Author Archives: Jason Kemp

Inside Edge

Inside Edge – Q1 2026 Round Up

Dear Clients, Partners and Suppliers,

Q1 provides an early indicator of how the year is shaping up and I’m pleased to say 2026 has started strongly for Saascoms.

We have achieved a 22% increase in performance compared to Q1 2025, reflecting continued growth across both new and existing clients.

Our growth continues to be driven by long-term client relationships and delivering real value. We don’t rely on long-term contracts, our clients choose to work with us because our solutions perform.

This quarter’s performance has been supported by:

  • Expansion within existing clients
  • New client onboarding
  • Increased adoption of our platforms
  • Continued demand for digital-first engagement

From an industry perspective, we’ve also seen mobile network operators (MNOs) increase wholesale SMS pricing from 1st April 2026. Six UK operators have implemented price rises, with only one reducing rates, resulting in an overall net cost increase of 6%.

We fully understand the commercial pressures businesses are facing in the current UK environment, where cost bases continue to rise.

Thankfully, through our continued growth and economies of scale, Saascoms has absorbed this increase, shielding our clients from the April price changes. This is made possible as we underwrite SMS volume commitments directly with our suppliers, illustrating just another example of our commitment to true partnership!

Technology & Innovation

Our platforms continue to evolve, with multi-channel engagement and self-service capabilities helping clients deliver better customer outcomes at lower cost.

In addition, we are currently developing enhanced reporting functionality within Omnireach, designed to give operational teams greater visibility, insight and control over performance and customer interactions.

We are also seeing increased adoption of RCS (Rich Communication Services), providing a cost-effective and credible alternative to channels such as WhatsApp, while enhancing brand trust and customer engagement.

Looking Ahead

Q2 is already shaping up well, with new client on-boarding, platform developments and continued industry engagement.

As always, our focus remains on delivering reliable, effective solutions and acting as a true partner to our clients.

Thank you for your continued trust and support. We look forward to building on this momentum throughout 2026.

Paul Nield

conversational artificial intelligence

Part 1: Conversational Artificial Intelligence is Ready – Your Business Probably Isn’t

Introduction: The Illusion of Progress

From webchat and SMS to WhatsApp and social messaging, organisations are investing heavily in digital engagement tools that promise faster responses, lower costs, and better customer experiences through conversational artificial intelligence.

Conversational AI is everywhere.

And to be clear, the technology delivers. Omnireach by Saascoms is our globally successful digital chat platform.

AI can now:

  • Understand customer intent
  • Automate conversations in real time
  • Operate 24/7 across multiple channels
  • Handle millions of interactions at scale

In fact, modern platforms are already resolving a significant proportion of customer queries without human intervention, improving efficiency and response times across digital channels.

So why are so many AI projects underperforming?

  • Why do pilots fail to scale?
  • Why does ROI remain unclear?
  • Why do customers still end up speaking to agents?

Because there’s a fundamental problem nobody is talking about. AI isn’t failing. The environment it’s being deployed into is.

The AI Illusion: When Capability Meets Reality

There is a growing disconnect in the market.

On one side:

  • AI technology is advancing rapidly
  • Vendors are showcasing impressive capabilities
  • Businesses are under pressure to adopt

On the other:

  • Internal systems are fragmented
  • Data is inconsistent
  • Processes are undefined

This creates what we call “The AI Illusion.” It looks like transformation is happening. But in reality, organisations are layering AI on top of operational gaps.

The result?

AI works in controlled demos, but struggles in real-world deployment.

The Expectation vs The Reality

Expectation:

AI will deliver seamless, end-to-end customer journeys. A customer engages via webchat → AI understands intent → resolves the issue → completes the transaction → job done.

Reality:

AI starts the conversation, but can’t finish it. Because:

  • Systems aren’t connected
  • Data isn’t accessible
  • Processes aren’t defined

So the journey breaks.

The customer is:

  • Redirected to another channel
  • Asked to repeat information
  • Passed to an agent

And suddenly, the “AI-powered experience” feels anything but seamless.

angry customer on phone

Why Customers Don’t Care About Your AI

Customers don’t care if you’re using AI.

They care about:

  • Getting answers quickly
  • Resolving their issue
  • Not repeating themselves
  • Being treated like an individual

Digital engagement has already shifted expectations dramatically. The majority of customers now prefer non-voice communication and expect flexibility in how and when they interact with organisations .

But here’s the key point, customers don’t want conversations, they want outcomes.

If AI cannot deliver that outcome — regardless of how intelligent it sounds — it fails.

The Real Problem: Foundations, Not Technology

Most organisations approach conversational artificial intelligence as a technology upgrade. In reality, it’s an operational transformation. AI success depends on three critical foundations:

1. Connected Systems

If your CRM, payment systems, and communication platforms don’t integrate, AI cannot act — only respond.

2. Clean, Structured Data

AI relies on accurate, consistent data. Without it, intent detection, personalisation, and decision-making all break down.

3. Defined Customer Journeys

AI needs clear pathways — including what happens when a customer doesn’t follow the “expected” route.

