New LG CLOi ServeBot Delivers Smooth Performance for Reliable Customer Service
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By News Reporter
Good product design is all about understanding and meeting customers’ needs. As a leader in the home appliance industry, LG integrates ‘customer-centricity’ into every stage of the design process to ensure its products deliver a more convenient and emotionally satisfying user experience. The company continues to show the way forward, making innovative appliances and smart home solutions for a better life based on its ‘3F’ design philosophy.
The Essence of 3F: Fit, Feel, Finish
“LG uses the term ‘3F’ to refer to the appearance, performance and other tangible and intangible qualities of its products experienced by the customer,” said Chung Wook-jun, vice president and head of H&A Design Lab at LG Electronics’ Life Innovation Design Center. “In essence, 3F is a set of principles that guides the company as it weaves the core values of completeness, ease of use and emotional satisfaction into each product it makes.”
3F stands for Fit, Feel and Finish. ‘Fit’ refers to seamless (zero gap) product design and overall design uniformity, while ‘Feel’ encompasses the smooth and resilient operation of moving parts as well as the satisfying feedback that interfaces, doors and other components provide when handled by users. ‘Finish’ focuses on matching the right colors with the right materials and achieving a clean, consistent aesthetic across product lines. The definition of 3F has gradually expanded over time and now extends to elements such as ergonomics, user experience (UX) optimization and user interface (UI) usability.
Officially introduced in 2001, 3F is now deeply ingrained in the way LG works. The company even formed a specialized organization to focus on 3F, which collaborates closely with several departments – including product planning, design, development, quality control and sales – to maintain a cohesive approach to customer-centric design.
Customer-Centric Design Research
The core aspect of 3F work is to guarantee the completeness of every product LG develops. Through securing a high level of completeness in the development phase, the company helps to prevent potential quality issues from arising during production.
At the concept planning stage, LG identifies and addresses any deficiencies or inconveniences associated with previously released models to prevent their recurrence in new products. Using its own internally developed ergonomic standards, the company thoroughly evaluates products for ease-of-use and to determine if further improvements are needed. Prior to finalization and mass-production, LG re-evaluates its products using up to 160 different criteria to assess whether completeness has been achieved.
When a prototype is produced at the design verification stage, it is tested under actual usage conditions. Data-driven feedback derived from these tests – such as the precise measurement of the force needed to open an appliance’s door – enables the relevant departments to make necessary adjustments.
Quality testing at LG involves extensive processes to ensure products meet usage and reliability standards. Should a product fail any test, LG carefully identifies and addresses the root cause of the issue. Subsequently, the product undergoes hundreds of additional tests until it meets the company’s exacting internal standards. Multiple methods are employed to confirm that each unit produced matches the usability and reliability standards set during the development phase. The data gathered throughout these various processes is meticulously analyzed to refine future designs.
Subtle Details that Reflect LG’s 3F Design Principles
The recently launched LG SIGNATURE washer/dryer exemplifies the company’s commitment to its 3F design principles. Manufactured using the same methods employed to produce luxury goods, the washer/dryer successfully delivers the ‘high-end’ aesthetic and feel of LG’s original design concept. The attention to subtle details that is so much a part of 3F design can be seen in the dryer’s filter grip, which has been designed in accordance with knuckle-width studies and numerous customer acceptance surveys to provide optimal usability.
To enhance the sophistication and operability of the control knobs applied to its washing machines, LG conducted a comprehensive range of 3F research initiatives and even developed its own custom measuring equipment. The company’s efforts led to the creation of a control knob reminiscent of the center-console control dials found in luxury automobiles, providing a pleasingly premium look and feel while also contributing to a better user experience in both a practical and emotional sense.
Introduced last year on select LG refrigerator models, the Auto Soft Closing System is another example of LG’s customer-centric 3F design. The system uses dampers to ensure that the refrigerator door closes softly and quietly, enhancing usability, convenience and customer satisfaction.
The 3F design principle, which reveals LG’s strong commitment to the pursuit of perfection, is intertwined with another uniquely LG concept: ‘Affection-ism.’ Affection-ism could be described as a ‘design mindset,’ centering on caring for customers via the delivery of ‘Uncompromising Customer Experiences,’ ‘Human-centered Innovation’ and the ‘Warmth to Power a Smile.’ By staying true to its core values and customer-first philosophies, LG will continue to provide products that exceed expectations and make everyday life that much better.
