How Noritz shortened customer support resolution time with predictive and generative AI to boost field engineer efficiency

Comprehensive platform for predictive and generative AI

Noritz, a major manufacturer of residential water heaters, leveraged DataRobot to achieve significant reductions in data verification time and enhance the efficiency of its field engineers. Leveraging a powerful combination of predictive and generative AI, the company can address the industry-wide challenge of skill disparities among field engineers by promoting knowledge sharing and empowering less experienced engineers with seasoned teammates’ expertise.

From reactive to proactive: innovating service operations

Before DataRobot was implemented, field engineers relied on personal experience and knowledge to address customer issues, especially when uncommon problems or newer product models were involved, which resulted in inconsistent customer experiences. Initially, predictive AI was used to analyze service reports, assisting quality assurance engineers as they classify fault types and identify possible solutions. Though this approach made knowledge more widely accessible, usability was limited and knowledge silos persisted. Customer outcomes were still largely dependent on individual engineer expertise. 

With DataRobot, Noritz was able to introduce the Noritz Diagnostics AI Assistant, an application that combined predictive AI and generative AI to predict likely issues and surface fixes based on prior experiences across the entire field engineering organization. The AI Assistant also standardizes data entered by field engineers. This way, every visit contributes to shared knowledge and further improves AI performance. These capabilities enable field engineers to make faster, more precise decisions – leading to quicker issue resolution and improved customer satisfaction.

DataRobot enabled the Noritz team to quickly deliver predictive and generative AI models without growing their team. Using generative AI, the team reduced the time spent reviewing and processing data by 70% – a significant improvement that’s projected to reach 90% in the near future. Generative AI ensures that field reports meet necessary quality standards and are quickly used to train new models for improved accuracy. 

Improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction

Using predictive and generative AI in tandem was essential for Nortiz’s success. With the Noritz AI Assistant – powered by DataRobot – their field engineering teams improved both the employee and customer experiences.

Reduced Resolution Times: By providing engineers with instant access to relevant information and predictive insights, Noritz significantly minimized the time required to diagnose and resolve customer issues.

Enhanced Customer Experience: Shortened resolution times and improved service quality contribute to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Improved Field Engineer Efficiency: The Noritz Diagnostics AI Assistant application allows engineers of all experience levels to perform optimally, fostering a more confident and capable workforce.

Future expansion and global impact

The Notritz AI Assistant has proven so valuable to the Japanese field engineering team that Noritz is expanding its reach to new product categories and territories, including use in the United States. By predicting likely issues and necessary replacement parts in advance, field engineers can plan ahead of service visits, reducing travel time and costs.

Using predictive and generative AI to maximize business impact with DataRobot

The DataRobot enterprise AI suite enabled manufacturing companies like Noritz to combine predictive and generative AI for a customized solution that suits the unique needs of their field engineering organization. The Noritz AI Assistant can help maximize the institutional knowledge of all employees by removing the expertise gap.