NYSEG and Rochester Gas and Electric have begun using a new tool to transcribe and analyze every customer service call, the utilities announced Tuesday. They say the system, called Call IQ, is intended to help supervisors spot unresolved problems and coach representatives.
The companies said in an Oct. 6 release that Call IQ reviews each conversation, identifies the reason for the call and produces a summary. The rollout applies to customer service calls across both utilities, which serve communities throughout the Finger Lakes and Greater Rochester region.
The system classifies a call's tone as positive or negative and sorts topics such as billing inquiries and meter questions, according to the release. It also records whether the customer's issue was resolved and assigns an urgency level so supervisors can find calls that may need additional attention or follow-up.
Supervisors can use the analysis to identify where an interaction could have been handled more effectively and give representatives feedback, the companies said. The release did not provide a measured change in resolution times or customer satisfaction since Call IQ was deployed.
“This technology helps us understand what's working well so we can apply those insights to future calls and resolve more customer needs the first time they contact us,” said Christine Alexander, the utilities' vice president of customer service.
NYSEG and RG&E have also used an online assistant called Ava since 2024. The companies said it answers common questions about bill balances and delays, payment arrangements, budget billing, meter readings, starting or ending service, outages and online accounts.
The two utilities said the new call-analysis system is part of a broader investment in digital customer service. NYSEG serves about 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers; RG&E serves about 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in the Rochester region, according to the release.
The companies did not say in the release whether customers can opt out of Call IQ analysis or how long call transcripts are retained.
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