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By News Reporter
Steadfastly embracing its mantra of ‘Life’s Good,’ LG believes that its products are more than the sum of their parts. That’s why the company is constantly innovating cutting-edge products which can help it shape a world where exceptional value is the norm and a smarter, more convenient life is accessible to everyone. These efforts bring LG one step closer to realizing a Better Life for All.
Since 2020, LG has been exploring new business opportunities to innovate the customer experience, leveraging the ideas, experiences and skills of its members through its in-house venture and company-in-company system.
In line with this commitment, LG has fostered a work environment that encourages employees to embrace new challenges, exemplified by last year’s launch of ‘STUDIO341.’ This initiative’s primary mission is to identify and foster internal ventures that encapsulate the spirit of challenge and innovation, the very spirit that has driven LG’s transformation from its humble beginnings as Goldstar in 1958 to a global powerhouse.
Designed with the Brave Optimist mindset, this initiative is tailored for company executives and employees based in Korea. The sole criterion? A creative idea that can solve a problem worth solving and provide a new experience to customers.
The five most outstanding ideas were selected for spin-off. Let’s delve into them.
MASKIT Founder Bae Ho-yeon
MASKIT: Secure & Queue-Free Concert Ticketing Solution
In response to the constraints of traditional concert hall ticketing systems, MASKIT collaborated with customer experience specialists at LG to create a system that allows customers to verify their identity at home and gain entry to a venue without enduring long queues. MASKIT also encrypts all the personal data it collects, ensuring consistent user protection.
This solution provides concert-goers an unprecedented level of convenience, while enabling concert organizers to achieve significant cost efficiencies. MASKIT’s ambition is to roll out this ticketing solution to large concert halls and entertainment companies nationwide, while evolving into a comprehensive culture and arts solution that utilizes personal data in the most secure manner possible.
X UP Founder Lee Yong-soo
X UP: Smart Sensor-based Golf Course Green Management Solution
X UP offers a robotic turf maintenance solution that manages golf courses by analyzing turf data via heat maps. The unpredictability and unknown causes of turf damage make it difficult to prevent, often necessitating repairs after the damage has occurred. However, X UP allows golf courses to shift from physical repairs to a data-driven preventative management strategy.
Looking ahead, X UP aspires to become the go-to robotic solution company offering a more efficient alternative to manual golf course maintenance.
FRESH GO Founder Lee Sung-hoon
Fresh GO: Modular Individual Refrigerator for Cold Chain Transportation
Fresh GO has pioneered an individual cooling cold chain solution that facilitates the transportation of fresh food in conventional trucks, meeting the growing demand for food deliveries. This innovative cooling method uses Physics-Informed Neural Networks and Ref Cycle technology, matching the performance of competitors at half the cost.
The temperature can be individually adjusted for each item, and the design, which eliminates the need to open the entire door, aids in maintaining internal temperatures. It can even be adapted for air deliveries. Fresh GO’s CEO, Lee Seong-hoon, has leveraged his experience at LG to bring this concept to life, addressing customer needs.
Cucumbers Founder Lee Jae-hyuk
Cucumbers: Cost-Effective Pickup Service and Marketing Tool for Restaurants
Cucumbers provides an intelligent solution that lessens the commission burden on restaurants while also acting as a marketing tool to draw in regular customers. By offering a pickup service with in-store prices and group pickup discounts, it allows users to reduce their cost burden, encouraging a symbiotic relationship.
Found Objet Founder Kim Ju-hee
Found Objet: Recycled Materials Trading Platform for a Sustainable Future
Found Objet, a platform that streamlines transactions between recycling companies and buyers, is the brainchild of CEO Kim Ju-hee, formerly of LG Vehicle component Solutions Company. She observed that many recycled materials businesses were run by the older generation, who often didn’t fully grasp market prices and needed to acquire new customers as the market expanded. Concurrently, purchasing managers at chemical companies were looking to gather information from various businesses to secure a consistent supply of raw materials. Found Objet bridges this information gap, contributing to a more sustainable future.
STUDIO341’s final five were selected based on their potential for growth and their capacity to continually innovate the customer experience moving forward. LG and Bluepoint intend to collaboratively invest up to KRW 400 million in each of these start-ups.
