In an interview with TimesTech, Sharat Sinha, Director & CEO of Airtel Business, discusses the transformation of customer communication in the digital age. He highlights how Airtel IQ leverages AI, automation, and omnichannel solutions to enhance engagement, ensure security, and streamline interactions. With innovations like Assured Delivery and Spam Protection, Airtel IQ is redefining how businesses connect with customers in an increasingly hybrid and digital-first world.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: How has customer communication evolved in recent years, and what key factors are driving this digital transformation?
Sharat: In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, customer communication has witnessed a paradigm shift, transforming from traditional, one-way messaging to real-time, omnichannel engagement. Driven by the rapid adoption of digital technologies and shifting consumer expectations, businesses must ensure seamless, secure, and personalized interactions across multiple platforms—be it voice, messaging, email, or social media. As customers increasingly demand speed and context-aware communication, businesses need to adopt agile and intelligent solutions to stay ahead in delivering exceptional experiences.
One of the three main drivers behind this change is digital acceleration, which has made digital-first communication the standard due to the growing use of smartphones and internet usage. Secondly, the advancements in AI and automation have enabled businesses to deliver personalized, proactive interactions that enhance customer satisfaction, and lastly, the growing emphasis on security and compliance has led organizations to prioritize encrypted, regulation-compliant communication channels. Businesses are increasingly relying on data analytics to understand customer behavior and deliver personalized experiences.
Airtel IQ is at the forefront of this transformative shift, enabling businesses with an AI-driven, cloud-based communication platform that integrates Voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and other channels into unified ecosystems. By combining real-time analytics, end-to-end security, and automation, we enable enterprises to optimize their customer interactions, enhance engagement, and ensure compliance at scale.
TimesTech: With research indicating that 73% of customers interact across multiple channels, how does Airtel IQ ensure seamless and consistent communication across these platforms?
Sharat: Customers today expect smooth, uninterrupted conversations across their preferred channels whether SMS, voice, email, or messaging apps. Airtel IQ has multiple solutions that are designed to provide an omnichannel communication experience by unifying multiple touchpoints into single, intelligent cloud solutions that deliver context-aware, real-time engagement, ensuring businesses can engage with customers seamlessly, for various needs.
With AI-driven orchestration, Airtel IQ Assured Delivery is a solution that dynamically routes messages across different channels based on customer preferences, urgency, and real-time analytics. Businesses can also automate responses, deploy chatbots, and analyze customer behavior to deliver targeted messages in real-time. Additionally, Assured Delivery technology guarantees 100% message delivery, making it a reliable choice for time-sensitive communication especially for regulated industries like BFSI while handling information such as transaction alerts, fraud notifications, and policy updates.
Additionally, Airtel IQ incorporates end-to-end encryption and secure APIs to protect sensitive data while adhering to industry regulations. This innovative solution eliminates communication silos and reduces redundancy, while enhancing data accuracy that enables businesses to improve customer engagement, and streamline operations.
TimesTech: As businesses increasingly adopt hybrid working models, how does Airtel IQ support organizations in maintaining effective customer communication?
Sharat: The shift towards hybrid work models has made uninterrupted and efficient customer communication a necessity for organizations. Airtel IQ supports organizations in maintaining effective customer communication in hybrid working models by leveraging a cloud-based infrastructure that enables employees to manage customer interactions seamlessly without reliance on on-premise infrastructure. Airtel IQ Business Connect powered by Vonage integrates multi-channel communication, including voice, SMS, and WhatsApp, into a unified interface through allowing businesses to bridge communication gaps. Its AI-driven collaboration tools integrate with CRM systems and automate workflows, ensuring smooth operations for distributed teams.
Airtel IQ’s solutions are easy to seamlessly integrate with existing enterprise systems, without requiring additional hardware investments, making them a cost-effective and swift solution for businesses. Every solution and product is designed to address various challenges that businesses may face when it comes to customer engagement and outreach. For example: Assured Delivery ensures the reliability of multi-channel communication, while Spam Protection safeguards customers from unwanted messages, improving the overall communication experience. In addition to which the platform also prioritizes security with end-to-end encryption to protect data during transmission and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure secure user access. These security measures ensure compliance with industry regulations, particularly in sectors like BFSI and healthcare. Backed by 99.99% uptime, AI-driven automation, and scalable cloud solutions, Airtel IQ helps businesses maintain operational continuity and deliver superior customer engagement in a hybrid work environment.
TimesTech: Can you share insights into how Airtel IQ uses AI and automation to personalize customer interactions while maintaining efficiency at scale?
Sharat: Airtel IQ leverages advanced AI and automation to significantly enhance customer engagement, setting it apart from traditional communication platforms through two standout solutions: Assured Delivery and Spam Protection.
Traditional communication platforms often face challenges like message delays, delivery failures, and inefficient routing, especially during high-traffic periods. Airtel IQ Assured Delivery tackles these issues using an intelligent, AI-powered automated communication routing system. It prioritises and dynamically routes messages across Voice, SMS, and WhatsApp channels based on real-time analytics. This ensures timely and guaranteed delivery of critical communications, reduces latency, and minimises failures—delivering seamless customer interactions even at peak load times.
While traditional systems rely on static filters and rule-based methods to block spam, Airtel IQ Spam Protection employs AI/ML algorithms for a proactive approach. It continuously learns from communication patterns and user feedback to identify and filter out spam communications with high precision. This dynamic adaptability ensures that only relevant and trustworthy messages reach customers, enhancing engagement while safeguarding both customer trust and brand reputation.
TimesTech: Could you share examples of how businesses have benefited from Airtel IQ’s solutions in improving customer engagement and satisfaction?
Sharat: Many businesses across various industries have successfully leveraged Airtel IQ to enhance their customer engagement and operational efficiency. Our successful case studies bear testament to the efficacy of this solution.
- A leading BFSI institution integrated Airtel IQ’s omnichannel platform to streamline customer support, reducing response times by 40% while improving transaction security.
- In the e-commerce sector, an online marketplace implemented Airtel IQ to enhance order tracking and customer notifications, resulting in a 30% reduction in customer support queries.
- Similarly, a hospital network adopted our secure messaging solutions for appointment scheduling and test results, significantly improving patient experience while maintaining regulatory compliance.
- These real-world applications demonstrate how Airtel IQ’s solutions not only optimize communication but also drive better business outcomes through improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.
TimesTech: What future innovations or advancements can we expect from Airtel IQ in the realm of customer communication and engagement?
Sharat: At Airtel IQ, we are continuously innovating to redefine the future of customer communication. Our upcoming advancements include next-gen AI and generative AI for more human-like interactions and predictive customer engagement, alongside 5G-powered communication to enhance real-time voice and video experiences for enterprises. To strengthen security, we are implementing AI-driven fraud detection and secure authentication mechanisms for safer digital transactions. Additionally, deeper CRM and API integrations across our portfolio will expand Airtel IQ’s compatibility with industry-leading platforms, ensuring seamless enterprise adoption. Self-learning AI models will further enhance personalization by adapting to customer preferences in real time, delivering intuitive and proactive engagement. With such innovations and solutions in plan, Airtel IQ is committed to driving the next phase of customer communication transformation in India and beyond.
