Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO of Verizon, has outlined the company’s plan to raise the bar for customer service experiences.
In a nationwide email to Verizon’s US customers, Sampath’s message criticized the current state of customer service and promised to provide an alternative.
“Across the industry, customer service hasn’t evolved the way that it should,” he wrote.
Naturally, the CEO positioned his own company as separate from what he perceives as an industry-wide issue with subpar customer service.
Sampath described Verizon as being on “a different path” that is “built entirely around you [the customer],” and delivers speedier, simpler, and more intelligent support.
“It’s not just better service – we are setting a new standard, beginning today,” he noted.
You’re not a customer number or a case file. You’re the reason we’re here. And we’re building an experience that will earn your trust, every single day.
In expounding on how the company will provide this superior level of service in practical terms, the letter listed the following features and capabilities:
- 24/7 access to top-tier support representatives for around-the-clock help.
- Streamlined digital onboarding to get customers up and running from day one.
- A redesigned, industry-leading app built with customer needs in mind.
- A next-gen AI assistant that delivers fast, accurate answers anytime.
- Dedicated Customer Champions who stay with customer issues until they are fully resolved.
- Access to America’s largest retail network, so in-person support is always nearby.
But do these features really differentiate Verizon from its competitors?
How Different are Verizon’s Differentiators?
Despite claiming in the letter that Verizon is the only company delivering these capabilities, several do not appear to be unique.
The likes of 24/7 support, seamless digital onboarding, and app-driven interactions have all been implemented in various forms by many companies.
Of course, Sampath’s comments may have meant to state that Verizon was the only company that delivered the full suite of features – which might be the case.
In particular, the scale of its U.S. retail network is unmatched.
With operations in over 6,800 stores nationwide, Verizon maintains the largest postpaid retail network in U.S. telecom, placing 93 percent of the population within a 30-minute drive of a physical location.
The other capability that separates Verizon from much of the competition is its Customer Champions.
However, while very few vendors have branded end-to-end “champion” roles like Verizon, the capability is similar to Vodafone’s recently launched “Just Ask Once” feature.
Like Customer Champions, Just Ask Once offers a single-agent experience for its customers.
It does this by assigning just one agent to handle each case from start to resolution via the Just Ask Once app, pulling the future of single-channel customer service closer.
Verizon’s AI Agent Vision
While Verizon is far from the only telecom to deploy AI assistants, the emphasis on “next-gen” AI assistants underscores its agentic ambitions.
The company has already deployed AI agents designed not just to automate routine inquiries, but provide fast, accurate responses that complement human support.
This approach aims to reduce friction and wait times, ensuring customers get the information they need without unnecessary hurdles.
What sets Verizon’s AI deployment apart is its integration into a broader, cohesive support ecosystem.
The AI assistant works with the dedicated Customer Champions and the extensive retail network, creating a seamless handoff between automated and human interactions.
Rather than replacing people, the AI agents serve as an intelligent first line, allowing specialists to focus on more complex issues that require empathy and judgment.
In this way, Verizon’s AI strategy aligns with its broader promise to “set a new standard” by combining speed, intelligence, and a human touch.
Whether this vision will redefine customer expectations remains to be seen, but it seemingly reflects a pragmatic, thoughtful evolution of AI’s role in service, grounded in real-world customer needs.
