Sometimes You Just Want a Person – Supplementing Mobile Virtual Agents

April 19, 2012 By

We have had a few queries about whether or not our platform could also include “live agent” chat – especially for small businesses?

In one case, this was so that the in-store shopper could instantly connect with any of the store employees who are on the Floor, but they can’t find.

The answer?

Sure.  Why not?

No apps to download.  No messaging costs.  The user’s privacy is safe.  

Instead of talking to a bot, you talk to a person, through our XMPP to HTTP platform and engine.

The only variable we need to include is a “push notification” to the “live agent” so they know there is an incoming message for them.

If you’d like to get on our early Beta test list, just CONTACT US and request “live agent beta.”

Of course, for volume and high concurrent user engagement, the personalized experiences we create with “bots” is the most cost effective and provides a great user experience.

Heck, we’re human too…we understand…sometimes you just want to talk to a person…quickly!

Filed Under: Friendly machines, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , ,

Virtual Agents on Mobile – NOT the same UX as Online

April 5, 2012 By

We have a lot of respect and appreciation for companies who’ve been working on “site agents” (virtual agents) on traditional web sites — Many have been in business for five years or more.  Typically, those site agents are charged with bringing up various data elements or Links, which helps the User to better navigate the site (often because whomever did the original navigation didn’t really anticipate the site scaling up).  The few who are working with video-based “agents” are interesting to watch, though their production quality fall short of where we feel it should evolve (a bit like watching local mattress commercials on television compared to a National ad).

The de facto standard for “site agents” has been to include a rather simple 256 color animated character that lip syncs to the voice (text to speech).  The quality here again is less than stellar.

While surprised it’s taken so long, we are now seeing some of those companies starting to package up their product for “mobile.”

What’s really surprising is that they are porting their exact same product – Delivering links or complex/dense text data — And, including those simplistic animated characters and audio (just on HTML.5 instead of Flash).

Hmmmm?

At contentAI studios, where we’ve been thinking about “mobile user experiences with virtual agents” for over two years, we decided long ago that including animated visual faces and audio was counter-intuitive to the average mobile user experience.  Often, the user is not in a location where they can hear.  Also, they don’t want to have to keep their visual focus on the small screen – they are “scan/viewing” across products, the world around them, a television AND their mobile screen…not singularly focused on one screen.

In that respect, we decided to focus our delivery of interactive narrative accompanied by still images that could “establish” the personality of the engagement, without requiring more than a fraction of a second of User Attention.  And, to deliver short, conversational engagements that are MOTIVATED by our virtual agents, not mere Q&A sessions “driven” by the End User – based on mobile experiences needing to be both contextual andget-to-the-point quickly.

Essentially, our virtual agents have a purpose specific to a Mobile User Experience…with the anticipation of the ENTIRETY of the experience, which extends beyond the screen, to the overall context of the engagement

So, will we include “animated characters with voices” on mobile?

No.  There are other companies who we can recommend for that.

We don’t think most Mobile End Users are seeking a duplication of static web experiences on their mobile devices.  But, perhaps, in some cases, it’s appropriate.  But it’s not what we offer here.  We also don’t believe that the current state of visual animated characters adds value to the User Experience; the lack of technical and visual quality is simply too much of a negative in our opinion.  End Users will “buy into” their chat experiences based on an establishing “still frame,” and they fill in the blanks on their own, without 10 frame per second 256 color “visual bots.”  We know this from our own research and analytics.

Because we never were in the mindset of “static web” virtual characters and have focused exclusively on “small screen” engagement, we aren’t porting over old assets to our mobile platform.  Everything is designed specifically for mobile.  To clarify, we also build for “desktop apps,” which are very similar experiences to mobile apps (small windows on the desktop; typically for extremely portable ultrabooks); but, most of our engagement is on mobile and tablets, based on our analytics.

What’s good for Brands is that they will have choices when it comes to how they approach adding a virtual agent to their mobile user experiences.

Based on price, quality and our exclusive focus on Mobile User Experience, we welcome an opportunity to present our platform in comparison to our competitors.

* Side note:  Yes, we include HTML.5 audio and video on our platform too – But, we use that precious (user) time and real-estate for Brand elements, not for animated characters.

Filed Under: Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Much is that Conversational Mobile App in the Window?

June 7, 2011 By

Right.

We don’t have a “price” page on site.  Typically, within :01-:15 minutes on a phone or SKYPE call someone remembers to ask “how much do these cost?”

Currently, we price all builds one-by-one; which is how we build them too.  One size does NOT fit all!

But, it’s pretty simple to get to a pricing model based on the “length” of the story, the “width,” and the “depth.”  MOBILE FAQs are unique, in that they are “depth” only and therefore faster to build and more economical.