Stay tuned to
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By News Reporter
Company’s Latest Autonomous Robot Solution Provides Safe and Reliable Delivery
With its Four-Door Design and Six Wheels With Independent Suspension
SEOUL, June 24, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is launching its latest LG CLOi ServeBot (model LDLIM31), an autonomous, door-type service robot designed to provide safe delivery services in hospitality and healthcare settings. Featuring a four-door design with ample interior storage space, the CLOi ServeBot can perform simple and repetitive delivery tasks to reduce the burden on busy staff.
This introduction further strengthens LG’s portfolio of advanced AI robots and robot control solutions, aligning with the company’s plans to accelerate the expansion of its B2B business, particularly in the delivery and logistics services sector. The CLOi ServeBot was first released in South Korea, with upcoming launches scheduled in key markets across North America and Asia. For more details, please visit
link hidden, please login to view. The door-type CLOi ServeBot has gained international recognition for its innovative and convenient design, earning honors at the Red Dot Design Award 2024 and the iF Design Award 2024. Boasting four internal compartments, each capable of holding items weighing up to 30kg, this new model is able to make multiple deliveries or collections. Its generous and secure cargo space can comfortably accommodate as many as 32 standard-sized coffee cups,* while its shelving can be easily adjusted according to item- or load-size.
Tailored for indoor hospitality and healthcare environments, the LG CLOi ServeBot is capable of utilizing elevators to move between floors. Its six wheels, each with independent suspension, provide excellent stability, enabling the CLOi ServeBot to transport beverages over uneven surfaces without any significant spillage. For added user convenience, the CLOi ServeBot’s doors can be set to open or close automatically during operation. The LG CLOi ServeBot can even tell when a delivery has been completed, as camera sensors built into its internal compartments detect when items have been removed. And thanks to an AI algorithm, the new model can safely navigate around obstacles, determine the optimal route to its destination(s), and communicate with up to 20 other CLOi ServeBots to maximize task efficiency and avoid potential collisions.
A front-facing 10.1-inch display on the CLOi ServeBot functions as a mobile advertising platform, with content easily uploaded via the LG CLOi Station (accessible through mobile or web) or the CMS mobile app. Furthermore, LG’s latest CLOi solution can escort customers to a given destination and provide voice guidance for visually impaired users. Additionally, users can monitor the robot’s status in real time using the LG CLOi Station, which also offers convenient paging and scheduling functions.
“LG’s latest service robot employs advanced platform technologies covering AI, communications and control, to help streamline operations in hospitality and healthcare settings,” said Roh Kyu-chan, vice president and head of the robot business division of LG Business Solutions Company. “Leveraging our capabilities and expertise in robot solutions, we will continue to deliver innovative LG CLOi ServeBot models to meet the specific needs of diverse sectors.”
With years of robotics industry experience, LG continues to provide versatile robot solutions for various environments, including airports, hotels, hospitals and warehouses. The company is now developing a comprehensive suite of solutions to efficiently manage the entire distribution process, from supplying robots to facilitating the last-mile delivery of ordered products.
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* Approximately 350ml/11.8oz each.
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By News Reporter
In the third episode of the ‘Customers at Heart’ series, we take a look at how LG India created a customized care solution to innovate the customer experience.
LG India, a subsidiary of LG, is unique among its global counterparts as it independently manages sales, installation, repair and maintenance. Leveraging this autonomy, LG India has enhanced customer satisfaction and boosted sales through LG BEST Care, a service extending the warranty period of home appliances, including regular maintenance and cleaning.
Prior to LG BEST Care, LG India offered product care services under LG CareShip, which included routine visits and complimentary filter changes. However, a challenge was that 99% of customers only signed up for the service when they needed it, rather than at the point of purchase. This realization prompted efforts to improve customer engagement and revenue generation.
LG India aspires to conduct regular product inspections by experts to ensure that purchased products are in optimal condition, especially for customers who want to ensure peak product performance throughout the entire period of use. In order to do this, LG India came up with three key customer experience innovations.
The first looked to expand the range of customer choices, broadening the range of CareShip sales channels and products. The second aimed to improve customer impression services, where detailed plans were developed to differentiate the installation and repair experience. The last considered how to create an easy and convenient CareShip management system with customer convenience in mind.
