Lantern Continues Digital Transformation With Aryza Adoption to Enhance Customer Support

Leading provider of debt management services, Lantern, has continued its digital transformation by adopting new AI technology to deliver ethical, efficient, and seamless communications to thousands of customers.

Headquartered in Yorkshire, Lantern has implemented Aryza’s Engage platform within its operations to improve customer support. With this, the company has seen a sharp increase in interaction with clients each day via digital communications.

Recent research commissioned by debt awareness charity, StepChange, found that one in four 18–24-year-olds are facing financial difficulty. Lantern has adopted Aryza’s platform as it looks cater to younger audiences who are accustomed to using digital services.[i]

In an industry often slow to modernise, Aryza Engage removes the need for traditional phone and postal approaches by utilising AI-powered communications via WhatsApp and SMS to engage with customers.

As a result, Lantern can resolve customer queries more efficiently, saving time while alleviating pressure on the company’s agents so they can support customers with more complex cases.

The adoption is the latest in a series of investments from the company to modernise its tech infrastructure, all of which is designed to improve customer interactions and support.

Last month, the company announced a partnership with DebtStream, which saw the introduction of an improved customer-facing portal providing users with a holistic approach to managing their finances.

Paul Mason, Lantern CEO, said: “The sector we operate in often means our customers are anxious by their financial situation, and part of our role is to make managing the debt recovery process as easy and efficient as possible.

“The adoption of Aryza’s software is our latest investment into significantly modernising our operations to better support thousands of customers a day, enabling us to deliver on our values of providing an empathetic, ethical, and sympathetic approach to debt management.”

The Aryza Engage platform replaces one-way communication and manual processes with two-way digital conversations which prioritise customer care. Ensuring customers are supported, the AI is designed to understand industry-specific terminology, regulatory nuance, and customer sentiment, ensuring every interaction is accurate and appropriate.

Additionally, the AI will resolve general queries by identifying the customer’s intent within the first three messages, whether it is making a payment, raising a dispute, or asking a question.

This enables seamless, personalised journeys, resolving routine queries quickly and enabling customers to self-serve with confidence.

Meanwhile, built in safeguards see the platform detect signs of vulnerability with 85 – 95% accuracy, in which instance customers will be redirected to agents for further support.

Mark Opperman, Director – Conversational AI and Business Development at Aryza said:  “Lantern’s adoption of Aryza Engage demonstrates a shared commitment to innovation and customer care. This collaboration highlights how technology can improve efficiency while ensuring customers receive the empathetic, personalised support they deserve throughout their financial journey.”

David Gil Welsh, Lantern Director of Pricing, Data & Analytics, led the adoption of Aryza. He said: “At Lantern we’re currently on a journey to transform our operations so they cater for the needs of modern users – by adopting Aryza’s software we are doing exactly that.

“Not only does it drive more efficient communication with our customers, it also relieves pressure on our agents so they can focus on supporting and resolving more complicated cases.”

Lantern provides customer-focused solutions for individuals who are struggling with their financial obligations, supporting them with sustainable repayment options.

Since 2008, Lantern has supported more than 2.5 million people clear their debt, providing them with flexible solutions that work for them and winning awards for its customer service.

For more information about Lantern, visit www.lanternuk.com.