Without these foundations, AI becomes:

  • Reactive instead of proactive
  • Informational instead of transactional
  • Fragmented instead of seamless

Why So Many AI Projects Stall

This is where most organisations get stuck. They:

  • Launch a chatbot
  • Automate a handful of FAQs
  • See initial engagement

But then progress slows. Because to go further, to enable real automation, they need to:

  • Integrate systems
  • Clean data
  • Redesign processes

And that’s significantly harder than deploying AI itself.

The Hidden Risk: Scaling the Wrong Thing

There’s another danger in the AI illusion. Scaling too early.

If the underlying foundations aren’t in place, scaling AI doesn’t improve outcomes, it amplifies problems. You don’t just get more automation, you get:

  • More broken journeys
  • More frustrated customers
  • More hand-offs to agents

At scale.

What Organisations Should Be Asking Instead

Instead of asking:

👉 “How quickly can we implement AI?”

The better question is:

👉 “Are we ready for AI to actually work?”

Because successful AI isn’t defined by:

  • How advanced the technology is
  • How many channels it covers

It’s defined by one thing Can it deliver a complete customer outcome?

A More Realistic Approach

The organisations seeing real success with conversational artificial intelligence are not rushing to full automation.

They are:

  • Starting with specific use cases
  • Building around clean, controlled data
  • Integrating systems gradually
  • Designing journeys that reflect real customer behaviour

And most importantly they recognise that AI is not a silver bullet. It’s a layer, one that depends entirely on what sits beneath it.

Conclusion: AI Isn’t the Shortcut, It’s the Multiplier

Conversational AI is one of the most powerful tools available in digital engagement today.

  • But it doesn’t fix broken systems.
  • It doesn’t clean bad data.
  • It doesn’t define your processes.

It amplifies whatever already exists. So if your foundations are strong, AI will accelerate your success. If they’re not? It will expose every gap. The future of digital engagement isn’t “AI-first.” It’s foundation-first, AI-enabled.

Coming Next in the Series

👉 Part 2: Why Your AI Can Talk… But Can’t Actually Do Anything
(Exploring the integration problem behind failed AI automation)

Alternatives to Royal Mail

Alternatives to Royal Mail – Mailmaster

Introduction

From April 7th, the Royal Mail is raising the price of its main two letter services to an eye-watering amount. If you want to post a First Class Letter it will cost you £1.80 and for a Second Class Letter 91p! That’s a crazy amount for a birthday card, but if you are a business looking to send thousands of letters, what are the alternatives to Royal Mail?

Traditional Alternatives

The simple answer is that for small letters there is no direct competition to Royal Mail. For large letters or small parcels Evri, DPD, Parcel2Go, DHL, Whistl all offer solutions and the market is competitive – with a number of providers. For direct marketing, Citipost Mail and Mail Sorting can reduce the overall cost of postage, but isn’t suitable for every type of organisation. So if there is no traditional alternative to Royal Mail, what is there?

Digital Letters

Better for your pocket and for the environment – the solution for many organisations is a ‘Digital Letter’. Sent either via text or email, the digital letter can be both a static copy or an interactive document. In most cases a digital letter is a better solution than a physical letter for a number of reasons:

  • Cost – significantly cheaper to send than a physical letter as there is no printing or postal delivery charges. Email or text charges are a fraction of Royal Mail.
  • Environmental – no printing and no physical delivery, a massive carbon saving which supports ESG goals for organisations.
  • Accuracy – when a physical letter is posted the control ends. Did it get delivered? Did it get opened? When was it opened? Was it opened by the right person? With a digital letter tracking and data feedback is immediate.
  • Scheduling – gone are the days when you could rely on Royal Mail delivering consistently. But with a digital letter you can schedule delivery, precisely.
  • Security – anyone can open a letter. Confidential information can easily fall into the wrong hands. With a digital letter you can set security questions and ID&V so only the correct recipient can access the contents.

Saascoms Solution – Mailmaster

Launched in 2017, Mailmaster is a pioneer of digital letters and one of the genuine alternatives to Royal Mail. Offering all the benefits of digital letters with the knowledge the platform has been developed in the UK by Saascoms, multi-award winning business.

Mailmaster is used by brands globally, from retail to banking, credit and collections to utilities. Brought to you by a company which is both Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO27001, you can be sure of data security.

Mailmaster can be integrated in under a week into your CRM using our API, with a self-serve interface enabling clients to manage their own campaigns and reporting. Also, there’s no long-term contract and Mailmaster is built on a ‘pay as you use’ basis.

Choose whether to deliver letters by text or email, set up the security required to open it and then you are ready to go. With Mailmaster you can make your letters interactive:

  • Finance – check a balance or make a payment.
  • Utility – confirm, cancel or schedule an appointment.
  • Marketing – complete a survey

text messaging

Alternatives to Royal Mail

The traditional letter is as old as time, but in the 21st century we have a replacement. The digital letter moves the game on with cost savings, environmental benefits, data feedback and flexibility.

Mailmaster from Saascoms has been leading the market for nearly a decade, powering digital letter delivery around the globe. So why not contact the team for demo? Please don’t send a letter, an email or DM will be fine!

Contact Saascoms
debt awareness week

Debt Awareness Week – and the psychology of debt conversations

Debt Awareness Week

March 16-22 marks national Debt Awareness Week, an event initiated by StepChange, the national charity helping people become free from debt. StepChange helps people become debt free, repay their problem debts and identify benefits and allowances they may be able to claim.

