Albertsons has announced it is partnering with Nuance to launch an Intelligent Engagement Platform, which provides virtual assistant and live chat solutions to help customers get real-time digital support. This program will help customers while they are shopping on Albertsons’ website and mobile app.
According to a Nuance press release, the program “assists customers through their shopping experience and provides real-time answers to customer inquiries such as how the delivery service works, item availability, online order tracking status, and store locations and hours.”
"Supporting our customers' needs as quickly, safely, and efficiently as possible is of utmost importance to us. We are pleased to offer shoppers multiple options when it comes to ordering online – from in-store pickup to contactless delivery," said Chris Rupp, EVP, and Chief Customer and Digital Officer at Albertsons Companies. "Our associates are fully committed to assisting our customers in the stores, and now we can extend that same Albertsons experience to our digital channels, ensuring our customers' needs are met however they choose to shop."
Albertsons is one of the largest retail employers in the country, and the brand has already used the Nuance systems at its Vons stores. It will now use this system across Safeway, Tom Thumb, Jewel Osco, Albertsons, Pavilions, and Randalls.
"We innovate to create value and help organizations solve real problems that make everyday lives better through Conversational AI," said Joe Petro, EVP, and CTO, Nuance. "We are fortunate to partner with Albertsons as they put their customers' experiences and needs at the center of their business to ensure people are getting what they need in an efficient, easily accessible way, and we deeply respect their commitment to the communities they serve."
“These are challenging times that are affecting all of us in profound ways as we each learn how to live and work within a new reality,” Nuance said on their website about the pandemic and their response to it. “We are aware of the significant challenges for many of our customers, especially those in healthcare who are quite literally on the front lines of the worldwide effort to care for people in need. We extend our deepest gratitude to them and our well-wishes to all impacted by the virus. We understand that our customers operate in the most critical industries and exceptional, uninterrupted service is vital. We have robust continuity and disaster recovery capabilities in place to avoid service disruption. These measures include redundant operation centers with support personnel located across multiple regions and countries, highly redundant remote connectivity for a decentralized workforce, and an ongoing review process of suppliers’ and vendors’ business continuity plans.”