PLDT Reinvents Customer Engagement with AI Agents from WIZ.AI
PLDT, the largest telecommunications provider in the Philippines, has become the first in the country’s telco industry to integrate an AI-powered voice assistant into its customer engagement ecosystem. Deployed through its ICT subsidiary ePLDT, the company introduced Talkbot Pro, developed by Microsoft partner WIZ.AI, to support its collections team.
Running securely on ePLDT’s Azure Stack Hub, the solution ensures data sovereignty and regulatory compliance, while delivering measurable business outcomes: greater operational efficiency, improved collection rates, and a more personalized customer experience—all powered by AI agents built on agentic AI principles.
Agentic AI: A New Era of Telco Customer Experience
PLDT has long been a leader in telecommunications innovation. Today, it is pushing the boundaries further by deploying voice AI agents capable of autonomous decision-making and natural conversation—a leap forward made possible by agentic AI.
“We’re always seeking faster, safer, and more reliable ways for our customers to reach us,” says Jeanine Rubin, First Vice President and Head of Customer Care Group at PLDT.
By using AI agents to manage sensitive interactions, like overdue payment reminders, PLDT is creating more empathetic, responsive conversations with artificial intelligence, far beyond what traditional bots can deliver.
From Scripts to Conversations: Humanizing Collections with AI Agents
Before adopting voice AI, PLDT’s collections relied on one-way systems such as SMS and APRS. But these lacked the ability to engage customers meaningfully—especially in emotionally sensitive contexts.
“Other solutions don’t respond well to customers. If they sense it’s a robot, they hang up,” shares Dianne Blanco, VP and Head of Credit and Collections. “With Talkbot Pro, it didn’t feel robotic at all—it sounded human. That’s because we’re not just using automation—we’re using agentic AI.”
Talkbot Pro operates as a true AI agent, engaging customers in contextual, two-way conversations using Taglish, the everyday mix of Tagalog and English in the Philippines. These interactions feel more natural, authentic, and effective at resolving concerns.
“Our Talkbots don’t follow rigid scripts—they interpret, respond, and adapt. That’s the power of agentic AI,” says Allan Ong, Head of Regional Business Development at WIZ.AI.
Scaling with Secure Infrastructure and Smarter AI Agents
In September 2022, PLDT deployed 35 AI agents to handle payment collections, reduce churn, and improve retention. These AI-powered voice agents were fully integrated into ePLDT’s cloud contact center as a service (CCaaS) and hosted locally on Azure Stack Hub for maximum data control.
WIZ.AI managed AI application services and customization, while ePLDT ensured reliable infrastructure and connectivity. The result: a scalable, agentic AI solution that combines enterprise performance with conversational intelligence.
“We’re proud to lead the telco industry with this kind of AI innovation,” says Blanco.
Moreover, PLDT used the opportunity to upskill internal teams. Employees weren’t just using AI—they were managing and improving it.
“Our agents became supervisors of AI agents. They learned how to work with agentic AI and collaborate across tech teams,” Blanco explains.
3.7 Million Conversations, 33% Productivity Boost
In just six months, PLDT’s AI agents conducted 3.7 million outbound conversations with artificial intelligence, most of them routine, yet handled with human-like precision.
“The Talkbots added two extra hours of call time daily, giving us a 33% productivity increase,” notes Blanco. “Average call handling time was cut in half—from six minutes to three.”
Unlike static systems, these AI agents learn and evolve with every call. Weekly updates help them better understand context and refine their delivery.
“That’s the essence of agentic AI—learning through real-time experience and growing more capable each day,” says Blanco.
This shift led to higher contact rates and a 15% drop in manual callouts, translating into increased revenue from collections.
Smarter Conversations and Real-Time Insights
WIZ.AI’s voice agents do more than talk—they listen, tag, and analyze. With features like Smart Hashtagging, these AI agents detect customer needs—like disputes or termination requests—automatically flagging them for quick resolution.
“That lets our human agents focus on high-value cases. It’s AI and human collaboration at its best,” says Ong.
All follow-up tasks—like transcriptions and audits—are now automated. What used to be manual tally sheets is now a live, structured data set that powers smarter strategy and better CX.
“Now we spend less time recording, and more time improving. That’s a major shift driven by AI agents,” says Blanco.
Looking Ahead: Expanding the Reach of Agentic AI
With success metrics exceeded for 2023, PLDT is ready to scale. Plans include:
- Using AI agents for inbound support
- Powering promotional campaigns for prepaid customers
- Expanding to regional dialects like Bisaya and those spoken in Mindanao
“We want every conversation to feel immediate and authentic—no matter where in the Philippines our customers are,” says Blanco.
The goal? Even more empathetic, conversational AI agents that make customers feel seen, heard, and understood.
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