With 50% of people having experienced problem debt in their lifetimes, Debt Awareness Week is designed to remove the stigma from problem debt and have open conversations.

And it’s the psychology of debt conversations we wish to explore…

most popular credit products

Debtors Struggle to Talk

For many people, discussing debt can trigger feelings including:

  • Shame

  • Anxiety

  • Loss of control

  • Fear of judgement

  • Stress related to personal circumstances

This emotional layer often shapes how customers communicate. Instead of directly explaining their situation, customers frequently use indirect language. Not only is discussing debt stigmatised, but discussing with a third party is even more difficult. Rather than lay out their situation, those in debt may use phrases like:

  • “I’m struggling this month.”

  • “Something unexpected has come up.”

  • “Can I delay this payment?”

  • “I need to speak to someone about my account.”

These statements often act as signals of financial vulnerability or distress. Organisations that recognise these signals early can respond with empathy, flexibility and appropriate support.

What Customers Say Versus What Customers Mean

In financial collections conversations, customers often express their situation indirectly. Here are examples of common messages and the psychological meaning behind them.

“I’ll pay next week.”

Often indicates:

  • Cash flow timing issues

  • Waiting for salary or benefits

  • Short-term financial pressure

The customer is signalling intent to pay, but needs flexibility or a recommendation.

“I can’t afford the full amount.”

This usually reflects:

  • Financial hardship

  • Competing financial priorities

  • Need for a payment plan

Customers making this statement are often seeking a manageable solution rather than avoiding payment. Once again, the collecting agent should recommend solutions.

“Why am I receiving messages about this?”

This message may indicate:

  • Confusion about the account

  • Frustration with communication frequency

  • Concern that an error has occurred

Clarity and transparency are critical in these situations. Chasing customers but not offering solutions can often create tension and animosity between the customer and collecting agency.

“I’m really stressed about this.”

This is a clear indicator that:

  • The issue is affecting the customer emotionally

  • The situation may involve vulnerability

  • The conversation requires sensitive handling

Organisations that respond with empathy can dramatically improve the customer experience. Most customers want to resolve their financial situation, but need guidance and support to do so. Debt Awareness Week is attempting to change this.

Two way messaging

Why Digital Channels Reveal More Honest Conversations

Interestingly, many customers feel more comfortable discussing financial difficulties through digital channels than over the phone. Messaging channels such as SMS, webchat, social media and email allow customers to:

  • Respond at their own pace

  • Avoid direct confrontation

  • Think about their responses

  • Explain situations more openly

Research shows that three quarters of customers prefer non-voice communication channels for interacting with organisations. This shift towards digital engagement provides a valuable opportunity for organisations to better understand customer intent.

Digital conversations generate structured data that can be analysed for:

  • Language patterns

  • Sentiment changes

  • Intent signals

  • Vulnerability indicators

This is where conversational AI becomes particularly powerful.

How AI Detects Psychological Signals in Conversations

Modern conversational AI systems can analyse customer language in real time to detect both intent and emotional signals. Saascoms has analysed millions of conversations and our sophisticated AI models learn to recognise patterns in customer communication. Our award winning software Omnireach is a digital chat platform used by global brands.

For example, Omnireach AI can identify:

  • Payment intent

  • Financial hardship signals

  • Stress-related language

  • Requests for assistance

  • Account confusion or disputes

This enables Omnireach AI to respond appropriately or escalate conversations when necessary. For example:

  • Customers indicating hardship can be prioritised for support.

  • Customers requesting payment flexibility can be offered structured plans.

  • Customers displaying distress can be routed to trained agents.

Rather than replacing human judgement, AI acts as an early warning system for customer needs.

debt consultation

Why Understanding Intent Improves Resolution

When organisations understand the true intent behind customer messages, they can respond more effectively. For example:

A message such as “I can’t pay right now.”

Could lead to very different responses. A traditional response might focus on immediate payment demands. A psychologically informed response would explore:

  • Payment flexibility

  • Temporary arrangements

  • Support options

  • Signposting to financial guidance

This approach leads to faster and more sustainable resolutions.

The Future of Customer Conversations in Credit & Collections

As digital engagement continues to grow, the psychology of customer conversations will become even more important. The future of collections will rely on three key elements:

1. Data-driven insight

Understanding how customers communicate and what signals indicate intent.

2. AI-assisted interpretation

Using conversational AI to detect emotional and behavioural patterns in real time.

3. Human empathy

Ensuring complex or vulnerable situations are handled with care and expertise. Organisations that combine these elements will be able to deliver better customer outcomes while improving operational efficiency.

Final Thought: Listening Is the Most Powerful Tool

Every debt conversation contains more information than the words alone.

Behind each message may be:

  • Financial pressure

  • Emotional stress

  • Confusion about an account

  • Or simply a customer seeking a solution.

The organisations that succeed in modern credit and collections are those that listen carefully not just to what customers say, but to what they mean.

By combining psychology, data insight and intelligent automation, organisations can create conversations that lead to something far more valuable than a transaction.

They lead to Resolution, the self serve debt management platform from Saascoms.

closed data ai

Closed Data vs Open AI: The Compliance Risk Nobody Is Talking About

The AI Boom Is In Full Effect – But Not All Data Sources Are Equal

Artificial Intelligence has rapidly become one of the most talked-about technologies in financial services, customer support and credit & collections.

