Chatbot Developer and Bot Marketing Agency

Introducing Anna of Nestlé; Alfafusion’s Newest Health Bot on Messenger

We all have different ways and ideas on how to make wellness a part of our daily lives – whether it be through healthy eating, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, or taking precautions to prevent getting sick or developing diseases. With Anna, you can take these ideas and turn them into goals – goals that you can accomplish day by day to form a healthy lifestyle through Nestlé Wellness Club’s Healthy Habits Programs.

First Anna gets the user’s BMI, finds out their wellness goals, analyzes their waist size, and then suggests a program based on her findings.

Users can choose from four Healthy Habits Programs (Age Well Habits, Sexy Me Habits, Smart Carbs Habits, and Heart Healthy Habits) and within 21 days, Anna will send them daily wellness advice, reminders, and healthy recipes to help them practice different healthy habits that will allow them to:

– Prioritize their heart health,

– Eat better,

– Promote healthy aging, or

– Achieve a healthy weight.

Anna also has a calendar and activity tracker which users can use to make sure they are following and keeping their habits. Daily goals and recipes are unlocked as the user progresses into the 21 days of their chosen program.

As if being a Healthy Habits Adviser and motivating users to learn and develop healthy habits isn’t enough, Anna also answers nutrition-related questions in her Wellness Tips section and even responds to greetings and makes small talk!

With an initial target of 500 users for its launch on April 1, 2019, Anna doubled its numbers only on the first day, with 700 being subscribers from a total of 1000 users, making this collaboration between Alfafusion and Nestlé a major success.

Say hi to Anna and hear her advice on how you can live a healthier life!

Want an Anna of your own? Book a bot demo with us for a helpful and handy chatbot just like Anna! Call us at 09171688849 and send an email to digital@alfafusion.com.

2019 Predictions: What’s in Store for Chatbots and AI This Year and the Next

The year 2019 holds so much promise for chatbots and AI as both scientists and marketers pave the way for more technological and strategic advancements.

AI for Business

Just this December, a survey by Forrester found that 46% of companies are investing in and adopting AI systems due to sales and marketing, while 40% are leaning towards AI for customer support. Now, Forrester predicts that AI innovations in sales will deliver new capabilities and allow businesses to enhance traditional sales and customer engagement.

Human-like AI

Meanwhile, according to Marketing Week, a global conference in November announced that machine translation is already “very close to the performance of human translators.” And in the same month, MIT revealed that its scientists had come up with technology that can learn language like a baby instead of how a machine would. The technology would assimilate visual, situational, and linguistic signals to understand and match human communication more correctly. Taking these into account, Marketing Week predicts that in a year’s time, there will be more chatbots and voice assistants that will be able to grasp better and respond suitably to how people transact and consume information; enabling brands to fully transform customer experience and make the path to conversion much smoother.

AI for Measured Personalization

When interviewed by GeekWire about what the hottest technology of 2019 will be, Corey Schmid of Seven Peaks Ventures answers that AI will be playing a major role on getting right the measured personalization that consumers want. Schmid states, “Consumers want to own and control their data more and more – whether that’s in healthcare, social, marketing, etc. Yet, we still want a very “me-centric” experience. How do you balance that? When is too much data about me, too much? Do we really want a speaker listening to our every conversation? AI is getting more and more sophisticated and starting to find real applications — how that will play out and how do we have a personalized experience with tech that is balanced, secure, and trustworthy.”

Globalized AI

Lastly, IT World Canada predicts three things for chatbots and AI in 2019. First, more enterprises will be able to successfully apply AI in their business practices. Deloitte Global projects that 70% of companies will have access to cloud-based enterprise software and services. Second, AI will inevitably become smarter as more and more chatbots and virtual assistants engage with humans. Soon, artificial intelligence will be unrecognizable from human intelligence. And finally, AI will be regulated by globally recognized ethical policies. The Canadian federal government has already created guiding principles for the responsible use of AI.

To summarize, from this day forward, AI will become better at providing what people and institutions alike want; and the world will embrace it with arms wide open.

A Customer Service Chatbot Like Bea of BPI is The Next Best Thing That Can Happen to Your Bank

Customer service is now being converted to conversational service which is rapidly becoming the new norm in the B2C (business to consumer) setup. With Messaging as a Platform (MaaP), conversations never have to end and businesses can (1) have direct communication with consumers, (2) personalize customer experience, (3) provide instant, real-time, 24/7 customer service, (4) easily obtain customer feedback, and (5) enhance customer support with a bot-agent message flow; making way for the rise of conversational service. Through chatbots, you can take conversational service to a whole new level. Here’s BEA of BPI to paint a picture of chatbot conversational service in banking:

Just like any chatbot, BEA (BPI Express Assist) collects some basic information and stores conversation records with the user’s consent. BEA first introduces the user to a carousel menu where they can view information about the EMV Debit Mastercard and BPI Credit Cards or locate a BPI branch or ATM.

One of BEA’s most serviceable features is the FAQ section for the EMV Debit Mastercard. Users can browse through all the FAQs and if they cannot find an answer to their question, they can ask the bot and BEA will be able to accurately detect from keywords the user intent.

For questions applicable for both EMV and BPI credit cards, BEA’s algorithm lets her confirm whether the user is asking about credit cards or the EMV card. From application requirements to card availability and delivery, to steps to activating a card and enrolling in online and mobile banking, BEA provides easy access to information so users will no longer have the need to call or pay the bank a visit.

Meanwhile, looking at the bot’s product information display, BEA offers a comprehensive catalog of all BPI credit cards, current promos, and special installment plans. BEA builds the user’s interest in BPI products with benefits and features and then supplies them with an option to fill an application form either online or onsite; driving sales and conversion at the same time.

For BEA to be able to locate a BPI branch, Automated Teller Machine (ATM), or Cash Accepting Machine (CAM) nearby, users just have to input their city or current location or let the app locate them in real time.

BEA’s social skills are also worthy of recognition. BEA can respond to greetings, goodbyes, thank yous, and how-are-yous and even return some I love yous!

Additionally, BEA manages customer satisfaction like a pro. When a user is not getting the information they need, BEA suggests talking to a live agent or contacting BPI through their hotline and other contact numbers to get direct assistance and send customer feedback.

With a friendly, functional, and flexible chatbot like BEA, you can take the lead in delivering conversational service to your customers. Revolutionize customer service in your bank and get a chatbot now! Book a bot demo with Alfafusion, the pioneer bot builder behind BEA of BPI and SAM of Samsung.

Learn What a Superior Product Information Chatbot Looks Like With SAM on FB Messenger:

When it comes to delivering product information, there’s nothing better suited for the job than a chatbot. Aside from breaking down heavy chunks of information into bite-sized, digestible messages and providing conversational customer service, chatbots can also turn simple inquiries into purchases; making them vital for customer retention and conversion. To further demonstrate how far a product information chatbot can take your brand, take a look at Samsung Philippines’ SAM on Facebook Messenger:

SAM stands for Samsung Automated Messagebot. Upon getting started, SAM collects your name, gender, and timezone in order to push personalized content as well as keeps conversation records for intelligence and analytics purposes. Users are given the option to receive notifications about Samsung’s latest promos, products, and events based on their interests.

Users can browse from available promos, Samsung appliances, mobile, TV, and AV products or simply type in a specific product they’re looking for and SAM will cross-sell and upsell promos based on the user’s searches and the product categories they view, providing plenty of opportunities for the brand to convert and sell to customers.

By viewing a product, you can get information on its features, color variants, price, and where to buy. Users can enter a location or check out the official Samsung store list to find stores that sell the product they’re interested in. SAM can also show users a product in its actual color variants; making way for a more engaging product info display.

No matter what Samsung product you inquire about, SAM can automatically recognize which one you’re talking about. From its local retail price down to the most minute specs like camera megapixels, SAM can break down to you detail by detail what you need to know about the product.

Apart from providing extensive product information through product suggestion and prediction, SAM is also trained on enough NLP (Natural Language Processing) to be able to respond to greetings and make small talk. When it finds itself suddenly in unfamiliar dialogues with users, SAM responds with a “How to Talk to SAM” guide along with an option for a live chat support.

You can talk to SAM here if you wanna see for yourself just what a superior product information chatbot really looks like.

Convinced that you need a product information chatbot for your brand yet? Then get started on building your own bot now! Meet SAM’s maker, Alfafusion – a pioneer developer of versatile bots that dominate every industry they’re in. Book a bot demo now!

How Chatbots Redefine Public Service for Government Agencies

With everything being tied to social media nowadays, chatbots are a formidable device for businesses to stay in touch with consumers, which is why they are quite the hustlers in the private sector. However, it is often overlooked how chatbots can do just as much for the public sector; being that they are made for streamlining day-to-day operations and automating simple tasks. Here are the different ways chatbots can be useful for government institutions and agencies:

Easy access to open data

Chatbots can provide a way for all types of users to easily access and utilize public records through a conversational and guided interface, allowing people from all walks of life to make the most of their right to information. By simply asking the bot questions, anyone can retrieve any document they need without having to manually search the internet or personally request for them.

24/7/365 availability

With chatbots that are self-operating, government agencies will be able to accommodate every resident night and day, without delay; meaning response time and wait-times will be significantly reduced.

Instant service

Through an extendable platform and API, a chatbot can can connect to any data or back-end system and answer inquiries, accept requests, and receive complaints faster and easier so government offices can cut down on staff. Finding specific government pages as well as general information, schedules, and directions for public facilities like parks, roads, and city halls, scheduling appointments for license renewal and other government services and providing electronic forms for such affairs, taking emergency calls and requests, and accommodating reports from neighborhood complaints down to municipal problems – are just some government-related tasks that a chatbot can take care of, all in real-time.

Push notifications

Easily notify people of local events and public announcements as well as application and appointment updates with a chatbot that can send relevant and timely content to users.

Conducting surveys

Chatbots are known for handling consumer research like a boss due to its conversational design. Conducting surveys will no longer be a feat with a chatbot that can start casual conversations with people you want to get close to.

Public service doesn’t have to be complicated. Book a bot demo with Alfafusion, the Philippines’ pioneer chatbot builder and see for yourself how getting a chatbot for your organization can transform the public sector.

8 Things Chatbots Can do to Improve Your Commuting Experience

Underdeveloped infrastructure, unreliable highway systems, and overcrowded and heavily polluted commercial areas make up the nightmare that commuters are forced to live through everyday in some – if not most – parts of the world. Even though advancements are made on the daily, transportation systems simply cannot be fixed overnight. However, that doesn’t mean public transportation experience cannot be improved.

Chatbots can reduce the stress and hassle that comes along with commuting by synchronizing existing transportation systems with a commuter’s travel preferences and ideals. There are 8 ways chatbots can do that; but first, what are chatbots? Chatbots are chat-based programs that can be installed in messaging apps and platforms to imitate human conversations and automate operations for businesses from the most simple tasks such as answering inquiries down to more complicated processes like handling purchases. Chatbots have many uses for different industries; and as for the transportation sector, chatbots can offer the following features and functionalities:

Reduce building time and cost – Transportation companies can invest on chatbots with half the cost and time it takes to reconstruct infrastructure. With chatbots that automate communication and provide instant solutions to simple problems, small inconveniences can be avoided while companies work around the bigger problems.

Social media integration – Chatbots can be deployed across multiple channels so users can access transportation assistance on their preferred social media or messaging platform without having to install or navigate their way through any app for everything will be in guided conversation format.

Provide easy access to information – You may find shortcuts to some places but there just isn’t any shortcut to commuting. However, with chatbots, you can easily and quickly access information so you can have a more comfortable commuting experience. A chatbot can plug you in with bus and train schedules, cross-reference your current time and location with traffic time and destination to calculate ETAs, as well as show total route pricing so you can make accurate predictions of your journey.

Multimedia utilization – Chatbots can display maps, photos, GIFs, live videos, and other interactive media aside from text to enhance user experience and maximize utilization.

24/7 instant transportation assistance – A chatbot can assist commuters by answering inquiries and taking charge of in-app transactions anytime, anywhere, at once, in a few clicks or under 140 characters. With natural language processing capabilities of chatbots, they can identify user intent through keywords and respond with the right results. If you’re looking for directions, a chatbot can send you a detailed map of your starting point to end point. If you’re lost, a chatbot can inform you of nearby bus stops. If you’re running late, a chatbot can fill you in on the next train arrival time or even make advance payments for you which you can redeem via QR code scan. And all of it can be done by simply having a conversation with a chatbot.

Real-time updates – Chatbots can send alerts and updates so commuters can be notified of ETAs and whenever there would be a delay in the arrival of buses or trains due to site rehabilitations, platform repairs, and area blockages. This way, commuters don’t have to rely on fixed schedules to make sure that they get to where they’re going on time.

Record and learn from user preferences – Through machine learning technology, a chatbot can record and learn from information input by a user.. If you once indicated that you commute via bike or are travelling with a child, the chatbot will remember and adjust its future responses according to your preferences.

Provide suggestions – By recording and learning from a commuter’s preferences, the chatbot can then provide travel recommendations such as lower-priced rides and alternate routes to help them commute better.

Change in the public transportation scene can begin with a chatbot. Start saving the transportation sector one chatbot at a time! Book a bot demo now and innovate a transportation assistant chatbot with Alfafusion; a pioneer digital marketing and IT firm that builds serviceable chatbots.

How Chatbots Turn Grocery Shopping Into Smart Shopping

Anybody who’s had their fair share of grocery shopping knows that it’s no picnic. Being a very demanding task, it can be quite an inconvenience to customers when their basic needs and expectations for efficiency are not met. So what if there’s actually a way for brands to make their customers’ shopping experience better?

Introducing chatbots for smart shopping:

One major benefit of chatbots is that they are integrated into customers’ most used apps such as Facebook Messenger so they won’t need to download any additional app; providing convenience and instant accessibility. It’s already one thing to not need to go out of the house… but to not have to download and register in apps is another!

Since it is a messaging tool operating through artificial intelligence and machine learning, a chatbot is mostly – if not entirely – programmed to be conversational and user-friendly, and with natural language processing, customers won’t be able to tell at all whether they are talking to a human or a piece of technology.

Unlike humans, their constant availability and serviceability make chatbots ideal grocers for they can deliver responses and information, grant requests, and process transactions without delay.

They can be your customers’ virtual shopping assistant whom they can turn to 24/7 for inquiries such as product availability, daily deals, and store hours.

With an advanced user interface, your chatbot can guide customers all the way from picking items and filling their virtual grocery carts down to paying for them and checking them out for delivery. Your chatbot can also learn from conversations with users and save customer preferences so each interaction is more personalized than the other; meaning the more a customer uses your chatbot, the more it gets to know them.

Your chatbot can also send updates which have a two-fold use: 1.) for customers to track their purchases and 2.) for you to cross-sell and upsell products through recipe recommendations, inventory updates, or promos. Since your chatbot has learning capabilities, it can identify intent from keywords or even emojis of ingredients or items and be able to suggest recipes and additional products to lead a customer into making a purchase.

You can also increase customer engagement by adding entertainment or utility features in your chatbot such as the option to create their grocery lists or subscribe to daily tips or jokes accompanied by multimedia content for optimal consumption.

Using your chatbot, you can even conduct consumer research and have your customers answer a survey or give feedback about your brand so you can make corresponding adjustments.

All these and more with a chatbot! Be your customers’ ideal grocery store and book a bot demo for your brand now with Alfafusion, the Philippines’ pioneer enterprise bot builder.

A Chatbot That Automates Your Business Processes is Just What Your Car Dealership Needs

With the high value placed on digitization and connectivity these days, how can the automotive industry rev up sales and drive new revenue streams from passing trends and cutting-edge technologies? The answer is what you get from the fusion of the ongoing trend on messaging platforms and the continued development of artificial intelligence – Chatbots. Here’s how chatbots can prompt digital monetization by automating the business processes in your car dealership:

24/7 Instant customer service

With a car dealer chatbot for your business, you make way for minimal wait times, response times, and resolution times; resulting in customer satisfaction and better user experience. When a customer has an inquiry, they won’t have to wait for someone in your team to get the response or result they need for your chatbot will be able to assist them immediately, anytime of the day.

Inventory access

For detailed and comprehensive summaries of your products, your customers can view, browse, and even search through your inventory in a simple click of a button. Additionally, aside from its conversational interface, chatbots are multimedia-enabled so you can send information in text, graphic, or even video format and promote more engaging content to your customers.

In-app transactions

Your customers can book test drives, schedule service center appointments, submit credit applications, and request for cost estimates and finance options right in their messaging apps for your chatbot can process various transactions and manage customer accounts. Your chatbot can store and retrieve customers’ past purchases, services availed, and claimed or unclaimed insurance, discounts, and rewards and update their records with every transaction done within the messaging app.

Push notifications

Chatbots are equipped with push notifications which customers can opt in for application and purchase updates, booking and schedule reminders, and product news; allowing you to cross-sell and upsell targeted products to the most relevant customers.

