Aviva boosts engagement and efficiency with Microsoft Azure and GitHub Copilot

In a bold move to shape the future of collaboration and redefine employee engagement, Aviva, the UK's leading diversified insurer, has partnered with Microsoft to help transform its business. With over 20 million customers, Aviva's commitment to innovation and excellence is paramount. “AI will absolutely shape the future of how each and every one of us work, and how a customer experiences their engagement with Aviva,” says Sarah Self, GenAI Director at Aviva.

Strategic imperatives

Aviva's four key strategic pillars - customer, growth, efficiency and sustainability - are at the heart of this transformation. By leveraging cutting-edge AI and technology, including Microsoft Azure and GitHub Copilot, Aviva aims to improve customer service, boost productivity and enhance workplace enjoyment, by allowing colleagues to focus on more complex tasks and provide support to customers.  

A partnership for the future

Microsoft has been a pivotal partner in Aviva's journey, providing scalable, effective and resilient technology solutions. Over the past few years, this collaboration has seen Aviva modernise its physical legacy hosting platform, transitioning to the cloud with great success. 

“We have to work with really strong strategic partners who provide us with scalable, effective, resilient technology. And that's what Microsoft has been doing with us over the last couple of years,” reflects Sarah Self. 

Cloud technology and Bamboo migration

Aviva has successfully moved its main policy system, Bamboo, to Microsoft Azure — one of the largest migrations of its kind. This move has made customer data more secure and resilient, while also boosting performance. Response times are now 80% faster, with quotes from comparison sites coming through in under five seconds. Overall system performance has improved by 30%, helping teams work more efficiently.  

Operational wins

Aviva have made big improvements in how they process their customer data. Tasks like renewals, cancellations, and generating documents are now handled up to four times faster. That means important customer transactions are completed much more quickly and efficiently. “We've delivered capability across hundreds of our claims handlers, which shorten the call length, reduce the amount of time a customer is on hold, and enhance personalisation in the conversation with that customer,” comments Sarah Self.

Positive feedback and future innovations

Aviva's colleagues have praised the new technology, and the company is not stopping here. Plans are underway to integrate further innovations, such as Microsoft Copilot Studio. A proof of concept for GitHub Copilot, involving 150 users across various technology platforms and coding languages, has already shown immediate efficiency gains and fostered collaboration. As a result of the success of the proof of concept, GitHub Copilot has now been rolled out to 1750 users. “The impact on efficiency was almost instantaneous for us. There was a lot of collaboration between teams to use GitHub Copilot in many different and innovative ways,” shares Gurinder Parmar.  

A collaborative path to excellence

Aviva's partnership with Microsoft is more than just a business alliance; it's a journey of innovation and excellence. Together, they are set to revolutionise customer experience, ensuring that Aviva remains at the forefront of the industry. With a shared vision and unwavering commitment, the future looks bright for Aviva and its millions of customers.