By 2021, the Virtual Assistant Market will Reach $15.8 Billion Worldwide

Greetings!

2016 has gone by so fast, I can't believe we are already in November. Through the course of the year we have talked about the major growth we have seen within the Virtual Assistant space. Executives are recognizing the benefits a Virtual Assistant will bring to any company, tech giants are acquiring Artificial Intelligence companies at a rapid pace this year, and analyst firms are predicting continued adoption of Virtual Assistants in the coming years. 

Last year around this time, Gartner put out the top predictions to look out for. One of them being, "by 2020, smart agents will facilitate 40% of mobile interactions. This is based on the belief that the world is moving to a post-app era, where assistants such as Apple's Siri act as a type of universal interface." (ComputerWorld) 

This year, analysts from Gartner recently put out the top 10 strategic predictions for 2017. They start off the article with saying, "By 2020, the average person will have more conversations with bots than with their spouse. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and conversational user interfaces, we are increasingly likely to interact with a bot (and not know it) than ever before. The digital experience has become addictive by entering out lives through smartphones, tablets, virtual personal assistants (VPAs) or the entertainment systems in our homes and cars." (Gartner Predicts a Virtual World of Exponential Growth)

Another report from Research and Markets concluded that "by 2021, the Virtual Assistant market will reach $15.8 billion worldwide." 

Photo Credit

With adoption only expecting to increase, the democratization of AI, specifically Virtual Assistant is going to be key. Making it as easily accessible as possible will empower even more people to embrace the experience. If you would like more information on what noHold is doing to democratize AI, please contact us here.

Have a great weekend.
Cheers!

noHold Implementation Manager, Andrea Sahli, To Speak at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference

Photo Source

If you don't already know, the world's largest conference for women technologist is happening next week! From October 19th to the 21st the 2016 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference will be taking place in Houston, Texas.

noHold is very proud to share that our Senior Implementation Manager, Andrea Sahli, will be speaking at this years event. With over 14 years of experience working with Artificial Intelligence at noHold, she will be sharing her knowledge on the evolution of Intelligent Virtual Assistants. See picture below for full description of talk. 

This will be an exciting conference, honoring many talented women in computing. Congratulations Andrea for being a part of them! 
www.nohold.com

Apple Watch Expected to Change the Smartwatch Industry

Photo Credit: mashable.com

Pre-orders for Apple's first new device on the market since Jobs, the Apple Watch, has officially begun late last week. It was reported that within hours of being available, some models of the Apple Watch were sold out. Whether it was because demand was high, or supply was low is still the question, but in either case, it looks like people are really starting to embrace the wearable device phenomenon now. According to an article from Yahoo! Tech, "Gartner expects 40 million smartwatches will be sold this year, quadruple the number it believes were sold last year. The Apple Watch may account for as many as half the number of smartwatches sold, Gartner said." (Apple Watch Preorders Kick Off, Some Models Quickly Sell Out). Other research firms such as Forrester and Morgan Stanley analysts agree that Apple Watch will make up a significant portion of the smartwatch sales this year.

With the smartwatch trend coming to fruition, Virtual Assistants (such as Siri and Google Now) will be even more accessible, being directly on your wrist.  How do you think Apple Watch reviews will be by the end of the year? Is it going to be a game changer like the iPhone or just a fad? How will other wearable devices compare? Let us know what you think in the comments below.  
www.nohold.com

Virtual Customer Assistants Advancing in 2015 to Solve Complex Problems

Virtual Personal Assistants (VPAs) have become a household name; something we use daily without thinking twice about it. Things such as Siri, 'Okay Google', Cortana, etc. have been integrated into our lives, it has become second nature to communicate with Artificial Intelligence. Most people actually prefer it to get quick and easy answers to their needs: getting directions, scheduling an appointment, calling a friend, etc. 

Virtual Customer Assistants (VCAs) have been used to streamline customer support questions long before VPAs became popular. VCAs have advanced greatly since their inception, though. Now, VCA's are not just used to answer simple support questions, they have the capacity to integrate with back end systems to understand more complex problems and connect with more sophisticated devices. Stay tuned for next weeks announcement on a project noHold and one of the largest networking companies in the world have been working on. 
Cheers! 
www.nohold.com

Artificial Intelligence to Help Improve Communication Skills in Autistic Children – How Siri Did It

In the spirit of the holidays and being grateful for all we have, I wanted to share this heartwarming story I read titled, “To Siri, With Love – how one boy with autism became BFFs with Apple’sSiri.” It was written in the form of a letter from a mother whose son was born autistic. She took the time to write a thank you letter to Siri for being a friend to her son and teaching him many things that he might not have understood before; for example, showing him the essence of companionship.