Lead generation and consumer research

Data is auto-synced in a dashboard and can be exported for analysis. From data accumulated, you can then formulate strategies to improve your products and services and turn potential customers into loyal customers.

No matter how well you think your business is doing, you can’t deny that having a chatbot can make you do better. Improve your performance and get a chatbot now! Book a bot demo with Alfafusion, the Philippines’ pioneer IT and digital marketing agency that innovates competitive bots in every industry.

TelcoBots: Changing the Telecommunications Industry One Conversation At a Time

With the sudden inflation of connected devices and the market saturation that comes with it, aggressive competition between telecom companies, and the now blurred lines of data privacy, the telecommunications industry has a lot of growing and innovating to do to measure up to the modern definition of “being connected.” Thus, artificial intelligence and chatbots are here to bring change in the telecommunications industry – one conversation at a time. Here are all the ways how:

Instant access to product information – Customers can browse different packages inside any messaging app using your chatbot. Since your chatbot communicates with your customers through conversations, it can present data in digestible amounts so customers will not be overwhelmed with excess information, providing convenience and instant results.

Accelerated customer service – For problems and concerns, your chatbot can provide customers quick troubleshooting with detailed diagnostic steps as well as the option to connect with a live agent. Your customers will no longer have to navigate through endless options and procedures before their issues get resolved for your chatbot through natural language processing can identify the problem and provide a solution immediately. Additionally, your chatbot can translate these solutions into simple and conversational terms that customers will be able to understand easily. Geckolyst writes that text as a medium is generally preferred to voice for it is less intrusive and allows the customer to multitask, which makes your chatbot the ideal channel for customer service.

Direct account management – With your chatbot, customers can review their current packages, pay their balances, carry out changes to their accounts, and even receive account updates directly inside their messaging apps. Since security is the primary foundation of carrier networks, chatbots are armed with data encrypting facilities for safer and more protected transactions.

Increased sales – Cross-sell and upsell products by having your chatbot suggest the best mobile plan to your customers according to their profile and usage. Your chatbot can send messages containing product news, promos, and other targeted content to the most relevant customers to boost your sales.

Prompt FAQ responses – Chatbots are most effective for accommodating repetitive inquiries and reducing the volume of incoming calls. Because they are functional 24/7, chatbots can be at a customer’s beck and call and entertain urgent needs and requests at any time of day.

Promote change in your telecommunications company! Start automating your services now and book a bot demo with Alfafusion, the Philippines’ pioneer IT and digital marketing company that builds chatbots for large enterprises.

6 Ways Chatbots Provide Quality Customer Service for Restaurants and Fast Food Companies

The foodservice industry relies heavily on quality customer service to maintain brand loyalty. That said, food brands will benefit massively on chatbots which are an all-in-one tool that enhances a brand’s marketing strategy, helps it get closer to customers, and ultimately steps up its customer service. Here are 6 ways you can manage brand loyalty through quality customer service provided by chatbots:

Personalized menu

Chatbots have the ability to remember orders and learn from customer preferences so every transaction and interaction is targeted and personalized. For example, when a customer orders a burger once, your bot will remember this and suggest other burger meals the next time they order. This does not only let you customize your content but also allow you to upsell and cross-sell your products.

Seamless ordering system

Chatbots can provide a seamless ordering system with a payment plug-in and order tracking feature. Customer orders are automatically sent to the main queue management system for a fast and smooth ordering process. Data recorded from chatbot conversations are encrypted so customers do not have to worry about the safety and security of their purchases.

Consistent customer care

Fast and uncomplicated responses, instant customer service, 24/7 availability, and user-friendliness are just some of the things that chatbots can offer to let you provide excellent customer service to your customers at all times.

Omnichannel deployment

Chatbots can tie all your social media marketing efforts together and follow your customers in all the channels where they spend most of their time online to make way for optimal customer retention.

Consumer research

Your chatbot can monitor, collect, and store data from customer queries, conversations, and transactions to let you identify relevant intel such as customers’ purchasing patterns, what strategies work and what doesn’t, and which products are mostly in demand or searched for.

Flexible branding

Strengthen your branding by giving your chatbot a personality that mirrors your brand and training it to talk to customers with a specific tone, language, and choice of words.

For quality customer service for your brand, book a bot demo with Alfafusion, the Philippines’ pioneer creative technology and digital marketing firm that specializes in building enterprise chatbots.