Stormy starts and long queues
It's Monday morning, and Sunrun’s contact center is already flooded with calls. Customers are dialing in to make payments, enroll in autopay, and verify contract details - routine inquiries that pile up quickly. Agents work through call after call, processing payments manually while juggling more complex customer issues.
One agent, Alex, spends most of the morning handling back-to-back payment calls. A customer calls in frustrated that their autopay didn’t go through. Alex spends several minutes verifying account details and walking them through re-enrollment - something that could have been a simple self-service option. Meanwhile, other callers sit on hold, waiting for an available agent.
By midday, the queue has ballooned, and customers who just want to make a quick payment are stuck in line. Escalations increase, costs rise, and agents are stretched thin. Sunrun’s leadership knows that to keep up with growth, they need a scalable solution that doesn’t sacrifice customer experience.
"We wanted our phone system to offer the same quality of self-service that customers experience online, aligning all channels to provide a seamless and intuitive experience," said Stetson Wood, former Director of Engineering over Communications at Sunrun.
Blueprint for a brighter contact center
To give agents like Alex time to focus on higher-value conversations, Sunrun partnered with Replicant to automate high-volume, repetitive payment calls. What started with payments quickly expanded to include autopay enrollment, after-hours support, and Spanish-language options, making support more accessible for every customer.
How Sunrun made the shift:
- Automated payment processing, so customers could pay in seconds, no agent required.
- Added AI support for autopay, after-hours calls, and Spanish-speaking customers.
- Integrated seamlessly into existing systems for a smooth rollout.
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With Replicant managing routine transactions, agents now spend their time where it matters most—solving complex issues and building stronger customer relationships.
"One of the things that really nailed Replicant for us was their ownership of the project and their communication," said Wood. "They just get it done—quickly and efficiently."
Clear skies ahead
Now, when a customer calls to make a payment or enroll in autopay, AI answers immediately.Â
Transactions are completed in seconds, and agents like Alex no longer spend their day processing routine requests. Instead, they focus on troubleshooting solar panel performance, assisting with financing options, and strengthening customer relationships.
With 50% of payment-related calls resolved by AI, the contact center runs more efficiently, customer wait times drop, and escalations decrease. Sunrun’s 4.6/5 CSAT score reflects the seamless, AI-enhanced experience.
The future looks even brighter as Sunrun expands AI to SMS and web chat, ensuring customers can get the help they need when and how they want it.
"With Replicant, we found a true AI partner," said Wood. "We don’t have to search for a new solution every time - we trust them to deliver."
