Aviva increases customer service efficiency through intelligent automation

Aviva, the UK's largest general insurance provider, transformed its customer-facing operations by implementing cloud-based automation and planning to utilize Microsoft Copilot. Facing outdated manual processes, Aviva sought simplicity and minimal disruption while modernizing its infrastructure. Aviva was challenged by legacy mainframe systems and lacked effective work allocation for high-volumes of customer communications (calls, emails, letters). Response processes were unsophisticated, with teams siloed and slow to resolve customer requests. The company adopted a low-code automation platform (Appian) integrated with Azure and soon prepared to implement Microsoft's Copilot assistant. Automation was first deployed in the pensions division, matching advisor skills to cases. Within six months, Aviva saw a 40% efficiency rise in pensions, with 40 business applications across insurance areas automated. Nearly 90% of customer inquiries were resolved on first contact. Automation enabled more focus on human-centric tasks and improved customer experience overall. The approach has now expanded to broader insurance domains at Aviva, supporting operational resilience and continuous digital improvement. Reskilling the workforce for new automation technologies is ongoing, decreasing dependence on scarce mainframe expertise and expanding digital capabilities across the organization. The article highlights transformative results, including greater customer satisfaction, productivity, and operational agility, all enabled by Microsoft cloud technologies.