19
March

By avi maxwel / in , , , /

While AI isn’t an automatic slam dunk panacea for every business problem, one thing it’s incredibly gifted at is sifting through tons of information to help people quickly find the product of their dreams.

Anyone who’s searched for a product, be it an e-bike, laptop, or washing machine, is all too familiar with choice paralysis from information overload. Imagine instead, landing on a website and conversing with the smartest salesperson in the world available 24/7, who asks the right questions to give you the right product as fast as possible. Meet Zoovu, an AI-powered platform that helps B2C and B2B companies match customers with the exact product they’re looking for.

“Our cloud-based AI product discovery platform helps customers connect to their customers by surfacing the right product,” said Lamees Butt, senior vice president of global alliances and channels at Zoovu. “We remove choice paralysis by simulating the kind of in-store shopping experience that you would get with the most knowledgeable salesperson.”

Butt said that global brands, retailers, and manufacturers realize on average a 200% conversion uplift in customer purchases, and an increase in average cart value by 47%. One power tool company increased customer engagements by an estimated 65% in over 35 global markets.

Digital assistant personalizes customer experience

The Zoovu platform ingests a company’s product content from various sources and translates it into human language. In a succinctly choreographed conversation with the customer, the digital assistant finds the product they want. Functioning as the most intelligent and eager salesperson any of us could ever have, the AI-based assistant gathers relevant products using chat, as well as colorful visualizations.

“AI provides interactive buying advice through guided conversations that understand the customer’s intent and context,” said Butt. “By collecting data from every customer engagement, the digital assistant is continuously learning what works best based on pricing preferences and buying patterns. It can make suggestions to improve conversion rates, such as a different sequence of questions or product configurations.”

AI helps B2B do more with less

AI is also proving invaluable to savvy B2B companies as digital selling in that sector grows. Equipment manufacturers of industrial machinery in every vertical industry have thousands of parts and product combinations with multiple buyers. Zoovu connects information with an organization’s ERP, sales, service, and commerce systems to guide purchasers efficiently.

To be clear, intelligent automation of tedious, time-consuming activities like creating complex orders and quotes based on inventory availability, doesn’t replace the human touch. Rather, it helps digitize sales touch points for increased profits.

“Product search and order configuration that used to take about one week, now takes 20 minutes,” said Butt. “Intelligent automation reduces errors and returns while providing a better understanding of what your customers need. Sales reps love the platform because it frees them up to focus on relationship-building. Companies have improved cost-savings and productivity by 400%.”

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From shopping side hustle to customer-centric business

Butt is no stranger to customer-centric shopping. During her university years, she launched a fashion app as a side hustle to bridge the gap between in-person and online shopping.

“People couldn’t find the complete outfits that they needed, and the app aggregated choices after asking a series of personalized questions like budget, lifestyle, and brand,” she said. “I’ve brought the same passion for solving choice paralysis to Zoovu, scaling it up for greater impact.”

Valuable partnership with SAP.iO

Zoovu participated in the Customer Experience cohort of SAP.iO Foundry New York, the company’s global network of B2B startup accelerators. After strengthening its product development, go-to-market, and sales strategies by working with SAP experts, Zoovu is a fast-rising star on the SAP Store.

“Partnering with start-ups like Zoovu is complementing both SAP’s AI strategy and product portfolio,” said Martin Heinig, head of new ventures and technologies at SAP. “We share a human-centric approach that combines AI automation with relevant data insights from our applications, including SAP S/4HANA and SAP Customer Experience solutions, helping companies achieve amazing business results.”

Generative AI on the horizon

Having woven AI into Zoovu from its inception, the company is exploring generative AI as the next logical enhancement.

“Customers have been more than ready to move past traditional sites that are merely an index of products with no coherent navigation,” said Butt. “We’re already helping organizations guide customers through the buying journey. Generative AI promises to accelerate human-centric digital experiences that will continue to drive growth in the digital-first economy.”

Learn more about the SAP.iO Foundries program supporting B2B technology startups worldwide.