Technology has been proven to be one of the most effective ways for children with autism to improve communication and social skills, and enhance learning abilities. The technology is advancing as well. According to experts in this field, next generation virtual assistants are going to be able to do more than just retrieve information – they'll be able to have a more complex conversation within that persons area of interest. "Your son will be able to proactively get information about whatever he’s interested in without asking for it, because the assistant will anticipate what he likes," said William Mark, Vice President for Information and Computing Sciences of a leading independent research center. Relating this back to the story above, this boy could actually have an intuitive, fluid conversation with a virtual assistant about topics that interest him; in this case, the weather.

Virtual Assistants and self-service are a trending option in today’s market but as you can see, their benefits can go far beyond the scope of support or sales. People want to be able to do things their own way, on their own time, and that includes socially. Some people are just more comfortable chatting with Artificial Intelligence than others. And in this particular case, that allowed this autistic boy to feel comfortable but still get that social interaction that human beings desire.

Here is a video from ABCNews.com describing just how Siri helped this teenage boy.

More ABC US news | ABC World News

What is your opinion on children with disabilities and technology? Is it pushing them away from human interaction or better preparing them? Should children in school classrooms have access to a virtual assistant to facilitate learning? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below.  

www.nohold.com

3 Reasons Why Smartphone Brands Need a Virtual Customer Assistant (like Siri) for Customer Support

Photo Credit: richardrshapiro.com

Happy Wednesday all! I wanted to first start off with a side note. noHold has decided to write a weekly blog (as opposed to daily), to make sure we are providing our audience with the most relevant and compelling content. Thanks for your continued support! 

In light of customer service week, I wanted to share some thoughts on why one of the World's most recognized consumer electronics companies, Apple, and brands alike, could benefit from having a Virtual Customer Assistant (VCA) for support. 

Siri, Google Now, and Cortana are some of the most well known Virtual Personal Assistants (VPA) used today. Smartphone users typically ask their VPA for directions, reviews, funny questions, and a host of other things. While these companies utilizes VPAs for users to answer personal questions, it's about time they used a VCA (similar to Siri or Cortana) for customer support. Here are three reasons why.  

#1: Apple's melt down after the release of their first update to iOS 8 is not a secret. According to an article from Computer World, "Apple today [Sept. 24] released, then quickly pulled, its first update for iOS 8 after customers flooded its support forum with reports that their iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Smartphones could no longer connect to a cellular network." Increase in customer support and service questions surrounding new software updates, and new versions are a common challenge for many companies. While it may not have been able to fix the problem in this instance, it would be able to give assurance to users that the problem is being addressed and maybe even offer some sort of condolence for the inconvenience, such as a coupon, or free song download. This way, customer satisfaction is never compromised, even in the face of technical difficulties. 

Photo Credit: themacwire.com

#2: What about the U2 debacle that occurred at the end of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus announcement? Many iPhone users were upset that the U2 album automatically downloaded into their iTunes, and wanted to figure out how to delete it. With the bad backlash from their marketing tactic, a VCA could have provided a solution to tens of thousands of users without costing the company big bucks to answer the phones/ emails. 

#3: Lastly, one of the leading analyst firms is predicting that companies need to start leveraging digital technologies to create a more engaging customer experience. They believe that more enterprises are exploring self-service through a VCA to reduce the volume of calls to the contact center, thus reducing support costs. Not only will a VCA reduce support costs, it can also help improve customer satisfaction in the process. 

In this age of technology, it is apparent that self-service is quickly becoming the users' preferred channel for support. Top brands, and small businesses alike need to adapt their strategies accordingly before they get left behind. 

How are you celebrating your customers this week...and daily? Is your company using digital technology to improve the customer experience? Do you agree that Smartphone vendors should leverage a VCA for customer support? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. 
www.nohold.com

Throwback Thursday: Virtual Agents for Wearable Devices

Happy Throwback Thursday! 

