Latest news with #conversationalcommerce
Entrepreneur
6 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Why Conversational Commerce is the Future of Shopping
Voice and chat technologies driven by AI are revolutionizing the shopping experience, making it more seamless and personalized. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In the days before the internet, consumers had no real way of interacting with brands, but now all of that has changed. Conversational commerce is taking over and defining the entire commerce world — powered by voice assistants, chatbots and AI-driven messaging platforms — and making shopping more intuitive, personalized, frictionless… shaping a world of conscious consumers that are beginning to expect even more. As voice search and AI chat technologies mature, businesses that fail to adapt risk falling behind. The question is no longer if brands should integrate conversational commerce, but how to do it effectively. Conversational interfaces are becoming indispensable because they enhance customer experiences, and they also optimise brand strategies. Related: How Online Retailers Can Recreate the In-Store Experience and Drive Sales The rise of conversational commerce From Amazon's Alexa to WhatsApp chatbots, these tools are becoming more and more common — and for good reason. People want convenience over anything, and consumers want products that make their lives easier. For example, having a smart speaker that doesn't just play you songs or give you weather reports, but actually lets you order a pizza? Revolutionary. According to predictions, over 50% of U.S. households are expected to own a smart speaker by 2025, according to eMarketer. Chatbots are projected to save businesses $8 billion annually by 2024, as reported by Juniper Research. Additionally, 40% of consumers now use voice search daily, per PwC. Conversational commerce is AI-mediated interactions between brands and consumers through voice or text, enabling transactions, support and discovery in a natural, dialogue-based format, which means that consumers essentially have an AI assistant living in their homes when they purchase smart devices. Instead of having to navigate through complicated steps, consumers will be able to get what they need (or want) through verbal instruction and texting. Related: How to Build an AI-Driven Company Culture — Without Overwhelming Employees How conversational commerce transforms the customer journey Traditional ecommerce requires users to search, filter and compare products by themselves — a process that often leads to decision fatigue and also wastes time. AI-driven conversational interfaces enable natural-language product searches, such as "Show me running shoes under $100 with good arch support." Additionally, they provide instant answers to frequently asked questions, like "What's the return policy for this dress?" These interfaces also simplify discovery by offering personalized recommendations based on past behavior. For example, a user might hear, "You liked espresso — try this new dark roast blend?" or perhaps even dipping into their calendar and finding out that they have an upcoming event and informing consumers of an upcoming sale at particular brand outlets that they have patronized prior. Seamless transactions via voice and chat Voice-enabled purchasing is no longer a novelty; it's a necessity. Amazon's Alexa alone has facilitated billions in voice commerce, while WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger enable checkout directly within chat. Key advantages include hands-free purchasing, such as reordering groceries via Google Assistant. Domino's Pizza, for instance, allows customers to order via Alexa, Google Assistant or even Twitter DMs — reducing cart abandonment and boosting repeat sales. This level of convenience is setting new standards for customer expectations. 24/7 customer support and retention Conversational AI doesn't just drive sales, it also enhances post-purchase experiences. Chatbots resolve approximately 80% of routine customer service queries, reducing wait times and operational costs. Examples include instant order tracking, where a user can ask, "Where's my package?" and receive real-time updates. Being able to receive desired information at the drop of a hat increases user satisfaction. Think about it, would you rather call a postal service's hotline and wait fifteen minutes to get an update about your parcel, or have your smart speaker tell you in a split second? Blend automation with human handoffs Not every query should be automated. Use sentiment analysis to detect frustration and escalate to live agents whenever necessary. For instance, if a user expresses dissatisfaction, the bot can respond, "Allow me to connect you to a specialist" or "Would you like to speak with an agent?" which makes the customer feel both heard and valued. Striking a balance between automation and human touch is crucial for maintaining trust and satisfaction. While chatbots handle routine inquiries, complex or emotionally charged issues should always be handled by another human being. Leverage data and omnichannel consistency A user might start a conversation on Facebook Messenger, then switch to voice for quicker resolution. Ensure seamless cross-platform continuity so customers don't have to repeat themselves, and keeping a database on what the customer's history is also key to enhancing their satisfaction, which means that integrating backend systems to maintain context across all touchpoints is equally important. Use past interactions to tailor responses. If you have been to a restaurant multiple times, it's natural for the server to know your regular order. But wouldn't it be great for AI to adopt the same strategy? Your coffee shop's voice assistant might be able to recognize facial features much more efficiently and personalize each order. Personalization extends beyond product recommendations. It includes remembering payment methods, delivery addresses, and even preferred communication styles. The more tailored the experience, the more likely users are to return. In fact, being able to analyze conversation logs to identify drop-off points, such as where users abandon carts mid-chat, can also aid in boosting completion rates. Continuous conversation is key to staying ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of conversational commerce, and customers are much more likely to proceed if they realize they don't have to start from zero. Related: How Conversational AI Bridges the Gap for Retail Customers Final thoughts Conversational commerce isn't just a trend — it's the future of customer engagement. Brands that integrate voice and chat seamlessly into the buyer journey will gain loyalty, efficiency and revenue growth. The key lies in combining cutting-edge AI without forgetting about EQ, which will be able to help every interaction feel intuitive and helpful. The shift from voice to value is here. Is your brand ready to join the conversation?
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sinch and Authvia Partner to Power Payment-Enabled Messaging Across North America
Partnership enables secure, in-message payments-powering frictionless conversational commerce and expanding Sinch's reach in mobile transactions STOCKHOLM and ATLANTA, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch (Sinch AB (publ)) – (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Digital Customer Communications Cloud, today announced a new partnership with Authvia, the company behind TXT2PAY and a pioneer in conversational commerce. The partnership enables businesses to offer seamless, secure mobile payments directly within messaging channels such as SMS, RCS, and WhatsApp-accelerating the shift toward transaction-ready digital conversations. By natively embedding Sinch's omnichannel messaging API into Authvia's payment technology, the partnership enables businesses to move beyond static alerts to real-time, transaction-ready conversations, allowing customers to pay, confirm, subscribe, or settle balances with a single tap, without ever leaving the message thread. Sinch will become Authvia's default messaging provider, and with RCS messaging as a key focus, the collaboration positions Sinch and Authvia at the forefront of mobile innovation, transforming the SMS channel into the leading consumer engagement platform that delivers rich media experiences, including embedded carousels, suggested actions, secure links, and identity verification. "This partnership allows us to meet customers where they are with seamless communication and now, seamless transactions," said Michael Ricci, Head of Business Development. "By embedding Authvia's payment capabilities into our messaging channels, we're unlocking a powerful new dimension of customer interaction enabling businesses to engage, transact, and build trust in real time." Combining Messaging and Payments for Real-World Results Authvia's partnership with Sinch represents a major leap forward in bringing secure, frictionless payments to the channels consumers already use. From confirming a co-pay to paying a service invoice, reordering a subscription, or accepting a delivery, Sinch and Authvia make it easier for businesses to get paid, faster, safer, and with less friction. Sinch's global messaging infrastructure ensures deliverability, scale, and enterprise-grade omnichannel reach Authvia's patented TXT2PAY® technology supports secure, app-free transactions via 250+ payment processors, wallets, and banking rails Together, they provide a turnkey, scalable solution for high-growth industries including retail, subscription services, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, financial services, logistics and more. Authvia partnered with Sinch for their unmatched global reach, leadership with enterprise customers, and bold push to accelerate RCS adoption. "What excites me about this partnership is Sinch's global market leadership and how RCS, powered by Sinch, will quickly become the go-to app enterprises adopt for rich, branded, secure, commerce-led consumer engagement," said Chris Brunner, Founder and CEO of Authvia. "Together, we're empowering