Currys uses AI for repair diagnostics

Currys, a leading technology retailer, has earned a nomination for Digital Initiative of the Year at the RG Excellence Awards because of its inventive use of artificial-intelligence-driven diagnostics in both repair work and product returns. The retailer’s proprietary Video Diagnostics platform enables shoppers to capture short video clips that show exactly how a device is malfunctioning, and an AI engine then parses the footage to produce a detailed fault description that technicians can act on immediately.

Danny Wood, who leads delivery, supply chain and service operations at the company, says the new method has produced a marked improvement for the business. “For years, if something went wrong with a product, customers had to try and describe it over the phone,” he explains. “Anyone who’s attempted to explain a strange noise or an intermittent fault down a phone line knows how frustrating that can be, for the customer and the colleague trying to picture what they mean.” Wood adds that the visual approach eliminates much of that guesswork.

Transforming the Repair Process

The Video Diagnostics system essentially turns the traditional description-based workflow on its head. Instead of relying on verbal accounts, customers now upload a brief video that captures the exact symptom. The AI then creates a structured summary that includes the fault type, relevant product identifiers and suggested diagnostic steps. This shift has already produced measurable outcomes: the Net Promoter Score rose from 80.5 to 85, and the rate of first-time fixes increased from 79.7% to 82.7% after the tool’s rollout.

Wood stresses that the benefit extends beyond a simple digitisation of a single step. By delivering richer information at the very start of the service journey, engineers and service advisors can make more accurate decisions sooner. The result is fewer repeat contacts, a drop in unnecessary field visits and a noticeable reduction in overall service delays.

In the past, a customer whose washing machine began emitting an odd sound would call the support line and try to describe the noise. That description could lead to an incorrect part being ordered or an extra technician trip that might have been avoided. Today, the same customer simply records the sound on a smartphone, uploads the clip, and the AI instantly supplies a clear, actionable summary for the repair team.

Read Also: Co-op shifts focus to value in autumn shopping push

Extending the Technology

The platform has already been deployed at scale, with almost 90,000 video diagnostics processed since its introduction. Building on that success, the retailer is now applying the same principle to the returns workflow. Wood emphasizes that the move is not about chasing AI for its own sake. He says that the retailer is not adopting AI simply because it is the technology of the moment. “Every application has to solve a genuine problem for a real customer or colleague, or it simply doesn’t get off the ground.”

As digital tools become more commonplace, Wood believes that human expertise remains essential. Customers still value knowledgeable advisers who can cut through technical jargon and give confidence-boosting guidance. To support that need, the retailer is investing in its people through leadership programmes and talent investments.

Currys is also nominated for Retail Excellence Diamond Award; Rising Talent of the Year; and Supply Chain Initiative of the Year. Wood stresses that the technology only works when paired with colleague empowerment and strong leadership. The retailer’s latest digital initiatives point to a broader shift in how Currys sees its role. The business is positioning itself not only as a place to buy technology: “Currys is becoming a technology partner across the full customer lifecycle, not just a retailer at the till or online.”

Currys joins AllSaints, B&Q, McDonalds, The Very Group and many more in the Digital Initiative of the Year category at this year’s RG Excellence Awards. See the full shortlist, and all categories here.