Satisfi Labs AI tool bang for the ‘Bucs’

Article posted by Coliseum, February 11^th, 2021

Image: Satisfi Labs

The interactive search company Satisfi Labs (US) launched the AI-powered virtual assistant with the National Football League (NFL) team Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016. Originally, the virtual assistant could be accessed from the team’s mobile app and helped answer fan inquiries as regards team info and their gameday experience. During the off-season, Tampa Bay signed six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady. This season, with the excitement surrounding the new signing and the uncertainty caused with the world experiencing a pandemic, the ‘Bucs’ expanded access of their assistant onto Web and Apple Business Chat (ABC).

Satisfi Labs sources stated that with a large marketing push towards the virtual assistant from the team, they have been able to decrease physical points of contact between customers and venue staff while increasing their responsiveness to customers. They’ve been able to provide them with timely feedback throughout the season, while also staying connected with their at-home fans.

Satisfi Labs – based in New York – creates custom and conversational search engines for destinations and experiences. Their technology powers unique search experiences using knowledge management and conversational artificial intelligence (AI).

Bill Bailey, CRO, Satisfi Labs, US, is a Member of Coliseum – Global Sports Venue Alliance.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida (US). The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference South division.

Fan engagement

Although only few fans were allowed in the stadium fold this season (2020-2021), season tickets were in high demand and the ‘Bucs’ had already received 67 percent of their total 2019 inbound message volume heading into the season. With the excitement surrounding the new season and fans being present in the stadium despite the COVID clobber in the US, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed more ways to engage with their fans. The ‘Bucs’ also needed to educate fans on new game-day protocols, making sure they were prepared and informed for the new experience.

Seamless communication

Satisfi Labs sources further stated that their Interactive Answer Engine, which powers the ‘Bucs’ virtual assistant, was able to be easily deployed across Web and Apple Business Chat apart from enhancing their mobile app. The experience allows fans to communicate directly with the ‘Bucs’ across their preferred platform. The ‘Bucs’ marketed the virtual assistant at every home game to encourage fans to use it as a reference and as a means to keep fans safe by cutting down on physical contact with the staff.

By driving awareness and traffic through an email campaign, the ‘Bucs’ were able to manage the effective communication of the new matchday experience and greeted supporters back in a safe way. Additionally, the virtual assistants’ knowledge was quickly expanded based on a community of sports client learnings. New knowledge included new entrance policies, health and safety protocols, and at-home viewing access information.

Reaping rewards

The results were there for everybody to see – across the three channels, the virtual assistant has received over 49,800 inbound messages this season and averages over 2,000 messages on game days. Physical points of contact between customers and venue staff has decreased and so far has saved the Buccaneers over 1,500 staff hours. The most asked questions include Digital Ticketing Assistant, Single Game Ticket Purchase, TV Information, Schedule, and General Ticket Purchase Requests. Answering these fans questions in more channels has allowed the team to help spectators feel comfortable, safe and secure to return to the venue fold.

Christi Bedan, Vice-President, Digital & Media, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, exulted, “With the Satisfi Labs platform, we’ve been able to expand our AI technology to give fans that 1:1 response and timely interaction that is needed to make fans feel comfortable about the new gameday experience. Providing real-time automated responses across multiple channels puts fans at ease and provides a level of trust that is needed to get them back to the stadium. And this technology allows us to be ready to serve even more fans next season when we are back to 100 percent capacity.”

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