Earlier in the year, noHold published a short demo video showing you how Virtual Agents can augment the Internet of Everything. Check it out below:  

When asking the community what they think about wearable devices, there has been an overwhelming lack of consensus on this technology. People have mixed feelings whether to embrace this disruptive tech, or reject it completely. With the announcement of the Apple Watch to come out in 2015, we'll see if wearable devices will gain a little more traction than before.  

In addition to being the latest wearable device in the game, Apple Watch also comes equipped with Apple's well known Personal Virtual Assistant, Siri, but Siri seems to be falling short compared to other personal Virtual Assistants lately. While it has received some updates, one important feature that Siri still lacks is the ability to follow a conversation. You can ask it a question, but as soon as you ask another question, Siri loses the context of the conversation. 

For wearable devices and the Internet of Everything to be a more usable concept, a Virtual Agent (VA) needs to be able to act as a 'butler' (similar to the video above), to manage all the devices and applications in your life. It should be able to, not only do what you ask, but also suggest other actions based on gathered knowledge and reference back to the context of the conversation. For example, you ask the VA to set the alarm for 6:30 AM. The VA sets the alarm, but comes back with the suggestion to set your alarm a little earlier because your gas tank is low and you need to fill up in the morning.

What are your thoughts on the future of wearable devices? Are they going to be a dying trend or will they be the next must-have devices? How do you think a more conversational and intuitive Virtual Agent will impact wearable devices and the Internet of Everything?

www.nohold.com

Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: Google Now Features Better Than Siri? Better than Cortana?

When we talk about Personal Virtual Assistant, Siri usually is the first name that comes to mind. Although, Siri might be one of the better-known virtual assistants, it certainly is not the only one. 

In the past we have talked a lot about some of the cool features most people didn't know about Siri. For this week's Virtual Agent tips and tricks blog, I wanted to share with you some lesser known features, about Google Now. Here are "9 Things You May Not Have Known About Google Now." (2014, Daniel Bean, Yahoo! Tech)

1. You can ask specific question to bring up information cards.

2. You can say, "Hey, Google" to launch the app.

3. Google can learn your relationships to contacts.

4. There are plenty of fun tricks and Easter eggs.

5. You can make Google Now smarter through a survey.

6. Android Wear watches can run Google Now, too. 

7. It features a handy tip calculator.

8. Google Now is available on your PC.

9. It can identify music and TV programs just by listening. 

As you can tell, some of these features definitely overlap with Siri features such as learning contact relationships, but others are unique to Google Now like being available on wearable devices and using information cards to answer specific questions.  

There is always heated debates about which Personal Virtual Assistant is the best: Siri, Google Now, Cortana, Watson, etc. Just check out the commercial Microsoft put out emphasizing the rivalry between Siri and Cortana. 

What is your opinion on the virtual rivalries? Which virtual assistant do you use, or would you use? Why?

www.nohold.com

Tim Cook Says, "People Want to Relate to Their Phone in a Different Way"

About two years ago, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, was interviewed and asked about Siri. His response was, "I think Siri has proven to us that people want to relate to their phone in a different way. Yes it can be broader and so forth, but we see unbelievable potential here. I think you're going to be happy with where it's going. We're doubling down on it." (wired.co.uk)

Fast forward 2 years, we can tell that they are doing some serious upgrading to Siri technology to keep up with the competition. As we mentioned yesterday, Siri has some interesting new features to appear in the updated iOS8. Back in August, Apple submitted a patent application for a Siri-like virtual assistant for Mac's (appleinsider.com). And now, they are expanding their Siri office in Boston to accommodate their continued work on speech recognition technology. "Earlier this year a report in June suggested Apple could be looking to replace Nuance as the speech recognition component used for Siri pointing to several new hires at the company." (9to5mac.com)

Siri, and other Virtual Assistants alike, provide users with a sense of connection to their devices, making it more personal. It has completely changed the way humans interact with not only our phones, but technology in general. Virtual Agents are being used more and more for customer support (helping users solve their own problems), sales (giving users knowledge and recommendations based on specific, personalized information), and care (letting users know information about their shipments/orders).

Do you agree that Siri has changed the way we relate with our devices? Imagine a life with a more intuitive and interactive Virtual Assistant; similar to a trusted 'pal' that can predict your needs/wants, give you relevant information in real time, and assist you with things such as scheduling, shopping, and controlling other devices. Siri might not be there yet, but it seems that the future of Virtual Assistants is moving in that direction.   

www.nohold.com

Apple's Big Announcement: What Does This Mean For Siri?