But, what does seem to be a (pleasant) surprise for our partners is that all of our quotes have been less than they anticipated.  Our engine is very efficient and makes building apps efficient.   We know how to work with a client’s “story,” or characters and to extrapolate that into an interactive narrative.

So, don’t forget to ask “how much?”  You’ll enjoy the answer.  CONTACT US HERE to learn more, including price!

Filed Under: AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, mobile marketing, Products, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thoughts on MobilePortland’s “Myth of Mobile Context” Evening

May 26, 2011 By

Last night MobilePortland held their monthly meeting themed around “The Myth of Mobile Context.”

It was terrific to see a panel gathered from a range of perspectives within Mobile – Including panelists from Nokia and Opera (almost felt like living in a real city): @globalmoxie, @ourmaninjapan, @tyhatch, @Hinman and @tkadlec

The premise of the evening was that all of our perceptions about mobile context are in flux.  People use their mobile devices in places, situations, etc. all co-mingled in such a manner that “contextual” awareness is, at best, fairly muddled.

So, what was the upshot?  Can “Mobile” add contextual value or not?

The general opinion was that it’s too early for mobile devices to be truly intelligent in terms of contextual awareness — While “location” is valuable contextual information, it can’t differentiate between (for example) being in Wal-Mart while casually wandering about and killing time (if that’s where you  kill time?)  and being in Wal-Mart with specific shopping intentions — Therefore, delivering a mobile experience that presumes one, or the other, fails to add true contextual value to the End User.

/////

So, what was the take-away?

*  First, it was interesting that the discussion of “what constitutes “mobile” continues?  To my way of thinking, “mobile” is first and foremost a device that is a COMMUNICATOR.  We purchase them so that we can have two way communication with friends, family and business colleagues, whether by Tweets, Wall Posts, SMS, IM (continues to increase on mobile by 30% annually), in-App messaging – And, occasionally, voice.

Then, the cherry on top, are all the other features a “mobile” device can offer — but, at it’s heart, it’s a COMMUNICATOR FOR 2-way conversations.

*  While waiting for device and software “intelligence” to grok relevant contextual analysis and awareness — and provide added value to the End User — There’s a far simpler solution available today: Just ask them.

i.e. Use the 2-way “communicator” channel to engage and allow the User to specify the information that will add contextual awareness to the engagement.  Mobile devices are now packaged and sold as “messaging devices” (low data plan IM and light mobile browsing) — But, Developers seem hell-bent on bypassing the non-sexy text-level engagement that would add instant contextual value, in favor of future allusive technology solutions that are years away (not that people shouldn’t work on it; but, why not add value today?).

/////

As we consider the range of advertising/marketing, mHealth and mLearning opportunities on mobile, we remain convinced that contextual value is readily added via textual communication (inclusive of communication via mobile web and in-Apps, where we deliver 2-way chat applications).

Of course, that’s what we’d think, since that’s the foundation of http://contentAI.com and our mLearning spin-off, http://ESLai.com

@MobilePortland is increasing in both size and sophistication — It’s becoming a “must attend” event, rather than something to occasionally drop in on — the conversations and perspectives are much needed as we all endeavor to create truly valuable mobile experiences for global users, in a plethora of contextual circumstances.

 

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, Conversational AI, ESL, mobile marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Conversational Mobile Apps – Defining Products

April 30, 2011 By

Having been down this path before with developing emerging media technologies, it’s always a terrific moment when the business makes the transition from “defining technology” to “defining applications” to then “defining products.”

contentAI studios have been developing it’s technology for over a year while testing in various applications and seeing market response and adoption — Over the past month, the “product definitions” have become far more clear (at least, the initial product offerings, as there are others which will follow).

- Conversational Mobile Campaigns — Motivated, directed conversational engagement with a purpose:  enter a contest, acquire a contextual mCoupon, engage in an entertaining interactive story. . .i.e. drive the User to take a specific action in an enjoyable exchange.

- Mobile FAQs — This is the economical version of the platform that allows a Brands mobile web site to deliver deep information and graphics without a complex user navigation or dense, unreadable text.

-  Conversational mLearning with emphasis on ESL — Our http://ESLai.com initiative is roaring along; the consumer-facing Beta apps are now accessed in over 100 Countries from both mobile web and Android app stores.  We’re keen to engage in partnership opportunities with ESL curriculum providers, schools and regional mobile content portals.

/////

What are the future products?

Interactive eBooks with a focus on children’s entertainment and mLearning is high on our list.  And, beyond campaign/marketing apps, we see the platform serving as a complementary story-platform for motion pictures and television — widgetized TV is a space that is fascinating to consider.