From chatbots and automated responses to predictive analytics and conversational AI, organisations are racing to adopt AI-driven tools to improve productivity and customer engagement.

But while much of the conversation focuses on capability, far less attention is being given to compliance risk.

In regulated industries such as financial services, utilities, banking and debt recovery, one critical question is often overlooked:

Where does the AI’s knowledge come from?

Because the answer to that question could determine whether your AI solution is compliant, auditable and safe or potentially a regulatory liability.

Understanding the Difference: Open AI vs Closed Data AI

At the centre of this debate are two fundamentally different approaches to training artificial intelligence systems.

Open AI Models

Open AI models are trained on vast amounts of publicly available internet data.

This may include:

  • Websites

  • Forums

  • Social media content

  • Articles and blogs

  • Public databases

These models are powerful and flexible because they can draw from an enormous pool of information. However, that scale comes with significant challenges, particularly in regulated environments. Not every piece of information available on the internet is true and accurate, who knew!

Closed Data AI

Closed data AI systems are trained on controlled, industry-specific datasets.

In other words, the AI learns from:

  • Verified operational data

  • Real conversations within a specific sector

  • Organisational workflows and policies

  • Structured datasets designed for a defined purpose

This approach ensures that the AI model operates within known, auditable and compliant parameters. Saascoms is an advocate of closed data AI, and now you understand why! In regulated sectors, that difference is critical.

Why Open AI Creates Compliance Risk

The risks associated with open-source training data are not always obvious at first. But they can become serious when AI systems interact directly with customers in regulated environments.

1. Data Accuracy Cannot Be Guaranteed

Open models learn from the internet, a space where information is not always accurate and can be toxic. In collections or financial services conversations, incorrect responses could:

  • Provide misleading information

  • Offer incorrect financial advice

  • Misinterpret regulatory requirements

  • Create inconsistent communication

In industries governed by regulators such as the FCA, accuracy is not optional. It is mandatory.

2. Lack of Auditability

Regulated organisations must be able to explain and justify decisions made by automated systems. With open-data AI models, it is often impossible to determine:

  • Exactly which information influenced a response

  • How the model learned a particular behaviour

  • Whether biased or inaccurate content influenced its output

Without transparency, organisations may struggle to demonstrate AI accountability.

3. Tone and Customer Sensitivity

Credit and collections conversations are rarely straightforward. Customers may disclose:

  • Financial hardship

  • Mental health concerns

  • Bereavement

  • Job loss

AI responses must reflect appropriate tone, empathy and regulatory expectations. Generic AI models trained on internet data cannot reliably replicate the nuanced language required in regulated customer communications.

4. Regulatory Accountability

Increasingly, regulators are focusing on AI governance and accountability. Organisations using AI must demonstrate that systems are:

  • Safe

  • Transparent

  • Fair

  • Contestable

  • Auditable

When AI models are trained on uncontrolled internet data, achieving this level of oversight becomes significantly more difficult.

Why Closed Data AI Is Safer for Regulated Industries

Closed-data AI systems address many of these concerns by controlling the source and structure of training data. Instead of relying on uncontrolled internet content, closed AI models learn from verified, relevant and industry-specific data.

For example, conversational AI used in credit & collections can be trained using real customer interactions within that sector.

Saascoms’ conversational AI engine within Omnireach has analysed over 200 million customer and agent conversations within the credit and collections environment. This dataset enables the AI to recognise:

  • Customer intent

  • Sentiment

  • Payment-related queries

  • Vulnerability signals

  • Account and payment plan requests

The system achieves a 93.7% intent and sentiment match success rate, allowing organisations to automate routine enquiries while maintaining compliance and accuracy

Closed Data Improves Customer Outcomes

Closed-data AI systems also deliver better results for customers. Because the AI understands the specific context of collections interactions, it can respond appropriately to common scenarios such as:

  • Payment plan discussions

  • Requests for account information

  • Financial difficulty disclosures

  • Settlement enquiries

This contextual awareness allows AI to:

  • Route vulnerable customers to trained agents

  • Provide accurate account information

  • Offer relevant repayment options

  • Reduce unnecessary escalation

Rather than replacing human interaction, AI becomes a frontline assistant that enhances resolution outcomes.

The Future of Responsible AI in Financial Services

As AI adoption accelerates, organisations will increasingly need to demonstrate responsible AI governance. In the coming years, we are likely to see:

  • Greater regulatory scrutiny of AI models

  • Stronger expectations around data transparency

  • Mandatory audit trails for automated decision-making

  • Increased focus on ethical AI use

For organisations operating in regulated sectors, choosing the right AI architecture today will determine their ability to operate confidently tomorrow. Closed-data AI provides the transparency, accountability and accuracy required for responsible deployment.

Final Thought: AI Power Must Be Matched With AI Responsibility

Artificial Intelligence offers enormous opportunities for improving customer engagement, operational efficiency and service delivery. But with that power comes responsibility.

In regulated industries, organisations cannot afford to deploy AI systems that operate as opaque “black boxes”. They need systems that are:

  • Transparent

  • Accountable

  • Secure

  • Compliant

  • Designed for their specific industry context

Closed-data AI delivers exactly that.