"Today, we are pleased to announce the biggest advancement in iPhone." -Tim Cook

The much anticipated Apple event occurred this morning in Cupertino, CA. Here, they announced some of the latest features integrated into the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. 

• Much larger screen.  iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display. iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch display. 
• The cover glass is made up of a Retina HD display.
• There is a updated Home screen for landscape mode.
• iPhone 6 has a 8MP iSight camera, 1.5µ pixels, ƒ/2.2 aperture, with an all new sensor.
• The predictive keyboard learns your conversation style and helps you answer accordingly. 
• The new Health app gives you a detailed look at your health and fitness data.
• See how much faster and easier it is to pay with Apple Pay
• Pre-order your iPhone 6 starting Sept. 12

Not only did they announce all the newest features integrated within the iOS8 platform, they also unveiled the newest addition to their product line, the Apple Watch. Looks like the rumors were right; Apple joined the market for wearable devices. Check out the sleek design.

Photo Credit: Apple.com

Siri also made it's way into the Apple Watch. The iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and Apple Watch all run iOS8, which made some significant updates to Siri. Though, the event did not mention Siri much, back in June at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, they mentioned some of the updates Siri will be getting in iOS8. 

• Shazam song recognition
• Voice activation, all you have to do is say "Hey, Siri."
• Streaming voice recognition
• 22 new dictation languages
• Purchasing iTunes content

Do you think this face lift be enough to keep Apple on top of the Virtual Assistant game, competing with Android's Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana?   

 www.nohold.com

Throwback Thursday: Apple's New Release vs. Apple Five Years Ago

Photo Credit: thisdayintechhistory.com

Happy Throwback Thursday!

Did you know that exactly five years ago today, Apple released their Mac OS X 'Snow Leopard'? Most people don't remember that operating system, but it was an important time for Apple, Inc. Due to Snow Leopard, they dropped the support for PowerPC-based Macs and shifted their attention to the Intel processor-based Macs. They also discontinued AppleTalk in Snow Leopard, one of the first and most widely used networking protocol in the World (ThisDayInTechHistory.com).

Fast forward 5 years; Apple is expected to release the iPhone 6 in the coming weeks. The details on the phone are very hush-hush, but everyone is anticipating a very technologically sophisticated phone, with elements that make it easier for users. Some speculations on new features of the iPhone 6 include a much larger screen (edge-to-edge display), a whopping 128 GB of storage, and a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip inside the phone (PCAdvisor.com). With the presence of an NFC chip, wireless charging is made possible, and it also puts Apple in the game of mobile payment systems. It is rumored that they will either use Bluetooth/Wi-Fi to create their own e-wallet platform (accessible from any iPhone, not just the 6), or they are using the NFC technology to include mobile payments, strictly for iPhone 6 users. Either way it looks like Google Wallet is facing some competition now (AppleInsider.com)    

These are only a few of the predictions made for the up and coming iPhone, but what about updates for Siri? With almost all major brands creating a Personal Virtual Assistant for their smartphones (Microsoft=Cortana, Android=GoogleNow, etc.), Apple needs to make sure Siri is maintaining the latest, cutting-edge technology. 

What sort of updates do you think Siri should or is going to get? Sources suggest that the new iPhone will have a heart rate monitor; do you think this means that Siri will be able to manage your health through a single user interface? 

www.nohold.com

Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: What Are the Components That Create a Stellar Self-Service Experience?

Within the past couple of years, Personal Virtual Assistants have become household names (Siri, Watson, GoogleNow, Cortana, etc.). Although they are gaining popularity with the public now, noHold has been developing sophisticated Virtual Agents (VA) for over a decade. Based on our experience, and the satisfaction of our customers, these are just a few of the key features one should take into consideration when implementing a Virtual Agent: 

