Home Depot is deploying an AI voice agent to answer customer service calls, replacing traditional phone menus. In testing at 50 stores, the agent understood customer intent in under 10 seconds and resolved calls four times faster than menu-based routing, pointing to significant gains in speed and cost efficiency for large retailers.
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Home Depot is replacing its customer service phone menus with an AI-powered voice agent built on Google Gemini for Customer Experience. During a pilot at 50 stores, the agent proved four times faster than traditional phone menus and can understand why customers are calling in less than 10 seconds. The agent can build digital shopping carts, initiate service requests, and resolve common inquiries end-to-end, with deployment planned at U.S. stores this year.
Why it matters
The shift moves customer service from forcing callers through preset menu options toward letting them explain their need naturally, which the AI then handles or routes appropriately. For Home Depot, this appears to reduce wait times and handle routine transactions without human staff, potentially lowering service costs while improving the customer experience.
What to watch
The agent is currently in a pilot phase at 50 stores and is expected to roll out to U.S. stores this year. If the speed and resolution rates hold at scale, other retailers may follow a similar model for phone-based customer support.
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