LG Launches AI-Powered Customer Care Service

LG Electronics is debuting an artificial intelligence-infused customer service solution for appliances called Proactive Customer Care in Europe this week. 

Debuting at the 2019 IFA trade show in Berlin this week, the service leverages the company’s ThinQ AI technology to provide personalized support, alerting users to issues with their LG appliance and offering tips and solutions to help maximize performance and long product life. The service will initially support LG’s newest front-load washing machines and bottom-freezer refrigerators in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom this year, but will roll out to other key markets in Europe and North America in 2020.

LG smart-appliance owners can access the service by registering and connecting their appliances via a free LG ThinQ mobile application (for Android and iOS devices). Upon activation, customers are greeted with a newsletter and notified if a problem is detected, providing detailed instructions on how to resolve the issue. Using AI technology, LG Proactive Customer Care is also designed to:

• alert users of potential problems before they even occur,
• expedite technician visits, if needed,
• offer guidance on how to keep LG’s products functioning optimally, and
• determine if an appliance has been installed and is operating correctly.

Proactive Customer Care, for example, can continually monitor a LG bottom-freezer refrigerator’s temperature and offer guidance on the best course of action if a fluctuation in temperature exceeding 3 degrees Celsius is detected. The service looks for issues that could potentially cause increases in energy usage and water consumption and provides corrective guidance to help improve efficiency. Owners receive regular email reports detailing their appliance’s performance, notification history and current status with reminders for the best time to perform routine maintenance.

"LG Proactive Customer Care is a new paradigm in customer service, one that ensures greater value and peace of mind for owners of our smart home appliances," said Dan Song, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company, in a media release. "We will continue to develop innovative smart home solutions for the European market and deliver new ways to enhance convenience for LG appliance owners."