Sappoly: The AI Chatbot Revolutionizing Customer Support in Bookstores

Sappoly: The AI Chatbot Revolutionizing Customer Support

In an age where technology enhances the way we interact with businesses, Imai Bookstore has taken a significant step forward by integrating the AI chatbot, Sappoly, developed by Core Mobile. This innovative solution aims to address growing customer inquiries and streamline support operations. This article delves into the introduction of Sappoly at Imai Bookstore and its future prospects.

Introduction to the Implementation of Sappoly

The necessity for a robust customer support system became evident to Imai Bookstore after the launch of their BookStore app a year ago. Sales inquiries started to pick up rapidly, leading to rising workloads for customer support staff. According to Ryuta Sugino from the Sales Promotion Group, the initial thought was to increase personnel to manage the volume of inquiries. However, they recognized that merely adding to the workforce wouldn’t tackle the underlying issues effectively.

Sugino explained that it was vital to create an environment where customers could self-resolve queries. Just as they were contemplating their next steps, Core Mobile introduced Sappoly, positioning it as a solution that could enhance customer convenience while simultaneously alleviating staff workloads. This made it clear that the integration of an AI-driven service was the way forward.

Looking to the Future with Sappoly

With the successful implementation of Sappoly, Imai Bookstore has ambitious plans for the future. The next step involves integrating Sappoly with their inventory management system, enabling real-time responses to inquiries about book availability. More than just knowing if a title is in stock, they aim for customers to receive precise information about where the book is shelved in each store.

Moreover, if a book is not available in-store, Sappoly will direct customers to the BookStore app’s e-commerce site, ensuring customers can easily find what they're looking for.

Future Functionality for Sappoly

As Imai Bookstore continues to enhance customer experience through Sappoly, they have high hopes for further development of its capabilities. One notable request involves utilizing customer purchasing data and store sales rankings to offer personalized product recommendations. Sugino mentioned the interest in allowing Sappoly to respond accurately to questions about trending books—such as those featured in yesterday’s newspaper advertisements. The goal is to create a virtual bookstore assistant or an “AI bookseller” that seamlessly merges the strengths of both humans and AI.

Unique Features of Sappoly

Sappoly distinguishes itself from other ASP services by being incorporated into a proprietary system, thus allowing for customized functionality. This chat tool proficiently handles not only FAQs but also provides stock-level information and various other capabilities, making it versatile for diverse use cases.

Additionally, Sappoly can integrate with generative AI, opening up even more opportunities for advanced responses and interactions with customers.

Conclusion

The adoption of Sappoly represents a pivotal shift in how Imai Bookstore handles customer interactions and support. By leveraging AI technology, they are not only improving operational efficiency but also enriching the consumer experience. As the integration evolves, the bookstore sector may soon witness a new standard for customer service enhanced by sophisticated AI tools.

For more information about Sappoly, visit Core Mobile's official website.

About Imai Bookstore

Imai Bookstore, led by President Tohru Funaki, operates its headquarters in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. Learn more about their offerings by visiting Imai Bookstore's official website.