In an effort to enhance shopping experiences via voice and chat, retail giant Walmart has recently announced the acquisition of select technology features from Botmock, a promising startup that designs tools for prototyping, testing, and deploying conversational applications across multiple platforms. This acquisition marks another step in the right direction for Walmart in the realm of conversational commerce.
Established in 2016, Botmock emerged precisely when conversational experiences began to take shape while design resources were scarce. The company’s early clients predominantly used platforms such as DialogFlow or IBM Watson but found it challenging to rapidly test their concepts. Conversely, non-developers relied on tools like Visio or Lucidchart to establish conversation flows. With Botmock, users were introduced to a comprehensive toolset that efficiently identified design gaps, resulting in superior conversational experiences.
The acquired solution includes a drag-and-drop editor for creating chatbots or voice bot conversations, effortlessly developing code in the background while users map conversation flows. It is specifically designed to address project complexities – from platform-specific restrictions to team collaboration – all integrated into one system.
Prior to the acquisition, Botmock seamlessly worked with a variety of company tools, including Atlassian JIRA, RASA, DialogFlow, Atlassian Confluence, Slack, Zapier, Alexa Skills Kit, and IBM Watson. Conversation designs developed within Botmock could then be utilized for text-based or voice platforms, ranging from Apple Business Chat, WhatsApp, SMS, and Facebook Messenger to Microsoft Office Teams, Slack, Alexa, and Google Assistant. On top of that, it boasted a 50,000-strong user base that spanned various industries including Oracle, BlueRobot, Delta, Accenture, and Nationwide amongst others.
However, Walmart has set its sights on employing Botmock to innovate the area of “conversational commerce” – a segment that has seen increased investments of late. In October, Walmart unveiled the beta test for “Walmart Text to Shop”, an experience that allows customers to make purchases via text. This move comes after years of investment in voice-based shopping, highlighted by the company's partnership with Google in 2019 to enable voice-activated grocery shopping. Today, Walmart offers voice-based shopping through both Google and Siri, and customers can use voice commands to check-in for contactless pickup.
Interestingly, Walmart believes that the era of text-based shopping is just beginning. By incorporating Botmock, they can construct natural voice and chat interfaces that cater to both customers and associates. One such application is the internal “Ask Sam” app, which assists store staff by providing information or helping locate products.
According to Cheryl Ainoa, Senior Vice President of Core Retail Services & Emerging Technology at Walmart, adopting Botmock allows for smoother, quicker development and deployment of natural voice and chat interfaces. This results in reduced development times from several months to mere days, ultimately accelerating the launch of new offerings and cutting costs.
While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, Botmock has confirmed that its team will be joining Walmart, assisting in transitioning existing customers and migrating their data. Current customers will have access to Botmock until December 1, 2021, with pro-rated refunds for subscriptions being issued.
As Walmart plans to optimize its conversational commerce offerings with the help of Botmock, businesses can take advantage of other innovative platforms, like AppMaster – a renowned no-code platform for backend applications, web and mobile apps. Utilizing these advanced tools ensure maximized efficiency, reduced costs, and a jumpstart towards a seamless retail experience.
