MOL acquires Robobiz to improve consumer complaint processing—with Artificial Intelligence

Contxto – Lawsuits are expensive, long, and tedious processes within the legal system. To make matters worse, Covid-19 has further complicated things in court. The need for social-distancing coupled with the increase of complaints from online shoppers has led to a surge of potential cases.

Correspondingly, mediation can be a more accessible alternative. And legaltech, Mediação Online (MOL) is helping conflicting parties in Brazil talk through these problems—all at a distance of course.

But to launch into a new market, it recently acquired startup Robobiz for an undisclosed amount.

As a result of this purchase, MOL can help businesses more quickly resolve conflicts with unhappy consumers.

Customer complaints clog the legal system

In Brazil, when a person has a problem with a vendor—for example they don’t receive a full refund for a faulty product—they submit a complaint to their local PROCON. These government agencies, distributed throughout the states and municipalities of Brazil, are charged with protecting consumers.

Undoubtedly that means they’re loaded with work. For companies that means losing a valued customer who’s forced to sit tight and stew the issue over while the legal protocols catch up.

But thanks to MOL’s acquisition of Robobiz, it’s accessing this large market and handling issues at a quick clip.

According to Pequenas Empresas & Grandes Negócios, through Robobiz’s bot, 250 complaints can be processed through its system within an hour. This usually takes a team of people at least 20 hours.

MOL wants to keep consumers happy

But there’s more in it for MOL, its portfolio of customers, and consumers in Brazil with Robobiz.

“In addition to avoiding delays in responses, we provide a better view of why consumers are dissatisfied,” says Camilla Lopes, co-Founder at MOL. “Legal and customer service departments gain a more strategic role and cease to act as a simple call center.”

MOL’s acquisition reflects our ever-growing reality that AI adoption is automating routine tasks, even within the legal sphere.

Will that put lawyers and paralegals out of work? Not necessarily.

Though some tasks like filing can be delegated to bots, other activities (like negotiating) require soft skills and human contact that AI still cannot replicate.

Related articles: Tech and startups from Brazil!

-ML