We talked with David del Val, CEO of Telefónica I + D about the new communication tools between teams and AI bots
The appearance of new technologies and innovative communication channels they are transforming one of the most important strategic areas of companies: the area of internal communications. “We have gone from receiving extensive information, but distanced in time, to having more specific information, much more frequent, almost immediate, which allows the possibility of being expanded with the use of new tools. We needed a technology that would meet employees ‘ needs for more information,” explains Telefónica I+D CEO David del Val.
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Changing models and tools when sharing information within companies, is already a reality, thanks to Yammer, Slack, Workplace or Facebook, although it will have to be further refined in the future. With these innovative formulas of internal communication, it has been possible to correct the shortcomings and deficiencies of the traditional system.
Previously, the messages via newsletter or informative emails were not effective, sometimes due to difficulties in their preparation and other times due to the extent of the same. The reading rate was therefore very low. The incorporation of artificial intelligence in the internal communication of TID with the’ bot ‘christened as ‘Paco’ is much better adapted to the current demand of employees, who prefer a more timely, brief and concise information.
Specifically, through the new internal communication channel, the CEO of Telefónica, Del Val, sends much shorter messages, several times a week, messages that the’ bot ‘ is responsible for transferring to its recipients with immediate, clear, fast and direct responses.
In the opinion of David del Val, ” we have to adapt to a world in which many people are informed by social networks, so it is ‘trending topic’; a world in which fewer newspapers are read and where it is difficult to go beyond the headlines. It’s shifting the focus infinitely faster than it was a few years ago.”
The new system was launched three months ago and the response from employees is being positive. In a short time, it has been possible to reduce the use of mail to a minimum in internal communications. There is also the perception that internal communication has improved – 60% of employees have said so-and a greater rapprochement has been achieved between what is communicated and what really interests to know the company’s employees.
The possibilities of using the ‘bot ‘ do not end in sending and receiving messages briefly and directly. Feedback can also be established, through individual messages or indirectly, by monitoring this ‘bot’. In later phases, the incorporation of new applications that complement the useful information for employees is proposed.
Telefónica I+D’s commitment to the artificial intelligence it does not stop at the creation of this new system, responsible for distributing information and answering questions from workers who want it. It is only the first step to pool innovation projects, to know the people responsible for each of them, the initiatives that are being carried out or the knowledge of the work teams that are attached to each of them.
It has been only a few months since the introduction of this new internal communication tools, within Telefónica I+D, and a majority of employees recognize that they are already better informed than before. And that the new system is still in a period of filming.