And as regulators, customers and organisations demand greater trust in automated systems, the distinction between open AI experimentation and responsible, closed-data AI deployment will become increasingly important.

Because in regulated industries, the real question is no longer:

“Can AI do this?”

The real question is:

“Can AI do this safely?”

cost to collect

Is Your Collections Strategy Costing You More Than It’s Collecting?

The Hidden Cost Problems in Collections.

In credit and collections, performance is often measured by resolution rates, recovery percentages and compliance standards. But there’s another metric that deserves equal attention and that’s cost to collect.

If your organisation is increasing outbound calls, printing letters and expanding headcount to maintain performance, the uncomfortable question is…

Is your collections strategy costing you more than it’s collecting?

As customer behaviour shifts toward digital engagement, traditional human-centric models are hitting a capacity ceiling. Meanwhile, AI-powered digital collections strategies are reducing cost to collect ratios while improving customer experience.

The True Cost of Traditional Collections

Traditional collections strategies rely heavily on:

  • Outbound dialling teams

  • Inbound call centre agents

  • Paper letters and postage

  • Manual identification and verification (ID&V)

  • Agent-led payment plan setup

These approaches come with fixed and variable costs:

  • Salaries and training

  • Infrastructure and telephony

  • Postage (with no guarantee of receipt/open/read rates)

  • Missed call attempts

  • Repeat customer contact

In many cases, organisations are increasing activity simply to maintain existing performance levels. Meanwhile, customer preferences have evolved.

Customers Have Changed, Has Your Strategy?

Research shows that over three quarters of customers prefer non-voice communication.

Customers increasingly expect:

  • Messaging instead of phone calls

  • 24/7 access

  • Self-service options

  • Fast responses

  • Reduced confrontation

If you sell digitally, you must service digitally. Non-voice engagement including SMS, webchat, email and secure digital portals are no longer a ‘nice to have.’ They are fundamental to modern customer contact strategies.

Yet many collections operations still treat digital as a support channel rather than the primary engagement engine.

The Capacity Ceiling Problem

Human-only collections models face a simple limitation, people can only handle so much volume. Agent productivity is constrained by:

  • Talk time

  • Queue management

  • Breaks and shift patterns

  • Training requirements

  • Emotional load

As volumes increase during peak season, economic shocks or marketing campaigns, organisations either:

  • Hire more staff

  • Accept longer wait times

  • Increase complaint risk

  • Or reduce quality of engagement

None of these reduce cost-to-collect. Digital-first strategies, by contrast, scale without linear cost increases.

How Digital Collections Reduce Cost to Collect

A modern digital collections strategy combines:

  • AI-powered conversational platforms

  • Secure SMS and digital letters

  • Self-service debt management portals

  • Automated ID&V

  • Intelligent workflow routing

Here’s where the cost savings occur.

1. AI Handles High-Volume, Low-Complexity Tasks

Conversational AI within platforms such as Omnireach have analysed over 200 million collections conversations across multiple DCA’s over a 5 year period.

This enables AI to:

  • Identify customer intent

  • Complete ID & verification

  • Respond to FAQs

  • Set up payment plans

  • Confirm balances

  • Route vulnerable customers appropriately

The NLP (Natural Language Programming) engine achieves a high intent and sentiment match success rate. This means fewer agent interventions for routine enquiries, freeing staff to focus on complex and vulnerable cases.

AI doesn’t replace agents. It multiplies their effectiveness.

2. Self-Service Reduces Call Dependency

Self-service debt management platforms, such as Resolution, allow customers to:

  • View balances

  • Set up payment plans

  • Complete income & expenditure checks

  • Make secure payments

  • Upload documents

All without agent assistance.

When customers resolve digitally:

  • Inbound call volumes drop

  • Agent talk time becomes more meaningful

  • Resolution speed increases

  • Customer anxiety reduces

This directly lowers cost to collect.

3. Digital Messaging Outperforms Paper

Traditional letters have:

  • Uncertain open rates

  • Delayed engagement

  • Higher cost per contact

Secure SMS and digital letters provide:

  • Instant delivery

  • Measurable open rates

  • Click-through tracking

  • Embedded payment journeys

SMS has some of the highest engagement levels of any communication channel.

Digital also allows staged workflows:

  • Friendly reminder

  • Signposted support

  • Payment options

  • Escalation triggers

Automation reduces manual workload while improving engagement.

Cost Reduction Without Reducing Empathy

There is a misconception that reducing cost-to-collect means reducing customer care. The opposite is true. When AI identifies vulnerability signals within digital conversations, customers can be prioritised earlier and more accurately. They can then be allocated to a live agent.

This prevents:

  • Escalated complaints

  • Repeat contact

  • Payment plan breakage

  • Regulatory risk

Empathy, when supported by intelligent automation, becomes more consistent, not less.

Measuring the Real ROI of Digital Collections Strategy

A strong digital collections strategy improves:

  • Cost to collect

  • Resolution rates

  • Agent productivity

  • Customer satisfaction

  • Vulnerability identification

  • Complaint reduction

In AI-supported environments, up to 80% of customer intent can be identified at early adoption stage. That early clarity drives faster outcomes. And faster outcomes reduce costs.

