Affinity Water offers Alexa Skill service to customers

Affinity Water has announced its customers can now manage their accounts with a voice-activated service via a new Alexa Skill.

The company claims to be the first water firm to take advantage of the technology, which will allow customers to “manage their account with ease”.

The new service will be available on Amazon Echo and Echo Dot devices. Customers will be able to ask Alexa for their account balance, last payment and water saving tips when linked with Affinity Water’s online account service.

Affinity Water said customers with a meter can also use the service  to submit a meter reading, which will help them “stay in control” of the water they use.

Amanda Reynolds, customer relations director at Affinity Water, said: “Our vision is to be the leading community-focussed water company and we’re transforming the ways we work with our customers and the services we provide to them.

“We’re investing in technology that will save customers time such as the Alexa Skill and the recently relaunched ‘My Account’ which helps customers manage their account online.”

Great customer service is a key theme being driven by Ofwat as part of the forthcoming 2019 price review, PR19.

The regulator launched a digital campaign earlier this month via YouTube featuring a series of videos focusing on innovation. The other themes for PR19 focus on affordability and resilience in the round.

Peter Rowland, chief information officer at Affinity Water, said voice-activated services have begun to “transform the customer experience”.

“By launching our service on Alexa we can now offer our customers a seamless way to get the information they need,” he said.

Energy supplier, British Gas launched a similar service in 2016, partnering with Hive to create its own Alexa Skill, allowing customers to control their lighting, interact with the provider and adjust home heating via voice recognition.

Amazon declined to comment.