Social Media Roundup: September 12, 2017

Marketers Are Turning to Chatbots for Customer Service

Beginning with the tale of Rose, the chatbot at the Cosmpolitan in Las Vegas that dispenses helpful information to guests – and which has received dozens (that’s right, dozens!) of marriage proposals – this article in Advertising Age examines the increasing use of AI-driven customer service technology. “Formerly just a plot mechanism in science-fiction stories, artificial intelligence is finding its way into contemporary commerce as a growing number of marketers turn to bots to better connect with customers and, in some cases, offer something digitally distinctive,” write the authors. Early adopters of this technology include Taco Bell and 1-800-Flowers. The article also notes that these automated systems can collect detailed personal data from customers and offer more personalized services and responses – freeing up a brand’s human employees for other tasks. Learn more here.

The Essential 5: Top Reports Every Consumer Marketer Needs

The only thing more confusing than the sea change in consumer marketing technology might be the massive amounts of data that the technology generates – and how to understand and manage it. Well, here’s a report, “The Essential 5,” that claims to define the 5 top reports every consumer marketing pro needs. According to the report from Marketo, those 5 essential reports are:

• Web page activity analysis
• New customer analysis
• Customer acquisition cost analysis
• Program channel performance analysis
• Engagement analysis

So, consumer marketing pros, you be the judge. Download the e-book here.

Marketing Automation: A Guide to Terminology for the Perplexed

Still working your way through what marketing automation is? This 22-page downloadable e-book from SharpSpring claims to demystify the subject for marketers. With separate sections for marketers and agencies, “The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Terminology” acknowledges the confusion that exists about what it is and how to use it (or not). “As with many industries, this niche may seem buried under its own confusing jargon. The good news is that the basic ideas really aren’t that complicated,” according to the introduction. The section for marketers begins with A/B testing and advanced blog post scheduling, runs through more obscure terms such as DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) and render testing, and ends with definitions of workflow and WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). As you explore marketing automation, this glossary could come in handy!

Domino’s and Ford Partner To Explore Delivery with Self-Driving Vehicles

So do you tip the self-driving vehicle that just delivered your pepperoni pizza? If you live in Ann Arbor, Mich., you may have to decide, because that’s where Domino’s and Ford are testing the idea. “As delivery experts, we’ve been watching the development of self-driving vehicles with great interest as we believe transportation is undergoing fundamental, dramatic change,” said Patrick Doyle, Domino’s president and CEO in a press release. Randomly selected customers in Ann Arbor will have the option of receiving their order from a Ford Fusion Hybrid ARV (autonomous research vehicle) – for now, manually driven by a Ford safety engineer and staffed by researchers. (No, you don’t have to tip them.) The ARV is tied into an upgraded version of Domino’s Tracker, allowing customers to know exactly where their pizza is at every turn. Once it arrives, customers can unlock the vehicle’s Heatwave Compartment using a unique code they received by text. Not enough? Hold tight for the arrival of 3-D pizza printing. Wait – it’s already here! (What will they do with all those ARVs?)