How We Help Our Customers

From the common to the uncommon, from the simple to the complex, both inbound and outbound, we automate calls that traditionally required a live agent.

Categories of Applications We Can Deliver

Examples of Deployed Applications

The flexibility and power of the AI technology that drives SmartAction Virtual Call Agents is evidenced by its successful deployment in a wide spectrum of commercial applications. These implementations enable performance and service quality improvements that would have been impossible to achieve using traditional IVR technology products.

Current SmartAction customer applications and pilot projects that illustrate the versatility of our Virtual Call Agents include:

Save-the-sale application for a continuity product: An application that allows customers to modify the future shipment dates of a continuity product as well as get detailed information on their accounts. The system interfaces with the CRM directly, pulling real-time information. The application is the first step to save a sale when someone calls the line to cancel their order.

Order status inquiry line: A standard application that allows customers to call in and get the status of their order. Our Virtual Call Agents interface in real time with the customer database and handle complex orders that have multiple items shipped from different vendors.

WIZMOs ("Where is my Order?"): This application handles "Where is my order" calls by utilizing data dips in Ecometry, UPS, FedEx, and USPS to provide information to inquiring callers. Callers who want additional information are transferred back to live agents with "screen pop-ups" so the customer does not have to repeat the information and live agent talk time is reduced.

Order cancellation, bill pay, and order/payment status line: This application allows customers to cancel their order, pay a bill, and check the status of either a payment or an order. Our Virtual Call Agents interface with the company's database in real time.

Warranty Returns: This application efficiently and cost-effectively handles product returns. Our Virtual Call Agents process and handle RMA's and simple questions to reduce the cost of replacing broken products that are under warranty.

Scheduling: This application takes calls from customers who want to schedule their service appointments. It identifies callers and determines the best date and time by following a complex set of business rules that takes into account routes, drive-time, specialized skill sets, etc. Our Virtual Call Agents provide this service for both inbound and outbound calls.

Mobile Phone Donations: Working with a mobile provider that offers text donations, Virtual Call Agents make an outbound call to gather the credit card information and basic information of donors. Our Virtual Call Agents offer a softer more conversational approach to collecting the donations to solve the phone drop-offs the company had from traditional touchtone systems.

Class-action suit settlement claim line: Claimants call in to get information about the settlement and register their claims. Our Virtual Call Agents capture and verify their name and address, and provide answers to their questions (FAQs). We optimize street name recognition using a zip-street database.

Internet connection troubleshooting line: This application guides users through the process of troubleshooting internet connections at various locations, for example, a hotel. Our Virtual Call Agents systematically work through various hardware, software, and settings issues, from simple to complex. We cater for both expert and novice users, automatically switching back to novice if the user is having trouble with instructions. The system offers clarification and elaborations, allows callers to go over the same steps again, and waits for callers to complete various checks and other tasks.

Human-to-dumb-IVR interface: A leading pest control company has hundreds of technicians servicing commercial sites. Their larger customers have simple touch-tone IVRs for reporting job completion details. To avoid their technicians having to deal with multiple unfriendly IVRs they instead call into our Virtual Call Agents to report job details, which are prompted and verified against the company's database. Our system then calls the appropriate touch-tone IVR to report job status, thus saving the technicians' valuable time.

School illness reporting line: This application was initiated by the University of California at San Diego under contract with the Centers for Disease Control to report and track illness symptoms. Parents call in to report children absent or ill. In addition to a symptoms questionnaire, there is a dictation section ("Please provide additional information") which we record. The customer requires that we report results in three different ways: (1) By email with summary information captured, including voice-recorded parts; (2) Real-time database update to the university's system; (3) Web-based report with click-to-listen feature. Our Virtual Call Agents automatically identify parents/relatives based on Caller ID, and remember yesterday's symptoms for speedy reporting.

Work-ticket reporting line: An electronic equipment installation and service provider uses Virtual Call Agents to have field technicians call in to close work-tickets. Our system guides them through a questionnaire, requesting details about the user, equipment, configuration, and work performed. It integrates with the customer's ERP system in real time to verify and record information.

Infomercial sales line: This is an order-taking application. It includes product and quantity selection, name and address capture, shipping preference selection, credit card information, and email address capture. Our Virtual Call Agents interface with the customer's web application.

Outbound reminder calls: This application identifies customers with scheduled service appointments and places an outbound call to remind them of the appointment. Our Virtual Call Agents talk to a live person and answer questions, or leave a message on an answering machine.

Sales information line: This company offers a high-end, $25,000 marketing seminar membership, our Virtual Call Agent explains how the program works, and what you can expect for your $25,000. It's a guided FAQ.

Sales inquiry routing: This application routes incoming calls depending on which number was called, the time of day, and what state the caller is from. This is not a very complex application, but our rapid implementation and custom call reporting set us apart from the competition.

Automobile inquiry "hassle free" 24/7 hotline: This application disseminates auto information to the public in a non-threatening way. Our Virtual Call Agents are tied into the auto inventory system and provide standard detail, pricing, and availability information to callers and then offer to set up appointments to test drive.