1. Natural Language Processor (NLP). The NLP gives the VA the intelligence to provide the right answer to a question, even if questions are phrased differently, or if there is misspelled or morphed words. For example, "Show me a neworking sample" and "What is a network?" Due to the NLP, even though the questions are different and there is a misspelled word in one of the phrases, the VA will still provide me with the same answer. 
2.  Multilingual Capability. Having a multilingual Virtual Agent is one of the differences between  becoming a global success and staying a local commodity.  Global support options should speak the language of your audience. 
3. Reporting metrics. This feature allows you to listen to the Voice of the Customer (VoC), and gives the customer an opportunity to share how he/she feels about the experience. Flexible reporting options empower trusted brands to not only listen to the VoC, but also to customize the reporting they capture from each interaction. 
4. An effective VA should be able to provide multimedia options within the solutions. For example, including images for visual learners, or embedding an instructional video to demonstrate how to fix the audio sound on your PC. Most people prefer watch a clip to see how something is done, instead of reading a long list of directions that can often be confusing. 
5. Ease of implementation and ease of maintaining is another feature to look out for when learning about Virtual Agents. A short implementation process and easy administrative tools allow entry level associates (or even interns) to build and maintain a Virtual Agent. Some noHold customers utilize short overview videos to introduce groups a Virtual Agent to call center agents, employees, consumers and more. 
6.  Another important feature that a Virtual Agent should have, is the ability to ask confirming questions. In a natural conversation with your peers, the listener often confirms he/she understands your request before responding or taking action. For example: "Where is the light?" Before answering, the other party might ask "Are you asking me where is the light in the kitchen?" By implementing this type of feature, you keep the conversation as close to a human interaction as possible, while avoiding a false positive response. 
7. Clarifying Questions. The end user should be able to ask clarifying questions without confusing the VA. For example: During a natural conversation, I might use a term that my audience is not familiar with. In this case, my peer or audience should be able to stop me and ask "Before you proceed, please tell me what a Virtual Assistant is?" The ability to ask clarifying questions is imperative for the end user to have a successful dialog, and a smart self-service application should be able to mimic that dialog. Clarifying questions during a VA conversation empowers the end user to understand a term, and then continue naturally with the remainder of the conversation without a hiccup. 
8. Change of subject. The end user should be able to abruptly change subject during the interaction without confusing the VA. Giving consumers the freedom to control which direction the conversation goes in is an important aspect to increasing Customer Satisfaction. 
9. Integration with the customer experience ecosystem. A Virtual Agent can live within your existing call center, integrate with live chat, and/or other applications. Having open APIs gives companies the flexibility to create a custom Virtual Agent that is specific to the needs of the brand. In addition, seamless customer experiences increase customer loyalty and satisfaction, and have proven to reduce costs. 
10. One of the most important features that a Virtual Agent should have is the ability to be diagnostic and interactive. Sometimes, users need help diagnosing or figuring out what the problem is. When there is an 'error' message, the customer may not understand how to troubleshoot the problem. With the diagnostic element, a Virtual Agent can help troubleshoot the problem and give interactive instructions to solving the issue. A Virtual Agent makes sure it understands you and you understand it, every step of the way.    

These are just some of the most popular best practices that have worked for our customers. The light-weight, flexibility of a Virtual Agent gives companies the power they need to create a stellar customer experience, from the beginning of the relationship all the way to supporting that relationship.  

What are the features that make your customer experience stellar? Does your company offer self-service options for pre-sales, customer service/care, and support? What is your strategy to creating a unified customer journey for end-users?

www.nohold.com 

Didn't Get a Chance to Catch the Peggy Smedley Show? Check It Out on Demand

Yesterday, our CEO had the privilege to be featured on one of the most reputable radio shows for M2M and connected devices, the Peggy Smedley Show. Alongside was Glenn Schleicher, Sr. Director of Customer Service at Cisco. Together, Diego and Glenn, put on a great show, sharing their knowledge and forward-thinking about the Internet of Everything (IoE). 

We just wanted to take the time to say thank you to everyone that was able to tune in to the show. It was a great opportunity to let listeners know what noHold is doing and how important it is, especially as we getting deeper into the IoE. If you did not get a chance to catch the show, but would still like to hear their thought-provoking discussion, please follow the link to archived episodes and click on episode #333. There you will find four segments, Diego joins the conversation in the second segment, 'Interaction with the Internet of Things' and continues into the subsequent segments.    

In today's market, Diego believes the sky is the limit for Artificial Intelligence. It is apparent that A.I. is becoming apart of our daily lives already (i.e. Siri, Watson, GoogleNow, etc.) and it will only get more advanced in the future. Now, with things being connected to the Internet by the second, A.I. can help manage all those 'things.' During the discussion, Peggy mentions that Cisco said, "99% of things in the physical world are still not connected to the Internet, but by 2020, 37 billion intelligent things will be connected to the Internet." With so many connected devices, it is going to be imperative to leverage A.I. to simplify the complexities. 