To implement these new services, LG India analyzed data from its 50 million customers based on product type and usage period. This data-driven approach led to the expansion of sales channels and the creation of new care packages tailored to customer demand.
The company has also enriched the customer experience with discount promotions, a wider selection of choices and the introduction of LG SUPER Service – a unique local package offering superior service quality.
LG BEST Care further reflects customer needs by bringing ease and convenience to CareShip’s management system. Services are now automated with a systemized schedule for regular visits. In addition, LG India has increased the number of dedicated care professionals and uses Net Promoter Score to identify and address negative feedback on CareShip products.
These enhancements have yielded impressive results. The number of care products increased from three to ten types, offering a more diverse range of services. The rate of same-day installations and repairs has improved from 66.5 percent to 70.4 percent with SUPER Service. Consequently, LG BEST Care has experienced rapid growth in both customer base and revenue. LG India aims to continue this momentum into 2024 by setting regional monthly goals.
Stay tuned for the next episode of ‘Customers at Heart,’ where we’ll visit another global LG office to discover more innovative customer experience strategies.
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By News Reporter
In the first episode of the ‘Customers at Heart’ series, we take a closer look at how HiTeleservice – LG’s dedicated customer service subsidiary – is enhancing the customer experience through improved customer service around the world.
In the cutthroat world of business, having a great product isn’t enough. Companies need to excel in distribution, marketing and innovation to stay ahead. But even with all that, poor customer service can destroy a brand’s reputation and the loyalty it took years to build.
LG knows this well and is stepping up its game in customer service on a global scale. The goal is to create a standout customer experience by applying its proven customer care expertise from home to abroad.
This year marks the start of a new chapter, with HiTeleservice – LG’s customer service arm – setting up a robust support system to help boost the performance of LG’s service centers worldwide. HiTeleservice’s expert Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) will take the lead, sharing their knowledge and skills in customer service practices, talent development and operational strategies internationally.
The plan is to iron out any differences in service quality that come from cultural and operational variances, aiming for consistently high service standards everywhere LG operates. With Customer Care Centers in over 40 countries, supporting more than 50 languages, LG is serious about providing top-notch support, whether online or offline.
HiTeleservice is now ready to roll out significant support after a thorough review of LG’s global customer service operations. The first step is to upgrade the skills of global CSRs with best practices in customer service, focusing on problem-solving from the customer’s viewpoint. They’ll also get access to English training materials from LG’s learning platform.
But it’s not just about a one-off training session. LG is building a system for ongoing CSR talent development and providing advice for running an efficient organization. This long-term strategy is all about keeping service standards high through continuous improvement.
Moreover, HiTeleservice will offer comprehensive training programs to its own CSRs, including language skills for better global communication and specialized training to hone their core competencies. The aim is to develop customer service pros capable of providing expert advice whenever and wherever they’re called for assistance overseas.
In accordance with its recent reinterpretation of AI as Affectionate Intelligence, LG believes that AI can be harnessed to foster more compassionate and understanding customer experiences. Consequently, the company is progressively incorporating AI into its customer service operations.
One such AI innovation is ‘Smile Plus,’ a customer service call system that uses AI to boost the speed and precision of CSR responses. It offers CSRs a comprehensive view of various customer data, including purchase, delivery, installation and service histories from all touchpoints, such as the website, LG ThinQ app and service call records.
Additionally, LG has devised and implemented an AI-driven feature, ‘STT/TA (Speech-to-Text/Text Analysis),’ which transcribes customers’ verbal expressions into text in real-time, eliminating superfluous tasks and averting miscommunication. STT/TA is also capable of understanding the context of the service call and proposing optimal solutions. Furthermore, LG intends to launch its ‘AI Voicebot,’ an autonomous service call solution presently in the development phase, within the year. This service is designed to handle straightforward inquiries during peak service call times or when calls are experiencing delays.
LG’s dedication to customer service goes beyond the Customer Care Center. It includes sales and repairs, spreading its high service standards across the globe. This involves sending experts to train staff on-site in other countries and hosting group training sessions for overseas personnel. Since 2011, LG has been sharing its successful Korean sales strategies with teams in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.
In essence, LG is not just selling products; it’s delivering an experience. And with this new initiative, it’s committed to offering each customer, regardless of their location, an unparalleled level of service.
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