Trends Report

Five Essential eBusiness Criteria For A Successful Virtual Agent Vendor Selection

November 17th, 2011
Diane Clarkson, null
Diane Clarkson
With contributors:
Lily Varon , Zia Daniell Wigder

Summary

Virtual agent technology has continued to become more sophisticated, elevating this self-service tool from the antiquated limits of keyword search to an experience that offers conversational, relevant, and personalized content. Virtual agents are successfully deployed in industries that include financial services, travel, retail, professional services, and more. Leading virtual agent technology integrates into backend systems to function within the authenticated side of websites and seamlessly escalate from a virtual agent conversation to live help. When evaluating virtual agent vendors, eBusiness leaders should focus on five key criteria: 1) features that will enhance user experience; 2) a vendor's ability to assist with an avatar strategy; 3) administrative tools and support that will support ongoing refinement; 4) vendor experience that can be leveraged; and 5) factors that will affect pricing.

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