The Strategic Question for 2026

As economic pressure continues and operational costs rise, collections leaders must ask:

  • Are we scaling intelligently?

  • Are we investing in productivity multipliers?

  • Are we meeting customers where they prefer to engage?

  • Or are we adding cost to maintain legacy processes?

Only scalable, digitally enabled organisations will maintain agility in the next five years. The rest risk rising operational spend without proportional return.

Final Thought: Efficiency and CX Are Not Opposites

Reducing cost to collect does not mean becoming transactional.

It means:

  • Removing friction

  • Automating the predictable

  • Empowering self-service

  • Prioritising vulnerability

  • Supporting agents with AI

A well-designed digital collections strategy does something powerful. It reduces cost and improves customer outcomes at the same time. And in modern credit & collections, that dual impact is no longer optional, it is essential.

Digital Collections AI

What 200 Million Customer Conversations Taught Us About Digital Collections AI

Introduction: What Are Customers Really Telling Us?

Over the past four years, Saascoms has analysed more than 200 million digital conversations between customers and credit & collections organisations across the UK and beyond. That volume of real-world, regulated, collections-specific data provides something incredibly valuable, clarity. It also provides a greater informed understanding of digital collections AI.

  • Not assumptions.
  • Not theory.
  • Not scraped open-source data.

Real conversations, in real scenarios, with real customers navigating payment, vulnerability, and financial pressure. Here’s what those 200 million conversations have taught us about digital collections AI, customer engagement, and the future of credit & collections.

1. Payment Intent Is Higher Than Many Think

The most frequent themes identified in customer conversations include:

  • Setting up payment plans

  • Confirming payments

  • Clarifying balances

  • Requesting extensions

  • Updating contact details

In many cases, the issue isn’t unwillingness, it’s friction and a lack of flexibility. Customers often need:

  • Clarity around outstanding balances

  • Flexible repayment options

  • Time to align payments with income cycles

  • Simple, digital self-service tools

This is why self-service platforms such as Resolution, Saascoms’ white-label debt management portal are increasingly critical. Customers can manage payment plans, complete income & expenditure checks and make secure payments 24/7 without agent or DCA dependency.

The Future of Customer Service Agents

2. Non-Voice Communication Is Expected

Customer behaviour has fundamentally changed. Research shows that 76% of customers prefer non-voice communication. Messaging, email and webchat are now the primary engagement channels and not secondary options. Our conversational data reinforces this shift:

  • Customers expect fast, digital responses

  • Many prefer the perceived privacy of messaging

  • Digital reduces the anxiety associated with phone calls

  • Customers engage outside traditional office hours

AI-powered conversational platforms such as Omnireach utilise AI to support SMS, webchat, email, WhatsApp and social media communications, creating seamless multi-channel engagement. Powered by conversational AI automated resolutions are increasing, leaving agents to focus on complex issues:

  • Intent and sentiment are analysed in real time

  • Identity & verification can be automated

  • Workflows are triggered instantly

  • Conversations can resolve without agent intervention

This is not about replacing humans, It’s about enabling faster, scalable and compliant engagement.

3. Vulnerability Is Often Hidden Inside Payment Queries

One of the most important findings from analysing 200 million conversations is how frequently vulnerability appears subtly within routine payment discussions. Customers may mention:

  • Job loss

  • Illness

  • Mental health challenges

  • Cost-of-living pressure

  • Family emergencies

These signals are often embedded inside otherwise standard payment requests. AI-driven vulnerability detection within Omnireach identifies up to 97% of vulnerable customers in digital conversations. This means:

  • Customers are flagged before escalation

  • Priority routing to trained agents

  • Workflow suspension where required

  • Regulatory alignment with FCA expectations

Digital channels, when powered by correctly trained, closed-data AI models, do not reduce empathy,  they enhance it.

4. Closed Data AI Outperforms Open Source Models in Regulated Environments

AI is only as strong as the data it learns from. Saascoms’ AI engine has analysed over 200 million collections-specific conversations and achieves a 93.7% intent and sentiment match success rate. That performance is achieved using closed, industry-specific data, not scraped internet content.

Why does this matter?

Because in regulated credit & collections environments:

  • Accuracy is essential

  • Tone matters

  • Compliance cannot be compromised

  • Vulnerability identification must be reliable

  • Responses must reflect organisational policy

Generic AI models trained on open web data cannot reliably deliver this level of contextual accuracy in a collections environment.

Closed data AI enables:

  • Faster deployment

  • Higher first-time resolution

  • Safer compliance positioning

  • Measurable operational improvements

Omnichannel

5. Digital-First Improves Both CX and Operational Performance

When digital collections strategies are implemented correctly, the results are measurable.

For example, AI within collections environments can:

  • Identify up to 80% of customer intents at adoption stage

  • Resolve a significant proportion of digital interactions without escalation

  • Reduce wait times

  • Increase agent productivity

  • Allow agents to focus on complex and vulnerable cases

This hybrid model, AI handling high-volume, low-complexity interactions while agents focus on empathy-led resolution represents the future of credit & collections engagement.

