#Japan #Tokyo #SOMPO Himawari #Insurhealth #AI Sapo-chan

Enhancing Inquiry Management with AI: The Launch of 'AI Sapo-chan'

SOMPO Himawari Life Insurance Co., led by President Yasuki Kume, has introduced a sophisticated system called 'AI Sapo-chan.' This AI-driven inquiry support system is designed to streamline the processes surrounding new insurance contracts, delivering significant efficiency improvements while enhancing customer satisfaction.

Background and Objectives

With a vision to be a 'Health Support Company,' SOMPO Himawari is dedicated to providing not just insurance, but also health-related support—reflecting their innovative approach termed 'Insurhealth®.' This initiative aims to combine traditional insurance roles with healthcare functionalities, offering a comprehensive lineup of products to meet diverse customer needs.

However, with the expansion of product offerings, the company faced challenges. The complexity of various regulations and manuals increased, leading to delays in responding to inquiries from agencies and clients alike. This situation translated into decreased productivity and longer wait times for customer support. To address these pressing issues, the insurance industry has been pushed to accelerate customer response times, optimize operations, and embrace digital transformations—balancing higher customer satisfaction with reduced workload for sales staff.

In response, SOMPO Himawari has implemented 'AI Sapo-chan,' leveraging generative AI to provide immediate support for customer inquiries related to new contracts.

Introducing 'AI Sapo-chan'

The core of 'AI Sapo-chan' lies in its advanced generative AI capabilities, utilizing RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) technology. This system draws from a vast database of frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding new contracts accumulated by the company, allowing it to generate targeted responses to user inquiries made via chat.

By efficiently analyzing user questions and referencing relevant FAQ data, 'AI Sapo-chan' offers tailored answers, significantly enhancing the accuracy and speed of inquiry management. The company estimates that this system will reduce the time spent on handling new contract inquiries by 6,500 hours annually by fiscal year 2030, promoting greater efficiency in sales operations and improving response times for customers.

Future Developments

SOMPO Himawari is committed to further leveraging AI technology to streamline operations in sales environments. The aim is to continually enhance the value provided to customers, ensuring that they receive the support they need swiftly and efficiently.

As the insurance landscape evolves, the effective integration of digital solutions like 'AI Sapo-chan' represents a significant step forward in meeting the expectations of modern consumers. With a focus on innovation and customer care, SOMPO Himawari is poised to lead the way in fostering a more responsive and efficient insurance service industry.

In this era of rapid transformation, the combination of insurance and healthcare services through initiatives like Insurhealth® is crucial to fostering an environment of trust and reliability between customers and service providers. As we look to the future, 'AI Sapo-chan' stands as a testament to SOMPO Himawari's dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction.