What Would You Do With Your Own Bot?

noHold is excited about the response we have received from the BETA program of our latest platform, SICURA QuickStart. If you don't know, QuickStart is a platform designed for anyone, even non programmers, to create a chatbot out of a Word or GoogleDoc. We call these bots, Albert. Get your own Albert here! Small businesses are adopting the concept already. One example is Revolve Robotics, creators of the teleprescnce robot Kubi. Check out the video below to see how Albert has helped enhance customer service without requiring much effort at all.  In this instance, Revolve Robotics is using Albert to answer support questions, but Albert is versatile and can be knowledgeable about whatever you want. It can be used for internal purposes including employee manuals, sales processes, and general IT information. Individuals are also using personal accounts to create customized AI assistants from documents they already have such as recipe bots, teacher assistants, and more. For more small business use cases, please click here. If you would like to sign up for your own free, personal account you can visit www.albertai.com, and click 'sign up' in the top right corner. Already have an account? We would love to hear how you are using Albert! Tag us on Twitter (@albertai2)/Facebook (@Albert) or contact us via the web, and share your story for a chance to be featured on our website. Cheers!

ASK Albert | Contact Us | 408.946.9200 x 311

noHold’s AI Integrates with Facebook’s Messenger Platform

Connecting the Social Media Network’s 900 Million Users to their Own Virtual Assistants

November 10, 2016, MILPITAS, CA – noHold, creators of AI-powered virtual assistants for enterprise and beyond, today launched a connector to Facebook’s Messenger platform, enabling users to interact with noHold Virtual Assistants directly from the social giant’s Messaging app. 

According to a report from Business Insider’s Intelligence division, at the beginning of 2015, the number of messaging app users surpassed social media users. Since Virtual Assistants closely resemble the messaging app paradigm, this user shift opened the door for businesses to utilize Virtual Assistants to provide a scalable way to engage with their customers 24/7 on these types of platforms. 

Diego Ventura, CEO and founder of noHold adds, “Our objective is to make it simple for non-programmers to create a Virtual Assistant. It is also important to make sure that same Virtual Assistant is reachable from any channel an end user prefers. The popularity of Facebook, as well as the large business presence, made it an obvious choice for us to connect to.”

noHold has been able to embed our clients’ Virtual Assistants to their company Facebook page for some time. This difference with this connector is its ability to live directly within Facebook’s Messaging interface. A user simply types the name of the Virtual Assistant for the company they are inquiring within Facebook Messenger’s search bar, clicks on the associated icon and the chat window will appear. It has the same look and feel as chatting with a human, but the interaction is powered by Artificial Intelligence. 

Take for example a company that already has a Virtual Assistant on their website, such as Dell. If I was chatting with my friend on Facebook Messenger about the recent sale on Dell laptops, wouldn’t it be convenient if from the same messaging platform I could chat with a Virtual Assistant that knew everything about Dell products. This new connector makes that possible. 

While bots are not new to Facebook Messenger, the current bots are not always helpful. It is inspiring to see people trying to create bots, but it is important that the platform used to create them is easy to use by everyone. There are a few key differentiators that make this connector unique:

• It can connect to an entire platform that can handle creating thousands of bots.
• The technology powering these bots is familiar, enabling an intuitive and interactive end user experience. 
• Allows you to develop one bot and repurpose that same bot throughout different channels (social media, collaboration platforms, etc).

For more from Diego on this topic, click here to watch a short clip about this integration.

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 interactions. noHold customers include Cisco, Dell, Intel and a host of industry leaders. More information can be found at http://www.nohold.com or subscribe to noHold’s vlog to hear more from CEO, Diego Ventura.

 

Press Contact

Veronica Cech

Marketing Associate

vcech@nohold.com    

408.946.9200 ext. 356

All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners.

6 Tips to Help Reimagine the Customer Support Experience for Your Audience

A couple weeks ago we mentioned the ongoing trend multiple companies are following of 'reimagining' products and services. While the product is an important component to the customer experience, it is not the only component that needs attention. Think about brand names such as Disney, Apple, Sony, and Amazon. When you hear these names you don't just think about their products...you typically associate them with exceptional customer service. To achieve global success, your customer service and customer support need to match this product evolution. 

Here are 6 tips to help 'reimagine' the customer support experience:     

Photo Source: wearesocial.sg

• Embrace Social Media - Social media is not a new concept, but the necessity for companies to connect with their audience through these channels (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.) is now a must. In a survey, "42% of consumers complaining in social media expect 60 minute response times," and "24% expect a reply within 30 minutes, regardless of when the contact was made." (Convince & Convert) Support vendors are making this transition easier with interactive technology that can be deployed directly on their social channels. 

• Leverage the Internet of Everything (IoE) - As we've heard previously, the number of connected devices is expected to reach 50 billion by the year 2020. Thanks to the IoE "companies are starting to use support automation to preemptively diagnose and fix issues with minimal human intervention." (Forrester) "The real value in IoT [IoE] is not just connecting devices to their users, but to deliver an integrated management platform, driven by big data to centralize customer service." (CSMWire)
• Clear Website Design - People typically visit a company website first when looking for support. It is crucial to have a clear, flowing website layout for customers to easily find the information they need.  
• Understand Customer Wants/Needs - The Voice of the Customer (VOC) is powerful data to incorporate into the development of any company. Leading brands have implemented self-service marketing tools that collect metrics/qualitative insight directly from the customers themselves. In one particular case, using an empty Virtual Agent (EZIntel), a leader in computer hardware manufacturing was able to use the knowledge they gained from their customers to make adjustments to their web design to better fit their audience. Learn more about collecting actionable customer intelligence here: http://www.nohold.com/assets/ezintel_brochure-(1).pdf

Photo Credit: ideastogo.com

• Improve Self-Service Technology - "In a survey Forrester recently found that web self service was the most widely used communication channel for customer service, surpassing use of the voice channel for the first time." (Forbes) It is not just enough to have sub par self-service options though. Customers are demanding a more interactive, personalized way for self-service interactions to flow.  
• Single Point of Search - Providing customers with the convenience of having one place to search and find answers to their problems. For example, users can ask a question in the text field, and solutions will come up from multiple knowledge sources. (i.e. internal knowledge base, Google, CRM systems, etc.) Click the infographic below for an enlarged visual representation of this concept.                                            

Please share in the comments below some of the ways your company is 'reimagining' the support ecosystem. For more information on any of the tips mentioned above, please contact noHold.

How to Find the Solution You are Looking for Using a Virtual Assistant

I stumbled across this really interesting infographic from Alienware's support Twitter account (@AlienwaretechSupport). They describe how using their Virtual Agent can help you find a solution in 4 easy steps: 

1. Access the Virtual Agent homepage
2. Select your computer model
3. Pick a topic from the 'hot topics' section or type your problem in the search bar   
4. Follow the appropriate link to access that article in their Knowledge Base

Sharing this infographic with their audience via social media has a number of advantages. It lets customers know they have self-service options for tech support, it encourages user adoption, and provides a step-by-step guide on how to use it for those that aren't familiar interacting with Artificial Intelligence.  

Social media is an important platform to utilize as a business. It is a way to connect with the majority of your audience easily and on a more personal level. Sharing helpful tips and tricks on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook benefits both the company and consumers.  

Click here to check out the infographic. 

www.nohold.com

Artificial Intelligence and Social Media: Integration of Virtual Assistants on Forums

Photo Credit: hrzone.com

It is nothing new that social media sites are one of the most popular platforms for customers to complain, praise, or seek customer support. Once companies began to realize this trend, "adoption of social customer care programs increased fivefold from 12% in 2010 to 59% in 2013." (Aberdeen Group). 

With so many different channels that people look to for support, it is important to offer self-service solutions for people that want to find answers on their own terms, 24/7. Integrating Virtual Assistants with online communities, including social media and forums, is an effective way to increase customer satisfaction and decrease support costs. 

A Virtual Assistant and social media can work together to provide the best possible support for customers that prefer these channels. The Virtual Assistant can be embedded on a companies Facebook page, automated on community forums to answer questions if it has a high degree of certainty, or leveraged as a tool that could be used prior to posting a question to the community.

How is your company adapting to the social age? Does your customer support strategy involve social media? To learn more about the integration of Virtual Assistants and communities, please visit our website: www.nohold.com 

Virtual Customer Assistants and Self-Service Used to Enhance CRM Platforms

Photo Credit: vocalcom.com

Last week, ComputerWorld published an article on Microsoft’s newest CRM suite, fully equipped with their Personal Virtual Assistant, Cortana. “Tasks available via Cortana voice commands will include setting up meetings and reminders, searching for contacts, accounts and activities, calling up customer lists and creating new records” (Cortana to Give Voice and Ears to Dynamics CRM).

It seems like Microsoft is making the right moves, at the right time by enhancing their Dynamics CRM platform. Research from trusted analyst firms in the industry are advocating for a shift to omni-channel CRM systems; that is, moving from a Contact Center to a Customer Engagement Center (CEC). According to one of the leading analyst firms, it is imperative for companies to include multiple business applications and technologies that will coexist and work cohesively. Some examples of functions that incorporate to create the full CEC ecosystem are: knowledge management solutions, social media channels for customer to receive support (including blogs, communities, and forums), providing mobile support options, and more.

Other CRM vendors are further validating the need for omni-channel CRM platforms. Recently, the customer service and engagement vendor, [24]7, acquired Virtual Assistant company, Intelliresponse. Another example is Nuance’s acquisition of VirtuOz a while back. These CRM vendors are realizing the value of adding Virtual Customer Assistants as another channel to enhance their CECs. Since self-service is becoming one of the most preferred means for communicating with a company, it is going to be key for CRM vendors to incorporate a way for customers to self-serve if they are on the web, social media, forums, mobile, or at kiosks.  

Do you think other vendors will follow suit with Microsoft? How do you think these acquisitions of Virtual Assistant companies will change the way we use CRM?      

www.nohold.com

Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: Virtual Agents For Your Community Forum

Photo Credit: business-software.com

This week's Tuesday tip: Virtual Agents are a great asset to social media pages, community forums, or blogs.

Community forums are a typical form of support for many companies. It is a simple, and collaborative way to find answers to questions. One way to amplify these forums is by implementing a Virtual Agent that can live on the page and act as either a virtual moderator or simply 'sit' on the sidelines as a brand expert. A virtual moderator works as an active force to answer questions posted on the forum. If the Virtual Agent can answer a question with a high degree of certainty, it will post the answer automatically. The other option is to have the Virtual host as an additional resource to the community forum. Instead of users posting a question and waiting for a human response, they can ask the Virtual Agent first. By doing so, they can get an immediate answer. 

Virtual Agents can extend across Social Media (i.e. Facebook, etc). Many companies leverage Virtual Agents on social media for more than just answering support questions, though. The Virtual Agent allows your audience to access your knowledge base for information on products, services, deals, and events. As you can see, the Virtual Agent can do more than just provide excellent support, it can help create an entire experience. 

Social media is increasingly becoming one of the most popular channels your customers are going to for all their needs. Is your company staying connected? How does your company manage unanswered forum posts? 

www.nohold.com

Throwback Thursday: The Evolution and Future of Social Media

prohibitionpr.co.uk

When we think of social media, Facebook,Twitter, and the most 'popular' social media sites come to mind.  There are dozens of sites similar to these, and your audience could be on any one of them, at any time. In fact, the number of people on social media continues to increase daily.

To the right, is an infographic about the evolution of social media (Prohibition). As time progresses, more and more social media sites are appearing and each one has its own unique functionality. One way to enhance social media sites is to integrate Virtual Agents (VAs). Here are just a few reason for doing so...

1. They can answer questions on Blogs/Facebook. Consumers look towards social media to get quick answers to their support and sales questions. Implementing a Virtual Agent onto your blog or Facebook profile will give consumers a fast, reliable option while getting great customer service; and as we know, customer satisfaction via social networks is critical. If one person is unhappy, they often blast negative remarks about your company to their network, discouraging potential customers to shop with your brand. On the flip side, if they are happy with your products/services, they could post a positive recommendation. According to an article in Yahoo! Small Business Advisor, "50% of shoppers have made a purchase based on a recommendation through a social media network" (15 Social Media Statistics That Every Business Needs to Know).
2. Sharing is another popular function on social media. When you find a solution or cool new product from the Virtual Agent, you have the capability to share that information easily with your network. 
3. Virtual Agents can be applied to community forum pages as well. For example, when a member posts a question, the Virtual Agent will assess the question and depending on the degree of confidence, it can post the appropriate response automatically. Similarly, the Virtual Agent can be a more passive option, by simply being available to answer questions if engaged by your audience. In both examples, a Virtual chat is beneficial because most community forum pages don't provide immediate solutions. Users can get an immediate response and have confidence that it is the right solution. 

Today, human interaction is still necessary. By realizing the popularity of social media, and considering the benefits of a Virtual Agent, the two go hand in hand. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already everywhere (Siri, Watson, Google Now, etc.) - Can you imagine a future where Virtual Agents become the 'MVPs' for interacting with your clients in community forums? What about on Facebook/ Blogs?

www.nohold.com

Throwback Thursday: Do Your Customers Want a Virtual Agent? Why Don’t You Ask Them?

Happy Throwback Thursday all!

This past Tuesday we shared a blog on leveraging social media to promote self-service tools (i.e. Virtual Agents) and how it can increase usage, and in turn save companies hundreds of thousands of dollars. Click here to read the entire blog.  For Throwback Thursday, we wanted to share another example of a leading PC manufacturer for gaming systems, quickly tweeting and engaging their audience about their self-service tool.

Staying connected through social media is one of the most popular methods to communicate in today’s market. This company is not only using social media to promote the use of their VA, but also asking end users for their feedback to enhance the experience. After all, understanding what the customer will use for support is critical in promoting self-service.

This is another idea to inform and engage consumers to utilize self-service options.

This company used a community forum page as another way for customers to voice their opinions. Instead of simply using the forum to answer support questions, they encouraged people to try out their VA to find answers and provide feedback on how they liked it or what could be done to improve it. It was a great way to start interactions with their customers and provide an outstanding customer experience.

Social media channels have been around for a while, and are becoming invaluable tools for businesses. Listening to your audience about products/services allows your company to get closer to the voice of the customer. I’ll leave you with this quote from Bill Gates,

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” Cheers! 

Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: Now Trending… #VirtualAgents

Social Media is one of the most popular ways to communicate with your audience. From top Fortune 500 companies to the local corner shop, staying connected to your customer is a top priority. More and more companies are turning to social media to do so.  It’s fast, it’s easy, and (in most cases) it’s free!

With more than half the population connected to social media (Social Networking Statistics), quick tweets and updates can promote self-service. Companies across multiple industries have discovered that sending quick messages to a connected audience is a great way to spread awareness and remind clients that self-service is available 24x7. In the example below, one company tweeted about one of their Virtual Agents, and provided users with a link directly to “Emma.” This in turn increased the use of the VA. 

Marketing your Virtual Agent to your consumers is a great tip to maximizing usage. Check out the blog written yesterday for more advice about embedding your Virtual Agent directly to your social media sites.

www.nohold.com 

Enhance Your Social Media Platform by Adding a Virtual Agent

Social media is a great way to connect with your consumers and hear what they have to say about your products or services. Here is a video explaining how social media to enhance your business.

With nearly one in four people around the world connected to social media today (eMarketer), your company’s social channels are where a lot of people refer to when faced with support questions or to talk about a complaint. To handle some of the questions, companies opt to implement a Virtual Agent on their social sites (e.g. Facebook), so customers have the option to answer their own questions, on their own time. Companies are still engaging the customer via social media, but doing so in a more time efficient manner.