Glenn joined the discussion and mentioned that there is a new level of challenges that comes with the Internet of Everything -updating software, troubleshooting problems, higher volumes of customers etc.- but by designing self-service (Virtual Agents) that can handle these complex interactions, the Internet of Everything is a very tangible concept for the near future. 

Take a listen to the show and let us know what you think about the Internet of Everything. If you have any questions, you can fill out a contact us form from our website, or tweet us your question by tagging @noHoldAI and using #IoEConvo. We will get back to you as soon as possible. 
www.nohold.com 

Throwback Thursday: From the iMac to iHeadphones? How Will Apple Join the Wearable Device Market

Photo Credit: macsinmovies.blogspot.com

Check out the throwback photo above of a popular cartoon promoting Apple's iMac G3. But have you ever wondered why most Apple products have the letter "i" in front of the name? (i.e. iPhone, iPad, iTunes, etc.)

It all started in May of 1998 when the iMac was first announced (iMac G3 Introduced). The infamous lower case "i" is said to have stood for "Internet", meaning their products were Internet-friendly, which was a big deal back when PC's were first gaining popularity.

Today, it is used as more of a brand recognition strategy (Apple Support Communities). People all over the world associate "iAnything" as an Apple product right away. 

In more recent news, there is on-going buzz about Apple and their potential acquisition of Beats by Dre, the major mogul of high quality audio technology. But the big question is still, "Why?" Why would Apple spend 3.2 billion dollars on audio technology? 

Photo Credit: thenewsnerd.com

One thought is that they are in the process of developing "iHeadphones", or in other words, Internet connected headphones that can connect to your phone through WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity and stream music straight to your headphones with quality sound. “If Apple can incorporate the Beats product into its wearable computing system...then the deal could pose a threat to Google, Facebook, and other companies that are forging ahead on smart glasses and watches,” according to Time. (Who will Apple BEAT with Beats-Apple deal: 4 Things Apple Could Do). 

What do you think about Apple's potential acquisition and how it plays a role in the Internet of Everything phenomenon? In the future, will a Virtual Agent -think Siri- be able to respond through wireless headphones (like Beats) and read back your emails, or send your friend a text saying your running a little late? How will all of these separate wearable devices play well together? 

www.nohold.com

noHold Demonstrates How Virtual Agents Offer ‘Siri-like’ Experience for Communicating with Wearable Devices

May 6, 2014, Milpitas, California – noHold announces that it has been working with a number of popular manufacturers to prove that Virtual Agents augment the Internet of Everything (IoE). With a working version already able to communicate with wearable technology, noHold Connect will change the way that humans interact with the IoE.

According to a recent article published by Computerworld (Computerworld.com), “Analysts expect not only an explosion of wearable devices in the next three years, but an explosion of mobile apps of all kinds. Research firm Gartner last year predicted that wearable devices will drive half of all app interactions by 2017, a startling prediction, but one that Gartner believes was reinforced by the flurry of wearable devices shown at International CES.” One analyst mentioned that “virtually all vendors are choosing mobile apps to interact with the way we will use a wearable device.”

The scenario that noHold described in a Press Release about noHold Connect and the IoE, is coming to fruition. noHold Connect augmenting the IoE is about focusing on bringing the human element to the future of interconnected living, while making consumers less dependent on multiple apps. When the average consumer purchases a wearable fitness bracelet, he/she will expect to be able to interact with it from a conversational standpoint. Today, a conversation with noHold’s Virtual Butler sounds like this: The end customer asks, “Can I eat cake?” and gets a real response based on the data collected by the devices such as carbohydrate and glucose intake. The response from the Virtual Butler is, “Sorry! Based on your glucose level, you cannot eat the cake.”

Similarly, a wearable device capturing data about sleep patterns is now able to communicate with noHold’s butler. If asked, “How much deep sleep did I get,” the butler retrieves information about last night’s sleep quality, and interprets that data into a response such as, “You had 2 hours and 46 minutes of deep sleep last night.”

This is just the beginning; consumers will expect similar experiences when setting and managing appliances such as a coffee makers, thermostats, etc. as well as conducting common daily chores like checking the automobile’s oil level, making an appointment at the nearest auto shop, while scheduling the recording of a favorite TV program.

At an event this month, noHold’s butler will demonstrate how Virtual Agents can now bridge the gap between Internet connected ‘things’ and cognitive interaction without the need for managing hundreds of mobile apps.

