also created itself around the platform, as well as Utilita which incorporated it into its business last year.
Founder and chief executive, Dan Bates, spent a total of 17 years at BP where he worked as a commercial manager in the company’s international gas and power business. The former trader says he is creating the supplier as a “digital first” business.
Speaking to Utility Week Bates said: “The way I see it working is there are lots of queries which Blue Prism will be able to resolve for our customers. Where it cannot resolve, it will identify and put it at the top of the list of the job queue for the customer service rep when they come in the next day.
“I see the digital workers sitting alongside our customer service reps, enabling us to offer a high level of customer service and a much more personable one as well.”
Bates added that by employing digital workers to carry out repetitive processes common to the energy industry it can create more “fulfilling and engaging roles” for its human customer service team, while at the same time helping them to develop skills in AI and systems design.
Meanwhile Terry Walby, chief executive, Blue Prism Cloud, said: “We are witnessing the emergence of a new generation of business leaders who understand the full potential of embracing intelligent automation to devise entirely new business models. Building the flexibility of a digital workforce into the fabric of their operations, they are preparing to disrupt markets and deliver exceptional value for customers.”
Rebel Energy is scheduled for a full market launch in Q1 2021.
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