With Oracle, Yokeru calls thousands of households during COVID
London-based brothers dial up Oracle for Startups and Oracle Digital Assistant to build an automated call system to check in on vulnerable shut-ins.
“As COVID started to sweep across the world, it suddenly occurred to us that there was a need to deploy cutting-edge technology to support people. One use case stood out: Use an AI calling system to check on and monitor vulnerable individuals on behalf of local authorities.”
Business challenges
Monty and Hector Alexander had the idea to found Yokeru after their grandmother fell at home and was left unattended for eight hours. Monty, 25, a mechanical engineering student at Imperial College London, and his brother, Hector, built an automated call system to check in on vulnerable individuals with the help of Oracle for Startups and Oracle Digital Assistant.
It’s now clear that remote monitoring is pivotal to the future of the care system. Yokeru offers a digitally inclusive way to support those who would otherwise suffer in silence.
Yokeru’s first deployment was with Hammersmith and Fulham Council. Starting in May 2020, Yokeru regularly called 9,000 residents and connected them to specific help if they requested it. Today, Yokeru works with a number of local authorities to support vulnerable communities.
Yokeru supports the most vulnerable in our communities, and without Oracle this would not have been possible. The dynamic team, start-up support, and visionary approach to incubating innovation has very much been the shoulders upon which Yokeru stands. Many early-stage ventures would benefit from building a relationship with Oracle.
Why Yokeru Chose Oracle
Automating voice contact for public health services requires careful planning to maintain privacy, avoiding unintentionally offering medical advice, and choosing a flexible cloud platform that not only provides economical and scalable services, but also integrates with machine learning and Voice over IP platforms from multiple providers.
Results
The technology, which costs about a fifth of what a traditional call center costs, has resulted in more than 4,000 follow-ups with council services. Now, another London borough, Westminster City Council, has adopted the platform to telephone residents every two weeks to survey how they are handling isolation and to respond if they are in jeopardy.