AI-Driven Customer Service Workflow Company Ushur Raises $25 Million

Many companies today are looking to transform their customer communications to a “digital-first” model for customers who are happy to trade phone calls and physical mailers for more convenient web, mobile and email engagement. As the mix of media and the processes become more complex in the call center, however, companies are finding that they need a way to automate the workflow. Enter artificial intelligence, or AI.

Ushur is a provider of no-code workflows designed to seamlessly automate each interaction using best-in-class natural-language processing. This modern approach to customer engagement not only reduces the cost of servicing customers, agents and brokers, but measurably improves customer experience, according to the company, which offered up several case studies of insurance companies who are user-clients, noting that some have seen their Net Promoter Scores (a measurement of customer satisfaction) improve by as much as 40 percent. One of these insurance companies is Unum Group.

“Ushur is a true partner in our digital transformation. Their ability to rapidly prototype and automate customer journeys has provided Unum with a competitive edge, delighting our customers while allowing our employees to focus on higher value work. As impressive as their technology is, the quality of the Ushur team may be what sets them apart. They really care about our success,” said Mike Simonds, COO Unum Group.

Ushur recently announced that it has raised $25 million in Series B funding. Third Point Ventures led the round, with participation from existing investor 8VC. The latest investment brings Ushur’s total funding to $36 million. The company said it will use the proceeds to accelerate its sales and marketing efforts.

The company’s platform includes several components, including Ushur Virtual Customer Assistant, Ushur SmartMail for handling customer email, and Ushur Flowbuilder, which allows users to more easily build, deploy and track digital engagements.

“Our mission from day one has been to champion the end-user experience. As one of our users told us, ‘It’s all about customer ease,’” said Ushur CEO and co-founder Simha Sadasiva in a statement. “Customers want the convenience of a digital self-service experience, but they also want that experience to feel personal. With Ushur, insurers can offer both. They can automate all sorts of interactions, from sales to claims management, while putting the customer in control, so customers can engage on their terms, on their schedule.”

Edited by Maurice Nagle