How TVS Credit engages a voice BOT to find employees’ COVID needs

TVS Credit, an NBFC firm and part of the TVS Group, is using a voice BOT to spread awareness about COVID vaccination and most importantly, to collect data on the employees’ COVID-related needs or requirements, so that the Company can provide immediate help to them.

The voice BOT was inducted by the firm in the month of October 2020. TVS credit was earlier collecting data manually, but later, the firm decided to digitise this process for faster turnover. It took almost 18 months to fully implement and execute the idea of a voice BOT. TVS Credit’s workforce is multilingual with a combination of English, Tamil (and its different dialects) as well as Hindi. Therefore, it took time for the Company to find a vendor who could fulfil their requirements. Employees can interact with the BOT using multiple devices, AI Powered nudges and also via Whatsapp.

“Using the data collected by the BOT, we have been able to continuously attend to the needs and requirements of our people. There are numerous examples where the Task Force has helped many employees procure beds, medicines and other medical equipment.”

Jayashubha K, chief people officer, TVS Credit

Talking to HRKatha, Jayashubha K, chief people officer, TVS Credit, shares details about the functions that the BOT takes care of –

Continuous engagement – The BOT continuously keeps a check on each employee, to ensure that they are fine, in terms of their health and physical safety. It also follows up regularly with the employees regarding their COVID-related needs and requirements.

COVID survey – The BOT is also being used to take a COVID survey of the workforce to check how many are infected. It asks the employees if someone in their family has contracted the virus. If anybody needs immediate help, the BOT collects the details, which are then used by the People Task Force at TVS Credit to reach out to these employees and do the needful.

Vaccination survey – The BOT collects data on how many people have been vaccinated and how many are due for their second shot, and so on. The Company uses the BOT as a tool to spread awareness about the importance of vaccination.

The People Task Force at TVS Credit was formed in 2020 itself, just after the lockdown was announced by the Government. “We felt the need to form a task force immediately, to help those who may need any food items or other essentials during the national lockdown, amidst mobility restrictions,” says Jayashubha.

With the second wave of the pandemic hitting the country, the Task Force has shifted its focus to building contacts in the hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other government agencies so that they can help employees deal with shortage of oxygen, medicines, beds or any other COVID-related requirements.

Volunteers from amongst the employees are part of this Task Force. The leadership team is divided into geographical areas and there are 11 regional heads, who further report to zonal-area heads. “As our people are spread across geographical regions we needed an organised People Task Force to cater to their problems,” points out Jayashubha.

The employees can directly contact the members of this Task Force in case they need any help. “Using the data collected by the BOT, we have been able to continuously attend to the needs and requirements of our people. There are numerous examples where the Task Force has helped many employees procure beds, medicines and other medical equipment,” tells Jayashubha.

Under its Employee and Employee Family Assistance Programme (EFAP), called ‘Parivaar’, the Company is all set to sponsor the education of the children of the employees who have lost their lives due to COVID-19. As part of this initiative, TVS will sponsor the school-level and graduation-level educational programmes of the employees’ children. It will also pay the monthly salary of the deceased employees to their families for three years.

Under the ‘Parivaar’ programme, the Company has promised to provide job opportunities to a family member of any deceased employee, at TVS Credit, according to the qualification and professional experience of the person. “We are trying to hire such people in multiple roles depending on their education and experience. We will endeavour to at least accommodate such people in data-entry jobs, or at the call centre or in other back-end processing functions,” reveals Jayashubha.

TVS Credit claims that in cases where it is unable to offer jobs, the family members of the deceased employees will be given an opportunity to upskill themselves in various areas — in consultation with them — so that they can become employable. “We have tie-ups with many learning agencies that are helping us upskill these people,” shares Jayashubha.

The family assistance programme rolled out by TVS Credit, has had a positive impact on the lives of at least 20 families.