Verizon launches AI assistant to help small businesses automate customer service

Verizon Business has entered the AI assistant market with a specialized tool that aims to help small businesses enhance customer service through automation. The new Verizon Business Assistant leverages generative AI to power text-based customer interactions, allowing small businesses to provide immediate responses to inquiries around the clock without requiring constant staff attention. This development represents a significant push to democratize enterprise-level AI capabilities for smaller operations that typically lack access to such technology.

The big picture: Verizon Business has launched an AI-powered text messaging assistant specifically designed for small businesses to automate customer interactions and improve operational efficiency.

• The tool responds to customer inquiries 24/7 via familiar text messaging channels, allowing business owners to focus on growth while maintaining customer engagement.
• By making enterprise-level AI technology accessible to small businesses, Verizon is addressing a critical gap in the market highlighted in their Annual State of Small Business Report.

Key features: The Business Assistant incorporates several capabilities that aim to streamline customer service operations without requiring additional hardware or software.

• The system provides automated responses to frequently asked questions while intelligently transferring complex inquiries to live team members when necessary.
• It continuously learns from interactions to improve response accuracy over time, building a knowledge base tailored to each business.
• An insights dashboard gives owners visibility into customer interaction patterns and trends, helping them better understand customer needs.

What they’re saying: “Small business owners are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities, and want to use technology to improve operations and better connect with their customers,” said Iris Meijer, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at Verizon Business.

• Meijer emphasized that access to AI tools designed specifically for small businesses has been a challenge that Verizon aims to address.
• She noted the solution also responds to increasing customer demand, particularly from younger generations, for simple digital communication tools when interacting with businesses.

Why this matters: The solution addresses dual pain points for small businesses: resource constraints that limit customer service capabilities and growing consumer expectations for immediate digital engagement.

• By automating routine interactions, business owners and employees can redirect their attention to higher-value tasks while maintaining customer satisfaction.
• The technology provides small businesses with competitive capabilities typically only available to larger enterprises with bigger technology budgets.