6. The Future of Digital Collections AI

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the trajectory is clear:

  • Digital-first engagement will dominate early-stage collections

  • Self-service debt management will expand

  • AI-driven ID&V and workflow automation will become standard

  • Vulnerability detection will move earlier in the journey

  • Closed-data conversational AI will replace generic chatbot solutions

The organisations that embrace scalable digital collections AI will be the ones that:

  • Reduce cost-to-collect ratios

  • Improve customer satisfaction

  • Meet evolving regulatory standards

  • Increase sustainable resolution rates

Those that remain purely human-centric risk reaching capacity ceilings that limit agility and growth

Final Thought: Digital Doesn’t Replace Empathy — It Enables It

After analysing 200 million conversations, one thing is clear. Customers are not looking for confrontation. They are looking for clarity, flexibility and support. When powered by industry-trained AI, digital collections platforms such as Omnireach and Resolution enable:

  • Faster responses

  • More consistent communication

  • Earlier vulnerability identification

  • Increased payment flexibility

  • Improved customer outcomes

Digital collections AI, when implemented responsibly, strengthens the relationship between organisation and customer.

And in a sector where trust, compliance and sensitivity matter, that is the ultimate competitive advantage. Get in contact for a demonstration of our award-winning software.

customer services in utilities

Customer Services in Utilities

Introduction

When we talk about utilities we refer to Gas, Electric, Oil, Water and Telecoms. Essential services for every consumer and every business – once public and now privatised, but always in the news. Customer Services in utilities has a mixed reputation, some deserved, some less so.

So how can Saascoms support the utility sector?

Public Perception

Cost of living crisis, polluted rivers and seas, offshored profits are just some of the macro concerns of the public. Closer to home, rising bills, lack of competition, lack of compassion and falling service levels all effect customers on a direct basis.

But how much of the perception is reality? The aggregated Trustpilot score for energy providers is a respectable 4.5 out of 5, which is at odds with the negative PR levelled at the industry. This is in comparison to the telecoms and broadband industry which is only 4.1 out of 5. This for an industry which doesn’t seem to suffer the same negative PR on the whole.

So the sector is improving its public image.

Challenges

Utility companies are in a rock and a hard place. They don’t sell a product with an emotional attachment and it is difficult for customers to quantify what they are receiving. Large infrastructure costs and investments as well as international impacts on pricing all add to market complexity. This is not easy for the average customer to comprehend and appreciate.

Will a utility company ever become a well-loved brand? Probably not. But they can become well respected brands. Disruptors such as Octopus are trying to change the opinion of consumers and making a valiant effort. But should utility companies instead focus on what they can offer consumers?

Customer Services in Utilities

Saascoms award-winning customer service platforms are developed to improve both our clients and their customers experience. Powering over 700 brands globally, our insight can highlight what consumers want from a service:

  • Communication – easy to contact for both self-serve functions and when a human agent is required. Choice of contact methods to suit the customer.
  • Reliability – a service which can be depended on, if there is an issue, clear communication and resolution. Plus pre alerts for detected issues or scheduled maintenance.
  • Flexibility – a one size fits all approach is a sure way to upset customers. Being treated as an individual is an important part of customer service.
  • Transparency – in customer service, pricing and wider PR messaging.
  • ESG – renewables, pollution and sustainable investment are all important issues to consumers. They want to know their providers have the same Environmental, Social and Governance values.

Saascoms Customer Service Solutions

Saascoms has developed award-winning solutions for the utility sector, supporting customer experience and improving CSAT scores. Our platforms are the power behind over 700 global brands from Retail to Finance, Utility to Charity.

Mailmaster

Secure emails and texts, Mailmaster can drastically reduce traditional postage costs and increase customer engagement. Digitise your post and printing.

Here’s a selection of applications for the utility sector:

  • Appointments – don’t just send a text, Mailmaster will add a diary reminder to the customers phone or laptop calendar.
  • Service Disruption – Mailmaster will not only send a diary reminder, but a pre alert should the household or business need to prepare in advance.
  • Meter Readings – send customer requests in real time, improving accuracy.
  • Customer Support – send video links with energy saving tips or important messages.
  • Information – from tariff changes to promotions, business updates to new services.

Omnireach

Two way digital chat powered by AI, Omnireach handles customer service administration and up to 90% of day to day customer queries.

Here’s a selection of applications for the utility sector:

  • Customer Service – 365/24/7 across multiple digital platforms including webchat, social media, email and text. Customers can always make contact.
  • Security – Omnireach can handle ID&V, saving valuable agent time.
  • Account Information – from account balance to advising of next payment dates or arrears.
  • Account Updates – change of address, contact number, bank details or DD dates can all be managed by Omnireach.
  • Vulnerability Detection – Omnireach uses AI, sentiment detection, NLP and machine learning to identify and redirect vulnerable customers. Supporting for example the ‘Ofwat Payfair Guidelines.’

Additional Saascoms Solutions

In addition to Mailmaster and Omnireach, Saascoms has developed a further platform to support the utility sector.

Resolution

A self-serve debt management portal for those customers who have found themselves behind on payments. Resolution empowers customers to make repayments, set repayment plans and use tools including income and expenditure to calculate affordability options.

Resolution provides a direct contact platform to the debtor and signposting for the customer to debt support organisations.

Conversely, Resolution provides clients with a clear interface and reporting suite to manage customers in debt, deliver communications and analyse repayment profiles.

