Technical Assistance Messaging Intelligence: Enabling rapid response for disbursement-related queries
Start of implementation: 2020
Technology type: Artificial intelligence
Technology service provider: Yellow.ai
ADB Department: Controller’s Department
In line with ADB’s Operational Approach: Promoting digital development and innovative technologies
The Controller’s Department Loan Administration Division–Technical Assistance Section (CTLA-TA) authorizes TA-related disbursements in ADB. It reviews the submitted claims and supporting documents from internal clients (Technical Assistance Supervising Units or TASU) and external customers (including TA consultants and service providers) to ensure that these are adequate and comply with the financial provisions indicated in the relevant TA documents, as well as ADB policies and guidelines.
CTLA-TA staff receive around 100 queries daily from internal and external stakeholders, a significant portion of which are repetitive. This was seen as an indication of a significant demand for information and support as well as a need for a more efficient query handling system to unburden CTLA-TA staff so they could concentrate on more complex tasks like TA claims processing and advisory work.
About 25% of the TASU staff were new in 2020, and they had significant training needs on ADB’s TA processes. Meanwhile, the lack of a centralized TA disbursement e-learning platform for clients meant there was no unified source for information or guidance, contributing to a high volume of repetitive inquiries. A temporary helpdesk was set up to only address inquiries specific to the TA claims portal. However, it was only open during working hours at ADB headquarters, leading to delays and frustration among clients seeking prompt assistance. Furthermore, without systematic tracking or monitoring of all client issues, CTLA-TA struggled to identify recurring problems and effectively address client needs.
ADB engaged Yellow.ai to develop a digital assistant capable of providing round-the-clock client support. The result was Technical Assistance Messaging Intelligence (TAMI), a chatbot deployed on various channels and set up to provide 24/7 virtual customer support to CTLA-TA’s clients.
TAMI on the Technical Assistance Disbursement Handbook page on the ADB website.
Work on the POC began in early 2020. The results led to the approval for the development of an MVP. Development and testing took place between October 2020 and March 2021 and involved key personnel from the Office of the Controller and the Information Technology Department.
The AI-powered chatbot can extract information from its knowledge database to provide relevant answers to users’ queries. Natural language processing was used to allow the chatbot to interact with users in a conversational manner, as well as learn from every customer interaction.
TAMI was deployed on various channels and can provide 24/7 virtual customer support to CTLA-TA’s clients. It also serves as a central repository and microlearning platform where users can search for and review TA policies and guidelines, as well as download forms and templates needed for claim processing purposes.
Users can either choose from the options automatically generated by TAMI or enter keywords to get answers to routine or procedural questions. They could also enable their microphones if they prefer to verbally ask their questions.
Users can provide their feedback at the end of each session after using TAMI to help further improve the digital tool. An integrated ticket management platform allows users to raise issues either directly through TAMI or via email. The platform streamlines the ticketing system by integrating Application Programming Interfaces for ticket assignment and facilitates automatic ticket transfers from processors to verifiers and approvers when agents are inactive. It also tracks the type and number of inquiries each agent handles and monitors their performance in resolving these issues. These features ensure the efficient handling of tickets.
TAMI is still live in 2024 and has gone through several enhancements to make it smarter and continuously improve user experience. It has garnered attention from over 5,000 customers, boasting a bot response accuracy rate exceeding 85% and a customer satisfaction score above 80%. TAMI has become an indispensable member of the CTLA-TA team, significantly enhancing productivity, efficiency, and the quality of customer service delivery.