Delivering Smarter Customer Search with AI Integration

Our client had accumulated a significant volume of behavioural data based on user demographics and usage patterns. Although this data had the potential to support new business opportunities, it remained buried inside a set of large data repositories, which were challenging to interrogate. This meant that the marketing and member engagement teams could not easily access these insights.

Our client provides intelligence services to the built environment sector. They offer a comprehensive digital platform that supports the needs of construction firms, professionals and interns. The platform enables users to access information on over one million construction projects across the UK.

To help users find projects relevant to their interests, the platform includes a powerful search engine equipped with numerous filters. These filters can be combined in various ways, allowing for highly tailored search results. However, this complexity often creates a barrier. Users must understand how the filters work and remember how to apply specific combinations, a process that typically requires prior experience or training.

As digital expectations evolve and AI adoption increases, such a steep learning curve can become a barrier to user satisfaction and business growth. Our client recognised this challenge and sought to explore how AI could simplify the search process, making it more intuitive and accessible.

Arrk partnered with the client to explore the use of natural language processing (NLP) to improve the search experience. The goal was to allow users to input natural language queries, such as “show me commercial developments starting in Manchester next quarter”, and receive relevant results without needing to configure multiple filters.

We assessed several NLP models, including GPT-4o Mini, Anthropic’s Claude, Meta’s LLaMA and Mistral. Our approach combined both technical and commercial evaluation, considering performance, integration requirements and the operational costs of deploying AI at scale for a high-traffic application.

Over the course of six months, we moved beyond traditional chatbot or AI assistant solutions. We designed an approach that reflected specific user behaviours, business requirements and platform architecture. Our team combined domain expertise, platform knowledge and practical experience of deploying AI into live environments.

• Developed an AI-enhanced search capability that enables natural language queries, reducing reliance on manual filters.
• Improved user experience for both seasoned professionals and new users unfamiliar with advanced filtering techniques.
• Reduced onboarding time and support queries related to search functionality.
• Reduced digital complexity and positioned the platform for future AI enhancements.
• Demonstrated a scalable approach to AI integration, with consideration for platform load, cost of inference and long-term maintainability.
• Provided the client with a digital offering that reflects current user expectations while remaining practical to implement.

Working with Arrk, the customer implemented a scalable, secure and reliable AI solution that simplifies the search experience and supports improved user satisfaction, retention and renewals.