iFood launched, in June, a chatbot that uses the artificial intelligence of ChatGPT to help those who want to make grocery purchases via WhatsApp. This new virtual assistant is the Compr.AI, which is already operating in 20 partner establishments across the country.
“WhatsApp is already one of the main online purchasing channels in Brazil. We took advantage of this opportunity to automate and improve the purchasing journey for both consumers and establishments”, explains Felipe Pereira, director of Compr.AI at iFood.
Partners who are interested in adopting Compr.AI technology can sign up for the waiting list by filling out the form available here. For the most curious, who want to experience first-hand how this technology works, a test number is also available.
By using the GPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) model, Compr.AI is able to offer more natural and humanized conversations. It allows customers to communicate directly with artificial intelligence on the same phone number they are used to using to contact the establishment.
Responses are not limited to a pre-defined set of options with buttons or numbers (as is the case with many traditional chatbots), and the interaction is closer to what they would have with a real agent.
Felipe highlights Compr.AI as an advanced version of ChatGPT, created to give AI the feeling of a real agent. He explains: “With GPT, communication flows naturally, allowing AI to understand even laughing responses, such as the famous 'kkkk', in addition to using emojis, which makes the shopping experience truly personal and engaging for our clients".
How Compr.AI learns from interactions
Like ChatGPT, this natural language model was created by OpenAI and is trained with a large amount of text data to learn to communicate using a language similar to ours.
In this conversation, customers can ask anything via WhatsApp: check prices or ask questions about the delivery area and opening hours of the establishment, for example.
“The advantage for consumers is that they receive answers to their questions instantly, unlike service provided by a store employee, who is often busy with other tasks and may take a while to respond”, highlights Felipe.
“The robot eliminates this lack of synchronization, maintaining a humanized standard in the conversation, providing a more agile and efficient experience for customers.”
Furthermore, over time, AI learns to adapt to the context and interact in a more realistic way.
“We had a case in which the client informed that he was going to send his son to buy beer at the market and Compr.AI warned that this would not be possible because the young man was underage”, says Felipe. “And customers who end the conversation with 'God bless you' and the AI responds 'God bless you, amen'.”
“GPT even understands the peculiar way of placing orders in Brazil. When the customer adds the comment 'Very cold Coquinha', GPT's response comes with a fun interaction, using the frozen face emoji, and only then presents the order summary”, says Felipe.
Higher conversion in grocery purchases via WhatsApp
Result: sales conversion is three to four times greater than what happens with the model that offers answers in the form of a “button”. “It is an indication that the fluidity of the conversation leads to a more assertive purchase conclusion”, says Felipe.
“With artificial intelligence, the conversation can cover more situations that lead customers to close more orders, at the same time that the partner gains efficiency in the operation.”
Service is not the only step automated by AI. When the order is completed, Compr.AI updates the store's stock in real time and integrates directly with the POS, avoiding the manual issuance of the tax coupon, which minimizes errors and speeds up delivery time.
“We are really excited about the potential of GPT technology combined with the iFood ecosystem, represented by Compr.AI. This combination has the power to revolutionize the way supermarket purchases are carried out via Whatsapp”, says Felipe.
“With the automation provided by Compr.AI, entrepreneurs can optimize their operations, better organize their stores and allocate resources more efficiently, resulting in a significant increase in productivity.”
“In addition,” continues Felipe, “the customer service team also reaps significant benefits from this technology. They no longer need to interrupt their tasks to respond to pricing queries via WhatsApp, providing a smoother workflow and fewer interruptions. This allows partners to further focus on the quality of customer service while driving increased sales and overall consumer satisfaction. It’s a powerful combination that is transforming the grocery shopping experience for the better.”