Stay tuned.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, ESL, mLearning, Mobile, mobile marketing, Products, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

contentAI will be at Ad:Tech San Francisco – Let’s Connect.

April 7, 2011 By

Interested in connecting in person during Ad:Tech in San Francisco from 11-13 April 2011?

Want to learn more about conversational mobile marketing and entertainment offerings from the team?  We’ll be showing some private Beta demos with new features and discussing how our integration with apps will further expand the platform.

Pop us an email and let’s connect.

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, mLearning, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MIT, Intelligent Retail and Cereal Boxes…Where’s the Emotional Impact?

April 2, 2011 By

It’s remarkable how many new technology efforts are focused on the cereal aisle.  We’ve posted about the “light up” cereal boxes (from CES) before.

And, as you see, on our site, we use cereal boxes as our leading example of where interactive conversational engagement is a natural.

Today, we were looking at the YouTube video featured here:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/videoblogging/2011/04/02/youtube-retail-aisle-of-the-future-demos-mit-qr-codes-and-intelligent-inductive-ink/

While it’s great to see MIT thinking about cereal boxes, they seem to forget that the cereal boxes (except those on the upper shelves, out of sight of most kids and parents, are supposed to be fun!

It’s time to figure out how to get into the door at Kelloggs and suggest that these characters come to life and start interacting conversationally with us via mobile.   We can provide all of the passive data acquisition too (nutrition information, etc.), but, we can also create fun and memorable conversational experiences.

After all, it’s a cereal box.  It should be fun!

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, mCoupons, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Year. . .New Features. . .Conversational Mobile Marketing Evolves

January 28, 2011 By

That was quite a lag in blog posts. The Holidays took over (after an exceptionally busy December, in part, due to the consumer-facing MySantaTalk app); then, CES (yes, lots of tablets and 3D TV, but, in general, not the most exciting CES; some work in mobile health felt pretty substantial and game changing).

What’s up here?

We’ve realized that the perception of our platform is more “how do we compare to apps?” than “how do we compare to text messaging?” — The inclusion of rich media elements in our content, really, remove us from the text-communication space, even though that is the core of our platform.

To that end, we are in the process of enhancing the overall design and user navigation of the mobile web interactive chat experience. Watch for updates throughout Q1.

In the interim, as MySantaTalk prepares to take a rest for the year — There’s a short, mobile web, demo that features our favorite fictional brand character: Capn’ Wag — As a demo of fun, intelligent packaging for kids, we hope you enjoy. Access is found on: http://contentai.com/demos/capnwag Or, just scan the QR code below:

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why Mobile Virtual Agents Matter — Shoppers Prefer Smartphones to Store Associates

December 10, 2010 By

The headline from MOBILE COMMERCE – INTERNET RETAILER says it all:

Shoppers would rather use smartphones than consult store associates, survey finds

http://www.internetretailer.com/2010/12/06/shoppers-would-rather-use-smartphones-store-associates

This was based on “archive and search” solutions, not our drill-down and deliver contextually relevant information via “conversation.”  Which, we believe will extend this user preference.

It’s an excellent indication for our business that virtual clerks and mobile engagement with contextually relevant conversational experiences will be part of everyone’s typical shopping experience in the very near future.

That said, we feel that Retailers should find a method to balance and use “live” Store associates in an entirely new blend of virtual/smartphone and human engagement.  BEST BUY’S @twelpforce initiative that’s gone on for over a year is an interesting model to consider; however, our position is that the @twelpforce knowledge should be automated and constantly updated, so that an “ultimate” virtual sales associate could handle the online and mobile, and the humans could concentrate on the real world engagements.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Conversational AI + Interactive Story Structure: The Basics

November 14, 2010 By

As a follow up to queries with regard to “how is the contentAI platform different?” – The basics are that the contentAI platform converges conversational AI (Natural Language Processing “NLP”), machine learning, pattern recognition, session management and personalization with a “STORY STRUCTURE.”

“Story” means that we start at “A” and end at “Z.” The path through may be non-linear, but, the User is guided to progress through the engagement and reach one (often of many) possible endings.

For mobile Users, this is ideal. The application has contextual awareness of the user (physical location; item they are holding, etc.) and there is an “awareness” of the “scene” that is likely to be played out between the User and the application. This means that the AI characters do not need to be “generalists” or be able to carry on random conversations or answer obscure questions — they need to “motivate” the User to get through the story/engagement.

This can be as simple as providing “item location” data plus providing a relevant mCoupon, or as complex as delivering transmedia story elements from a motion picture to the mobile engagement.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Conversational AI, Introduction, Transmedia Content and AI, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , ,
« Older Posts