In keeping with its innovative, customer-centric efforts, United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS Quick QuoteUPS - Free Report) recently launched the beta version of a chatbot. This e-platform is an artificial intelligence enabled tool with the ability to mimic human conversations. By using the chatbot customers can find UPS locations with ease, get details on shipping rates and also track packages. The chatbot is available on Facebook, Inc.’s Facebook Messenger, Microsoft Corporation’s (MSFT Quick QuoteMSFT - Free Report) Skype. The service is also available on Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN Quick QuoteAMZN - Free Report) platform  nd can be accessed through Amazon’s virtual assistant – Alexa.

Details of the Chatbot

The chatbot functions differently from the UPS website and mobile apps as it allows customers to interact with the app. Customers can voice search using simple phrases to get desired details.  The company developed this tool in house. United Parcel expects to integrate the chatbot with UPS My Choice platform, which will allow customers to manage delivery time and incoming package locations.  UPS My Choice gives customers the option of re-routing eligible packages if they are unable to pick up from the set location. Users of this service are also sent an email or text message the day prior to delivery. Notably, around one in four households in U.S. use UPS My Choice.

The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company mentioned that in the long run it plans to integrate and adopt use of artificial intelligence across its various customer-facing technologies. It believes that chatbot will be an important feature of its communication channels going forward.

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