Social enterprise using sentiment analysis at call centre among 30 winners of SME AI Impact Awards

SINGAPORE – Whenever a customer calls a contact centre run by social enterprise Agape Connecting People, the operator already has a good idea of the customer’s emotions and how to conduct the conversation.

This real-time sentiment analysis done through artificial intelligence helps the operator to de-escalate tension and respond with greater empathy.

For its use of AI in daily operations, the social enterprise was among 30 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recognised at the first SME AI Impact Awards ceremony on Oct 13.

Organised by the Infocomm Media Development Authority and the Singapore Business Federation, the award recognises businesses that either developed and used their proprietary AI solutions or successfully implemented ready-to-use or off-the-shelf solutions.

Agape Connecting People has various businesses, including contact centres, one of which is at Changi Women’s Prison – now called Institution A4 at Changi Prison Complex.

Founder Anil David said the social enterprise adapted off-the-shelf technology after consulting staff on their pain points and exploring how AI could support their work.

Beyond gauging caller emotions, the AI system provides customer data based on past calls. With clear customer profiles, the operators now spend less time gathering information during the calls.

“They can spend more time interacting with (the customers)...and all the admin workload is taken away, so they find that they are more effective,” said Anil.

Presenting the awards at the annual SMEs Go Digital Day, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said finding and using the right AI tools is only the first step. The real value comes when SMEs build the capabilities, processes and talent needed to adopt AI for tangible business impact, and make it a core component of their operations, she added.

The minister said many of the contenders for the awards either started as AI natives or are fast becoming effective “AI adoptive parents,” and their experiences offer valuable lessons for other SMEs seeking to follow suit.

In total, there were 290 nominations across 21 sectors that include early childhood, security, personal care services, talent and recruitment, as well as healthcare.

The criteria include the significance of the business challenge, the effectiveness of the AI solution, and quantifiable outcomes such as productivity gains and financial benefits. Another area of assessment was how a company trained its staff and adapted its work processes.

Another award winner was aquaculture company Blue Aqua International, which introduced AI into its farm operations about 1½ years ago.

Founder and executive chairman Farshad Shishehchian said the technology analyses information such as water quality data and biological data from fish and shrimp.

It also predicts what may happen in one or two weeks, aiding in decision-making.

The technology has improved shrimp feeding efficiency by about 30%, leading to a reduction in wastage and the amount of feed required to achieve the same shrimp growth.

In addition, water quality anomalies and disease risks can be flagged four to seven days earlier.

Farshad said livestock and farming is a business that deals with many unknown factors such as environmental changes and diseases.

“AI has this capability that connects these things very quickly, much faster than human, and gives you a conclusion,” he said.

Despite the adoption of AI, Farshad emphasised that staff remain vital to farm operations.

“AI cannot do the physical work. We encourage our team to be more productive in terms of understanding the system,” he said.