Appointment scheduling.
A meter exchange programme generates an enormous number of calls that are, individually, a diary question.
“I got a letter saying someone needs access. When are you coming?”
Why it is harder than it looks
The scale. A rollout touching hundreds of thousands of meters produces a call per property, each needing an available slot, a confirmed address and an access arrangement. The work is simple and the volume is not.
What happens today
Outbound campaigns and inbound queues, both staffed up temporarily for the duration of the programme.
What the agent does instead
The agent offers the real available slots, books one, confirms the address and access requirements, and records it against the work order.
Systems it reads
- Scheduling or work management
- Customer information system
- Service address data
What it can execute
- Offer genuine availability
- Book the appointment
- Confirm access requirements
- Reschedule or cancel
- Send confirmation
Where it stops
A customer refusing access, a property with an access dispute, or anything needing a supervisor goes to staff.
In production
During PSE&G's advanced metering rollout, Grace handled more than 10,000 calls and booked an appointment for 65% of engaged callers, with no queue time and support in Spanish.1
Common questions
Can an AI agent book a utility appointment?
Yes, against real availability rather than a callback promise. During PSE&G's advanced metering rollout the agent handled more than 10,000 calls and booked an appointment for 65% of engaged callers, with no queue time and support in Spanish.
Can an AI agent reschedule or cancel a utility appointment?
Yes. Rescheduling and cancelling run against the same real availability as booking, and the change is recorded against the work order and confirmed to the customer.
How many calls can an AI agent take during a meter exchange programme?
During PSE&G's advanced metering rollout the agent took 900 calls in a single day at peak, and more than 5,000 in one two-week period, with no queue time. Volume in an exchange programme is not steady, and staffing to the peak is what makes it expensive.
Can an AI agent start on out-of-hours calls only?
Yes. At PSE&G the agent started on off-hours calls only, and because business-hours queues stayed high, its remit was widened to take between 20% and 80% of calls at peak depending on load. Starting narrow and raising the share as the numbers hold up is the usual shape of a go-live.
Is an AI agent faster than a person at booking appointments?
At PSE&G, yes: it booked in roughly half the handling time, and that comparison excludes queue time, which for the agent was zero. About 60% of its calls were fully automated from greeting to booked appointment, and the rest went to a person or a scheduled callback.
What happens if a customer refuses access for a meter exchange?
It goes to staff. A customer refusing access, a property with an access dispute, or anything needing a supervisor is handed to a person rather than pressed by the agent.
Sources
Ready to deliver faster, more consistent service?
See how Grace handles a real call on your systems: voice, chat, email and beyond.