“In the near future, communicating with technology and our surroundings [especially devices] will be the norm. Voice and text interaction with our environment is not just a marketing ploy; it’s happening. There is a real paradigm shift that’s taking place, and the technology has been validated by industry leaders such as IBM Watson™, Apple®, Cisco®, and more. I was recently asked where we get our inspiration for connecting new devices, and I definitely recommend attending the Cisco Live event which is taking place May 18-22 in San Francisco. You can register for the event here,” said Diego Ventura, CEO and Founder of noHold, Inc.

About noHold Inc.

noHold is a privately held company established in 1999 and is headquartered in Milpitas, CA, USA (Silicon Valley). noHold is the acknowledged leader in Web based Self-service solutions with a mission to deliver real answers to real questions - real fast. Simple to use, easy to implement and as close to human as you can get, noHold turns automated customer support into cognitive customer interaction. noHold customers include Toshiba, Lenovo, Cisco and a host of industry leaders. More information can be found at www.nohold.com.

Press Contact

Sarah Ramoz

Marketing Operations Manager

sramoz@nohold.com

408.946.9200 ext. 305

Copyright © 2014 noHold Inc. All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners.

Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: 5 Reasons Why Your Support Site Encourages Customers to Call You

     Have you ever wondered why, in a Web dominated era, phone calls are still one of the most common channels for receiving support? To add to that, phone calls are one of the most expensive channels for support teams to upkeep, often more than $10 just to pick up the phone. One motivation for consumers to call in is due to the way support sites are organized. When designing a support site it is important to encourage cost effective methods such as self-service.  Here are 5 reasons why your support site discourages self-service and encourages 'call in' behavior.

1. A list of FAQs doesn't cut it. Let’s face it, a low cost list of FAQs is costing more money than it should. When the end user can't easily find a solution, he/she is forced to call. 
2. The live assistance option is front and center. If live assistance is what the customers see first, more often than not, they will use that channel. It's best to provide multiple options, without making live assistance difficult to find. That said, if you encourage end users to call you, they will. 
3. There is no GPS for navigating a website. Your customers might be asking themselves: Where do I go for sales questions? Where do I go for support? What's the cost to your company if the end customer engages with a live chat agent for sales rather than the support agent they need?
4. The company has built a library full of wonderful content, but there is no easy way to find the right resource. To the end user, some common phrases are: I have a problem,error, not working, help! It's not easy to solve the problem without an interactive experience, especially when troubleshooting is necessary. 
5. Lack of promotion. Most customers are not aware that there are options. Make it known that support and sales options are available and make it fun for customers to use. One way to make consumers aware of the cost effective support solutions is by making it fun, encouraging them to come back. Apple's Siri advertisements demonstrate a friendly 'pal' when you need answers to questions. Think about this: A Virtual Agent for your website can be just as engaging and even fun to interact with. In addition to answering the typical support/service/marketing questions, embed contests, surveys, candid and 'quirky' responses to add some personality. In addition, make it easy for your customers to share with their own network through social sharing. 

     Having a multi-channel website is essential, but positioning and encouraging self-service is equally important. Using these tips will help cut the cost of support and increase Customer Satisfaction (CSAT). The more your consumers use self-service, the greater the ROI will be. Does your support site encourage ‘call in’ behavior? Maybe it’s time to evaluate.      

www.nohold.com

A Self-Driving, Personal Virtual Assistant

Smart car sales are continually increasing in popularity since their adoption in the US. Each year they seem to be getting a little more advanced. For example, Apple has created CarPlay, which they launched at the Geneva Motor Show. This software provides iOS users a hands-free option to make phone calls, check voice mail, etc. It is comparable to having a Personal Virtual Assistant programmed into your car.

Similarly, Google is taking smart cars to the next level with their design of the self-driving car. If you live in the Silicon Valley, you have probably seen Google’s self-driving car in action. The video above is Google’s vision for the future of smart, self-driving cars. With the Internet of Everything (IoE) era among us, and the ability for devices to connect with each other, this vision of less congested, safer roads is not too far away. Automobile manufacturers are already incorporating smart machines in vehicles for things such as hands free GPS, and music. How will smart machines and Artificial Intelligence continue evolving along with self-driving cars?

