- BT Business reveals new "AI from BT" suite for SMBs
- Includes new AI Receptionist tool to make sure SMBs don't lose out on customers just because they miss a call
- BT research claims missed calls are costing UK small businesses £3.7 billion in lost revenue every year
BT Business has released a new suite of AI tools as it looks to help the UK's small businesses harness the power of new technology.
The new 'AI from BT' portfolio includes a range of tools to encourage UK SMBs to get on board with AI, including a new AI Receptionist which means they won't miss out on potential customers just because they miss a call.
The AI Receptionist will be running 24/7, and be able to schedule appointments and send confirmations, integrating with Outlook and Google Calendar, as well as capturing and recording conversations to help generate insights from customer interactions.
AI from BT
BT Business says the launch of the AI Receptionist was motivated by the fact small businesses often struggle to keep pace with customer enquiries, and can lose out on the next big deal as a result.
In a new research report, it found over two thirds (67%) of UK SMBs miss at least one call that might cause them to lose business every day.
Overall, BT Business says as much as £3.7 billion revenue could be being lost annually due to SMBs not always being able to answer the phone.
The company noted that while phone calls remain the preferred way for customers to contact a business, failing to answer can have a major impact on that customer making a purchasing decision.
Three-quarters (75%) of potential customers will give businesses three call attempts before giving up on them, and over half (58%) would go so far as telling friends and family to avoid businesses that failed to pick up.
The launch will also include a new AI Adoption Hub, which will provide a wealth of advice, guides and real-world examples on how the technology can be used to boost small firms.
“AI has the potential to be a huge boost to small businesses and to drive the UK’s growth, but many businesses are struggling to know how to begin and how to adopt simply and securely," said Jon James, CEO, BT Business.
"AI Receptionist is the first step in the journey, helping businesses capture every opportunity, reduce admin and deliver responsive, personalised service around the clock, while keeping their customer data protected."
The new AI Receptionist will be available on flexible BT Business contracts and can be set up quickly through a self-service portal, so SMBs can get up to speed on AI with minimal technical expertise.
The tool will work across any UK fixed or mobile network, so customers can keep their existing number without changing or replacing their phone system, with BT Business saying customer data will remain private and be not used to train AI models.
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