Life insurance comparison service Lifebroker has announced the launch of Alfred, a Facebook Messenger chatbot that gives consumers 24/7 access to conversational quote comparison services.

Alfred is the Australian life insurance industry's first chatbot that compares life insurance options in real-time.

Built with the support of Jade Software, Alfred was designed to respond to customer questions and provide them with quotes for life insurance cover within five minutes of messaging.

Alex Homer, Lifebroker CEO, says Alfred was developed to deliver customer service improvements by providing them with better access via social media channels and enhanced access to the service out-of-hours that complements Lifebroker's existing channels. “Alfred provides an option for customers who need quick responses and who enjoy using messaging services to connect with companies. Our insights showed that product research is usually done outside of normal working hours, and a chatbot can be available instantly and at any time, giving consumers a convenient way to learn about their insurance options on their own terms.

“Conversations with Alfred can be paused and resumed at will throughout the day and consumers can book an appointment with one of our customer service representatives to discuss more advanced questions.

“Alfred is a very welcome addition to Lifebroker's team of customer service experts, working alongside our existing operations on phone, email and online chat. By integrating our digital and human interactions, we're providing a more engaging and seamless customer experience,” says Homer.

By leveraging artificial intelligence like natural language processing, Alfred has the ability to respond to consumers in context, and with a sense of humour, as opposed to providing stock responses.

Eduard Liebenberger, Jade Software digital head, says Alfred was made using a number of technologies that mirror the intelligence and interaction of human agents.

“User experience is what really makes this chatbot special. It creates the soft skills that make people want to interact with a chatbot and keep them engaged.

“Lifebroker has seen first-hand what people seeking to compare quotes look for online, and we've been able to take those learnings and integrate them into this experience.

“The goal of this project was to challenge the way things are done in insurance. Chatbots offer a new platform for insurers to interact with customers, and when customers can learn more about a business 24 hours a day, that's a good position to be in,” he said.

Alfred is currently live in-market following a three-month development period and customer pilot process.