To Conclude

For the utility sector to move to a more individual, compassionate and proactive customer service approach takes time, money and effort. At Saascoms our solutions are the difference between good customer service and a great customer experience.

Book a demonstration with our team today.

Contact Saascoms
The Future of Customer Service Agents

The Future of Customer Service Agents

Introduction

What is the future of customer service agents? If you listen to the exponents of AI they will tell you the writing is on the wall for live agents. Technology will replace these jobs at a rapid rate, delivering better service for less cost. But what do we think will happen at Saascoms?

AI versus man

What Customer Services Will AI Replace?

Saascoms customer service platform Omnireach is at the cutting edge of AI, supporting clients in reducing the need to use Agents to complete rudimentary tasks. But arguably these tasks are administrative and don’t require human intervention.

Omnireach and Mailmaster already uses AI to complete:

  • ID&V checks
  • Confirm or reschedule appointments
  • Make payments or check account balances
  • Make a purchase or initiate a return
  • Upload a meter reading
  • Provide signposting and right person contact
  • Submit a callback request or raise a query

Customers can access automated and AI responses across multiple channels at a time which suits them, this not only improves their customer experience but also reduces costs for the client by not having 24 hour live agent cover.

AI will continue to take over more and more customer service queries, especially those with a binary solution – that just makes common sense.

Service as a Selling Point

Not everyone is enthusiastic about dealing with AI or automated responses, regardless of if it leads to lower prices. Some consumers will always want a personal touch. This isn’t restricted to the vulnerable or digitally challenged, it is just a personal choice.

Organisations have to consider their customer base and their expectations. Would a Bugatti customer expect to be served by an AI assistant? Or a Rolex client? But it’s not limited to luxury goods, think of the emergency services – in a life or death situation a calming human voice will always be needed.

So the question is not always, ‘can I replace my customer service with AI’ but ‘should I replace my customer service with AI’.

Market Trends

One of the inspirations for this blog was the recent decision by Vodafone to relocate 400 offshore customer service agents back to the UK. This has created a conversation in the customer services industry as to why? To save money? Improve service? Part of a larger strategy?

In the Vodafone press release, the following statement might give some clues as to the evolution of the industry.

‘The roles, delivered by partner Concentrix, will focus on Vodafone and Three specialist care and sales.’

This fits the Saascoms belief that AI will take over the mundane, administrative and simplistic aspects of customer service, leaving a new breed of Agents to handle complex queries and resolutions.

The Future of Customer Service Agents

Saascoms believes customer service agents will become more specialised, resolving complex queries, managing vulnerable customers and promoting client loyalty. In some cases this may also roll over into upselling and developing the overall client/customer relationship.

Jobs at the lower level of administrative scale will all but cease to exist, but with the growth of online and remote sales seeing no sign of tailing off, more jobs are still being created. Customer services may well become an attractive career to more people, rather than being seen as a stepping stone.

Look, we haven’t got a crystal ball, but the future of customer service agents may see a lot more onshoring of skilled and specialists roles, moving away from the offshoring of low skilled administrative roles.

Good service will always be key to a successful business.

Ofcom opens investigation

Ofcom opens investigation on Meta

Introduction

Are there any implications for your organisation? The investigation regards WhatsApp Business.

Ofcom announced on January 23rd they are launching an investigation into Meta. This follows two formal notices issued in 2024 and 2025 for information.

What Has Ofcom Done?

Meta was issued with the Notices as it is a provider of alternative business messaging services (i.e WhatsApp Business). The Notices requested a range of data concerning Meta’s WhatsApp Business. The available evidence suggests that Meta may not have complied with certain requirements imposed under section 135 in that some of the information provided by Meta in response to the Notices may not have been complete and accurate.

Why Is Compliance Important?

For UK businesses, particularly those in telecoms, utilities, financial services, and credit, this serves as an important reminder: compliance is not just about intent, but execution.

In our experience, regulatory risk often stems from operational complexity rather than deliberate non-compliance. Fragmented communication channels, manual reporting processes, and poor data visibility make it harder to respond confidently and quickly when regulators call.

As regulatory scrutiny continues to increase, organisations must ensure they can:

  • Access accurate communications data quickly

  • Demonstrate clear audit trails

  • Respond to statutory requests without operational disruption

At Saascoms, we see compliance as a by-product of well-designed communication systems, not an afterthought. Centralised, secure, and transparent digital engagement platforms help organisations remain agile, accountable, and regulator-ready.

Should I Do Anything?

At Saascoms we offer WhatsApp Business and SMS messaging services. If the announcement by Ofcom is enough to make you consider alternative messaging solutions – get in touch.

What Are The Alternatives?

Saascoms txtpro self-serve bulk SMS delivery platform is the perfect service for managing your communications campaigns. txtpro is an easy-to-use platform that uses a pay as you go model, it’s as simple as 1,2,3.

  • Upload your mobile phone numbers
  • Type your message
  • Send to your customers!

txtpro has additional features such as scheduling, two-way messaging, RCS messaging, number validation and reporting.

For Restaurants & Bars, Retailers, Leisure Activity Centres, Car Dealers and more, txtpro is the ideal way to target customers and prospects.

Contact the team at Saascoms for your free trial.