IKEA bets on remote interior design as AI changes sales strategy

FILE PHOTO: People enter an inner-city IKEA store on its opening day in Stockholm, Sweden, June 30, 2022. REUTERS/Anna Ringstrom/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - IKEA is training call centre workers to become interior design advisers as the Swedish furniture giant aims to offer more home improvement services and hand run-of-the-mill customer queries to an artificial intelligence bot called Billie.

In April, IKEA expanded its interior design services to the UK and United States, after previous launches in parts of Europe, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere. In the UK, customers pay 25 pounds ($31.44) for a 45-60 minute interior design advice video call and suggested product list, and can pay 125 pounds for three workspace design consultations, a floorplan and 3D visuals.