Flashback Friday: The Artificial Intelligence Movement

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is appearing in the tech news more and more. AI is more than just a trend though; it is a growing movement being embraced by the World. Leading analyst are validating the market (BLOG LINK TO GARTNER PREDICTS) and Fortune 500 companies such as IBM with Watson, Apple with Siri, and Google with Google Now, are in agreement that AI is continuing to grow exponentially and has no plans to stop. Now, Microsoft is on board with the AI movement as well. It is rumored that the release of the Windows Phone 8.1 is going to come equipped with an AI virtual assistant (much like Siri) code-named “Cortana.” The name Cortana come from the Xbox game series Halo. Cortana is an AI hologram character used throughout the game as a co-partner to fight off the enemies. Halo fans are very excited to see one of their favorite characters’s become a Virtual Assistant (Microsoft May Breathe New Life into Halo’s Cortana AI).

Microsoft’s co-founder Paul Allen is also on board with the AI movement. He is realizing that AI is not just a childhood fantasy anymore; with today’s technology anything is possible. Allen and others are doing research on developing an AI that can understand language and use reasoning skills to interact with its surroundings (Paul Allen and the Machines: Teaching the Next Generation of Artificial Intelligence).

Due to a busy week, we decided to do Flashback Friday this week. In light of Flashback Friday I wanted to share Microsoft’s early uses of a Virtual Agent.

1    1. We all remember Clippy in the corner of the screen helping users with their PC problems.

2    2. Here is a screenshot or a press release from 2007 announcing Microsoft’s implementation of a Virtual Agent.

Throwback Thursday: Human-Like Artificial Intelligence

Happy Throwback Thursday!

In 2001, the movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence opened in theaters. It’s a movie exploring the concept of artificial intelligence with the ability to think and feel emotions. Since 2001, it seems like A.I. has become more of a norm than it was before.  Last week noHold shared the movie “Her” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson (the voice of the AI). I recently had the time (and free movie passes) to go enjoy it for myself. When you get past the initial amazement of a human falling in love with his Operating System, you begin to see that the movie challenges you to think outside the box and wonder “what if.” It also opens your eyes to how much of today’s world is already emotionally connected to technology.

These movies may seem fictional and completely out of the norm, but if you look at how much technology has advanced in such a short amount of time, it doesn't seem as far-fetched as we think. For example, Siri is one of the most popular functions of an iPhone, not only for the convenience, but for entertainment as well. I know people who talk to Siri when they are bored just to see what she says. In fact, one of our Virtual Agents was actually proposed to! Developers are beginning to see that consumers want to converse with Artificial Intelligence that has some sort of personality.

Leading analyst firms are already predicting the growth and success of smart machines. Soon, everyone will be engaging with smart technologies on a daily basis. The concept of emotions and smart machines is in its very early stages. One example is Intel’s demonstration of the Edison Chip at CES 2014. They showed an example of how the Edison chip can be used as a helping hand to parents, being able to check your child’s vitals or turning on the bottle warmer when it hears the baby cry. This device analyzes the situation and responds accordingly with somewhat of a mothers nurturing sense.

Seems like the next step is for A.I. is to mimic or get closer to human emotion…what do you think? Should Virtual Assistants have the capability to detect and respond with emotion? Some already do, but to what extent? 

www.nohold.com

Tell Us About Your Experience With a Virtual Agent/Virtual Assistant and Win a Free T-Shirt!

I hope everyone is having a great start to their week so far! Since Halloween just passed and the season of giving is upon us, we have decided it is time for another free giveaway contest! 

We want to know what your most memorable Virtual Agent experience is! This experience could be from a virtual personal assistants like Siri, or a company Virtual Agent geared towards customer service, support, or sales. It can be a funny moment or you can share about a time that you had exceptionally GREAT customer service via a Virtual Agent. For example, "I asked_______and the Virtual Agent answered _______."

Leave a comment with your most memorable moment on any of our social media channels...including this blog! Anyone can join 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noHold

Twitter: https://twitter.com/noHoldAI 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/nohold-inc.

The contest will start today (11/4) and end the following Sunday (11/10) at 11:59 PM. Winners will be chosen at random and receive a complementary "Albert is Okay" t-shirt! The winners will be announced and receive a message declaring their victory by end of day Monday (11/11). We have only three t-shirts to give away, but since the winners are picked randomly, it is worth it to post something to try and win! 

Remember to like us on Facebook//follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn!  

Good Luck!

*Rules and Regulations do apply, only ships to US and Canada*
*T-shirt sizes include Medium, Large, and X-Large*