Talkbot Automation: A New Era for Link Net’s Collections and Customer Retention
For over 20 years, Link Net has been providing Indonesians with internet connectivity and home entertainment through the First Media, i-solution, and Link Net brands. Today, the company serves 2.8 million homes across 23 cities in Indonesia. But managing overdue accounts was a challenge, especially with traditional communication tools like SMS and outbound calls. That’s where Talkbot automation came in—introducing a more effective, two-way interaction that’s changing how Link Net manages collections and customer retention.
Moving Beyond Outbound Calls: Talkbot Automation Steps In
“Previously, we used SMS for billing, which we later supplemented with outbound calls,” says Pak Ikhsan Kurniawan, Head of Printing and Collection Department at Link Net. “We gradually moved to email and now, we also use WhatsApp. We also tried smart IVR but it wasn’t suitable for overdue payments. So, we stopped using IVR because it did not bring results.” Capacity planning was another concern: the telephone collections team often faced manpower shortages, leading to temporary reassignments from other departments and disruptions in daily work. Recognizing these challenges, Link Net explored Talkbot automation for a more efficient approach.
Why Talkbot Automation Works Better Than IVR for Debt Collection
“We liked WIZ’s solution because it was a two-way interaction, unlike IVR which is very limited,” shares Pak Ikhsan. “It also helped with workload balancing. If someone from telecollections takes maternity leave, we can immediately add more bots to fill the gap.”
Pak Herri Dwi Prasetyo, MIS Leader of Collection & Recovery Department at Link Net, adds: “The connection rate for human agents was 25 percent, but with the Talkbot, it increased to almost 50 percent.” The use of Talkbots not only improved connection rates but also halved the call load for human agents, allowing them to focus on more complex complaints and strategic customer retention efforts. “Talkbots are the best collection strategy we have implemented so far,” confirms Pak Ikhsan.
Enhancing User Experience with Talkbot Automation
The positive experience of Link Net’s collections team extended beyond the results. “The application itself is very user-friendly and has a good validation system,” notes Pak Herri. “If someone tries to upload the same number twice, the system will immediately eliminate one.” The support from the WIZ team was another highlight. “All the WIZ team members are so supportive and helpful. Whatever we need, the escalation process is so fast,” says Pak Herri.
For customers, the experience is seamless. “99% of customers do not realize that they are contacted by a Talkbot,” Pak Ikhsan shares. “Out of 20,000 contacted, only 10 complained about being called by a bot. When that happens, we exclude those customers from the next Talkbot call database.”
Beyond Collections: Talkbot Automation for Customer Retention
Encouraged by the success in collections, Link Net expanded its use of Talkbot automation to customer retention campaigns. “We’re trying to win back customers who haven’t paid for three months,” says Pak Ikhsan. “The contact rate for these customers is lower, but with the new retention script, we hope to re-engage them with promotions.” The team continues to refine the script based on feedback, aiming for even better results in retention efforts.
Talkbot Automation Powers the Future of Debt Collection
Link Net’s vision for the future is all about automation and analytics. “We’re heading towards digitization, and everything must be automated,” says Pak Ikhsan. “If someone defaults or misses a payment, they should be called automatically. Everything—including redials—should already be automated, with real-time updates in the Link Net system.”
For Pak Herri, the next step is using data to further improve processes: “We want to be able to download the transcript of the conversation from the system. That way, human agents can instantly know what complaints the customer had and ensure a seamless follow-up.”
Satisfied with the results, the collections team even recommended Talkbot automation to Link Net’s sales team for onboarding new customers.
