NE BUSINESS BUREAU
MUMBAI, MAY 14
Telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Thursday announced its voice-based contactless recharge facility at retail outlets to enable customers and retailers to adhere to social distancing in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.
As retail outlets in various orange and green zones across the country start to open, Vodafone Idea is ensuring complete implementation of social distancing protocol at its stores, the company said in a statement.
“This has been made possible through Vodafone Idea’s Smart Connect retailer app which allows retailers to recharge without having to hand over the phone to the customer to enter their mobile number,” it said.
The customer or retailer can simply speak out the ten-digit mobile number on the device and the Google voice-enabled feature will capture the command from a distance of up to ten feet, ensuring safety for both the sides.
Speaking about the new Voice-based Contactless recharge program, Ambrish Jain, Chief Operating Officer, Vodafone Idea said, “As a customer-oriented telecom operator, it is our constant endeavor to come up with products and services relevant to the times and keep our customers connected at all times. In line with our Digital-first approach, we are digitizing our processes to offer convenient and efficient services to our nearly 300 million customers. The industry-first, Voice-based Contactless Recharge enables recharges without touch and is extremely relevant in these times when maintaining social distancing is the need of the hour to stay safe.”
“In order to facilitate contactless recharges, Smart Connect is now enabled with voice-based recharge feature and is available at all Vodafone Idea own stores and multi-branded stores,” it said.
Currently, the voice-based feature supports Hindi and the English language and can take commands of mobile number in different variations as well. More languages will be rolled out in a phased manner.
This comes close on the heels of the launch of AI-powered customer service BoT on the Website and WhatsApp. Vodafone Idea has also undertaken a slew of initiatives to enable digital recharges for its customers from the comfort and safety of their homes.