enterprises to connect more meaningfully, engage more intelligently, and drive commerce like never before, by meeting consumers where they are: on their mobile devices and in messaging." Authvia's platform integrates with over 250 payment processors including U.S Bank, Worldpay, Fiserv, Global Payments, Chase, and hundreds more. Additionally, Authvia supports digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal. This means businesses can adopt payment-enabled messaging using their existing infrastructure all while delivering a world class customer experience. This partnership advances Sinch's global mission to create more meaningful, results-driven customer experiences enabling businesses to move beyond one-way alerts to two-way, action-oriented conversations. Whether it's confirming a flight change, paying a co-pay, completing a purchase, or accepting a delivery, messaging becomes a powerful channel for real-time outcomes. With this integration, Sinch continues to lead the way in redefining how the world connects, communicates, and now transacts. For more information, please visit For more information please contact:Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & |1.206.914.6175 This information was brought to you by Cision View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sinch and Authvia Partner to Power Payment-Enabled Messaging Across North America
Partnership enables secure, in-message payments-powering frictionless conversational commerce and expanding Sinch's reach in mobile transactions STOCKHOLM and ATLANTA, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch (Sinch AB (publ)) – (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Digital Customer Communications Cloud, today announced a new partnership with Authvia, the company behind TXT2PAY and a pioneer in conversational commerce. The partnership enables businesses to offer seamless, secure mobile payments directly within messaging channels such as SMS, RCS, and WhatsApp-accelerating the shift toward transaction-ready digital conversations. By natively embedding Sinch's omnichannel messaging API into Authvia's payment technology, the partnership enables businesses to move beyond static alerts to real-time, transaction-ready conversations, allowing customers to pay, confirm, subscribe, or settle balances with a single tap, without ever leaving the message thread. Sinch will become Authvia's default messaging provider, and with RCS messaging as a key focus, the collaboration positions Sinch and Authvia at the forefront of mobile innovation, transforming the SMS channel into the leading consumer engagement platform that delivers rich media experiences, including embedded carousels, suggested actions, secure links, and identity verification. "This partnership allows us to meet customers where they are with seamless communication and now, seamless transactions," said Michael Ricci, Head of Business Development. "By embedding Authvia's payment capabilities into our messaging channels, we're unlocking a powerful new dimension of customer interaction enabling businesses to engage, transact, and build trust in real time." Combining Messaging and Payments for Real-World Results Authvia's partnership with Sinch represents a major leap forward in bringing secure, frictionless payments to the channels consumers already use. From confirming a co-pay to paying a service invoice, reordering a subscription, or accepting a delivery, Sinch and Authvia make it easier for businesses to get paid, faster, safer, and with less friction. Sinch's global messaging infrastructure ensures deliverability, scale, and enterprise-grade omnichannel reach Authvia's patented TXT2PAY® technology supports secure, app-free transactions via 250+ payment processors, wallets, and banking rails Together, they provide a turnkey, scalable solution for high-growth industries including retail, subscription services, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, financial services, logistics and more. Authvia partnered with Sinch for their unmatched global reach, leadership with enterprise customers, and bold push to accelerate RCS adoption. "What excites me about this partnership is Sinch's global market leadership and how RCS, powered by Sinch, will quickly become the go-to app enterprises adopt for rich, branded, secure, commerce-led consumer engagement," said Chris Brunner, Founder and CEO of Authvia. "Together, we're empowering enterprises to connect more meaningfully, engage more intelligently, and drive commerce like never before, by meeting consumers where they are: on their mobile devices and in messaging." Authvia's platform integrates with over 250 payment processors including U.S Bank, Worldpay, Fiserv, Global Payments, Chase, and hundreds more. Additionally, Authvia supports digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal. This means businesses can adopt payment-enabled messaging using their existing infrastructure all while delivering a world class customer experience. This partnership advances Sinch's global mission to create more meaningful, results-driven customer experiences enabling businesses to move beyond one-way alerts to two-way, action-oriented conversations. Whether it's confirming a flight change, paying a co-pay, completing a purchase, or accepting a delivery, messaging becomes a powerful channel for real-time outcomes. With this integration, Sinch continues to lead the way in redefining how the world connects, communicates, and now transacts. For more information, please visit For more information please contact:Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & |1.206.914.6175 This information was brought to you by Cision View original content:
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sinch and Authvia Partner to Power Payment-Enabled MessagingAcross North America
Partnership enables secure, in-message payments-powering frictionless conversational commerce and expanding Sinch's reach in mobile transactions STOCKHOLM and ATLANTA, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch (Sinch AB (publ)) – (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Digital Customer Communications Cloud, today announced a new partnership with Authvia, the company behind TXT2PAY and a pioneer in conversational commerce. The partnership enables businesses to offer seamless, secure mobile payments directly within messaging channels such as SMS, RCS, and WhatsApp-accelerating the shift toward transaction-ready digital conversations. By natively embedding Sinch's omnichannel messaging API into Authvia's payment technology, the partnership enables businesses to move beyond static alerts to real-time, transaction-ready conversations, allowing customers to pay, confirm, subscribe, or settle balances with a single tap, without ever leaving the message thread. Sinch will become Authvia's default messaging provider, and with RCS messaging as a key focus, the collaboration positions Sinch and Authvia at the forefront of mobile innovation, transforming the SMS channel into the leading consumer engagement platform that delivers rich media experiences, including embedded carousels, suggested actions, secure links, and identity verification. "This partnership allows us to meet customers where they are with seamless communication and now, seamless transactions," said Michael Ricci, Head of Business Development. "By embedding Authvia's payment capabilities into our messaging channels, we're unlocking a powerful new dimension of customer interaction enabling businesses to engage, transact, and build trust in real time." Combining Messaging and Payments for Real-World Results Authvia's partnership with Sinch represents a major leap forward in bringing secure, frictionless payments to the channels consumers already use. From confirming a co-pay to paying a service invoice, reordering a subscription, or accepting a delivery, Sinch and Authvia make it easier for businesses to get paid, faster, safer, and with less friction. Sinch's global messaging infrastructure ensures deliverability, scale, and enterprise-grade omnichannel reach Authvia's patented TXT2PAY® technology supports secure, app-free transactions via 250+ payment processors, wallets, and banking rails Together, they provide a turnkey, scalable solution for high-growth industries including retail, subscription services, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, financial services, logistics and more. Authvia partnered with Sinch for their unmatched global reach, leadership with enterprise customers, and bold push to accelerate RCS adoption. "What excites me about this partnership is Sinch's global market leadership and how RCS, powered by Sinch, will quickly become the go-to app enterprises adopt for rich, branded, secure, commerce-led consumer engagement," said Chris Brunner, Founder and CEO of Authvia. "Together, we're empowering enterprises to connect more meaningfully, engage more intelligently, and drive commerce like never before, by meeting consumers where they are: on their mobile devices and in messaging." Authvia's platform integrates with over 250 payment processors including U.S Bank, Worldpay, Fiserv, Global Payments, Chase, and hundreds more. Additionally, Authvia supports digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal. This means businesses can adopt payment-enabled messaging using their existing infrastructure all while delivering a world class customer experience. This partnership advances Sinch's global mission to create more meaningful, results-driven customer experiences enabling businesses to move beyond one-way alerts to two-way, action-oriented conversations. Whether it's confirming a flight change, paying a co-pay, completing a purchase, or accepting a delivery, messaging becomes a powerful channel for real-time outcomes. With this integration, Sinch continues to lead the way in redefining how the world connects, communicates, and now transacts. For more information, please visit For more information please contact:Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & |1.206.914.6175 This information was brought to you by Cision View original content: SOURCE Sinch AB
