Throwback Thursday: From Large Mobile Phones to Small Mobile Phones...and Back to Large?

Happy Throwback Thursday!

With all the buzz around the announcement of the new iPhone 6, and the competition releasing their new smartphones on the market, it seems fitting to look back at the beginning designs of mobile phones. 

To the left you can see the progression of mobile phones. When Motorola first put out their cell phone, it was almost bigger than a house phone, but as time went on, they recognized the demand for smaller phones. Likewise, other major cell phone manufacturers followed suit and kept trying to make mobile phones smaller and smaller. 

As you can see in today's generation, mobile phones are turning into smartphones, and those smartphones are reverting back to the 'bigger is better' motto. Apple typically remained the same size, but with their latest iPhone, the screen is much larger than previous models. It is comparable to Samsung's Galaxy Note smartphones. With all the features and capabilities, developers needed to adapt the user interface to better fit all of the functionality. 

Similar to smartphones, the User Interfaces (UI) of Virtual Agents have progressively changed over the course of time to better accommodate users. In the past, Virtual Agent interfaces were text on a DOS screen, and eventually evolved to look very similar to AOL instant messenger. Now, Virtual Agents have become more sleek, can include multi-pane U.I.'s, avatars and promotions, the potential for speech capabilities, predictive text, and much more. In the past, Virtual Agents found their home on a website, and were best accessed from a laptop or computer; however, today, Virtual Agents make so much sense for the mobile customer experience (right, Siri?).

The user interface is not the only thing that is constantly updated; the administrative tools have also come a long way. For example, Virtual Agents can now integrate with third-party platforms, provide custom reporting, and with the Internet of Everything now in play, the capabilities are endless.  

What do you think the future of user interfaces will look like? How do you think the Internet of Everything will play a role in device designs?  
www.nohold.com 

Happy 15th Birthday, noHold!

Photo Credit: mecury-labs.com

Last Friday, September 12, we celebrated noHold’s 15^th birthday. We have always prided ourselves on being one of the longest standing virtual agent vendors to date. In an interview with Connected World Magazine, Diego Ventura, the CEO of noHold, talks briefly about how the concept of noHold all started.

“CW (Connected World): It is said that the past is prologue, and in that spirit, can I ask you to describe how you came to start noHold 15-years ago?

DV (Diego Ventura): noHold is my second company; my first company was STEFRA Corp. We created a product called Video Control that was bundled with most of the Web cameras of the time. It was a very successful enterprise for us, but it also meant that millions of new customers had questions about our software. I have always been passionate about AI (artificial intelligence), so we thought about creating an Expert System that could answer customers’ questions automatically. The idea caught on and I realized there was the opportunity to create a separate company. I raised $15 million from VCs (venture capitalists) and started noHold.”

To read the full interview, please follow this link.

Throughout the years, we have continued to watch and contribute to the growth of this industry. noHold has acquired great experience over the 15 years of developing Expert Systems and we've determined best practices that help our clients enhance the customer experience, but our technology is also flexible and continuously adapting to keep up with the rapid growth of technology. As the acknowledged leader in Web based self-service solutions, we are very happy that in the past few years, Virtual Agents and artificial intelligence have grown to become household names. More and more people are feeling comfortable interacting and having a conversation with their technologies (artificial intelligence) than ever before. We predict great growth in Virtual Agent adoption, especially within the Internet of Everything (IoE). Nevertheless, we are looking forward to what the next 15 years will bring. Cheers!  

www.nohold.com

Tim Cook Says, "People Want to Relate to Their Phone in a Different Way"

About two years ago, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, was interviewed and asked about Siri. His response was, "I think Siri has proven to us that people want to relate to their phone in a different way. Yes it can be broader and so forth, but we see unbelievable potential here. I think you're going to be happy with where it's going. We're doubling down on it." (wired.co.uk)

Fast forward 2 years, we can tell that they are doing some serious upgrading to Siri technology to keep up with the competition. As we mentioned yesterday, Siri has some interesting new features to appear in the updated iOS8. Back in August, Apple submitted a patent application for a Siri-like virtual assistant for Mac's (appleinsider.com). And now, they are expanding their Siri office in Boston to accommodate their continued work on speech recognition technology. "Earlier this year a report in June suggested Apple could be looking to replace Nuance as the speech recognition component used for Siri pointing to several new hires at the company." (9to5mac.com)

Siri, and other Virtual Assistants alike, provide users with a sense of connection to their devices, making it more personal. It has completely changed the way humans interact with not only our phones, but technology in general. Virtual Agents are being used more and more for customer support (helping users solve their own problems), sales (giving users knowledge and recommendations based on specific, personalized information), and care (letting users know information about their shipments/orders).

