In the first episode of the ‘Customers at Heart’ series, we take a closer look at how HiTeleservice – LG’s dedicated customer service subsidiary – is enhancing the customer experience through improved customer service around the world.

In the cutthroat world of business, having a great product isn’t enough. Companies need to excel in distribution, marketing and innovation to stay ahead. But even with all that, poor customer service can destroy a brand’s reputation and the loyalty it took years to build.

LG knows this well and is stepping up its game in customer service on a global scale. The goal is to create a standout customer experience by applying its proven customer care expertise from home to abroad.

This year marks the start of a new chapter, with HiTeleservice – LG’s customer service arm – setting up a robust support system to help boost the performance of LG’s service centers worldwide. HiTeleservice’s expert Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) will take the lead, sharing their knowledge and skills in customer service practices, talent development and operational strategies internationally.

The plan is to iron out any differences in service quality that come from cultural and operational variances, aiming for consistently high service standards everywhere LG operates. With Customer Care Centers in over 40 countries, supporting more than 50 languages, LG is serious about providing top-notch support, whether online or offline.

HiTeleservice is now ready to roll out significant support after a thorough review of LG’s global customer service operations. The first step is to upgrade the skills of global CSRs with best practices in customer service, focusing on problem-solving from the customer’s viewpoint. They’ll also get access to English training materials from LG’s learning platform.

But it’s not just about a one-off training session. LG is building a system for ongoing CSR talent development and providing advice for running an efficient organization. This long-term strategy is all about keeping service standards high through continuous improvement.

Moreover, HiTeleservice will offer comprehensive training programs to its own CSRs, including language skills for better global communication and specialized training to hone their core competencies. The aim is to develop customer service pros capable of providing expert advice whenever and wherever they’re called for assistance overseas.

In accordance with its recent reinterpretation of AI as Affectionate Intelligence, LG believes that AI can be harnessed to foster more compassionate and understanding customer experiences. Consequently, the company is progressively incorporating AI into its customer service operations.

One such AI innovation is ‘Smile Plus,’ a customer service call system that uses AI to boost the speed and precision of CSR responses. It offers CSRs a comprehensive view of various customer data, including purchase, delivery, installation and service histories from all touchpoints, such as the website, LG ThinQ app and service call records.

Additionally, LG has devised and implemented an AI-driven feature, ‘STT/TA (Speech-to-Text/Text Analysis),’ which transcribes customers’ verbal expressions into text in real-time, eliminating superfluous tasks and averting miscommunication. STT/TA is also capable of understanding the context of the service call and proposing optimal solutions. Furthermore, LG intends to launch its ‘AI Voicebot,’ an autonomous service call solution presently in the development phase, within the year. This service is designed to handle straightforward inquiries during peak service call times or when calls are experiencing delays.

LG’s dedication to customer service goes beyond the Customer Care Center. It includes sales and repairs, spreading its high service standards across the globe. This involves sending experts to train staff on-site in other countries and hosting group training sessions for overseas personnel. Since 2011, LG has been sharing its successful Korean sales strategies with teams in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.

In essence, LG is not just selling products; it’s delivering an experience. And with this new initiative, it’s committed to offering each customer, regardless of their location, an unparalleled level of service.

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