Do you agree that Siri has changed the way we relate with our devices? Imagine a life with a more intuitive and interactive Virtual Assistant; similar to a trusted 'pal' that can predict your needs/wants, give you relevant information in real time, and assist you with things such as scheduling, shopping, and controlling other devices. Siri might not be there yet, but it seems that the future of Virtual Assistants is moving in that direction.   

www.nohold.com

Apple's Big Announcement: What Does This Mean For Siri?

"Today, we are pleased to announce the biggest advancement in iPhone." -Tim Cook

The much anticipated Apple event occurred this morning in Cupertino, CA. Here, they announced some of the latest features integrated into the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. 

• Much larger screen.  iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display. iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch display. 
• The cover glass is made up of a Retina HD display.
• There is a updated Home screen for landscape mode.
• iPhone 6 has a 8MP iSight camera, 1.5µ pixels, ƒ/2.2 aperture, with an all new sensor.
• The predictive keyboard learns your conversation style and helps you answer accordingly. 
• The new Health app gives you a detailed look at your health and fitness data.
• See how much faster and easier it is to pay with Apple Pay
• Pre-order your iPhone 6 starting Sept. 12

Not only did they announce all the newest features integrated within the iOS8 platform, they also unveiled the newest addition to their product line, the Apple Watch. Looks like the rumors were right; Apple joined the market for wearable devices. Check out the sleek design.

Photo Credit: Apple.com

Siri also made it's way into the Apple Watch. The iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and Apple Watch all run iOS8, which made some significant updates to Siri. Though, the event did not mention Siri much, back in June at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, they mentioned some of the updates Siri will be getting in iOS8. 

• Shazam song recognition
• Voice activation, all you have to do is say "Hey, Siri."
• Streaming voice recognition
• 22 new dictation languages
• Purchasing iTunes content

Do you think this face lift be enough to keep Apple on top of the Virtual Assistant game, competing with Android's Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana?   

www.nohold.com

noHold Participates in a Case Study with Partner, Rackspace

Here at noHold, we love getting feedback from our customers. It is a great way to find out if we are providing the best products/ services possible, what ways we can improve, and how we can customize products to better fit the needs of our audience. Just recently, Dario De Santis, our Product and Engineering Manager, participated in a case study for one of our partners, Rackspace. They are a well-known managed cloud computing company based in Texas. Here is a brief video of Dario explaining how our involvement with Rackspace and their services is truly essential to providing our customers with the best foundation possible for their products.

There is also an article explaining a little more in depth why Rackspace works so well for noHold. To read the full document, please click here.

Is customer feedback a key performance indicator for your company? Why or why not?  

www.nohold.com

Trusted Brands Use Quick Videos to Introduce Virtual Agents to Call Center Agents, Employees, and Consumers

One of our customers once said, "Consumer products and services should be easy enough to use that you don't have to train your audience to use them ." This is a great rule of thumb for consumer products, as well as the support and self-service that accompanies them. Consumers don't like buying an expensive piece of technology and having to spend hours learning how to turn it on. They want easy, light weight, user-friendly technology that can simplify their lives in some way. 

At noHold, we always talk about the importance of ease of use for the end customer and administrators alike. In some instances, our clients recruit interns or entry level associates to build and maintain Virtual Agents. Minimal training is key to making this model successful. Similarly, call center agents and end customers should be able to interact with the Virtual Agents effortlessly. When a customer launches a new Virtual Agent, one of the easy ways to introduce the users to the product is with short overview videos. Within the videos, companies can describe the User Interface (UI) of the Virtual Agent, the different capabilities, and/or anything else they feel appropriate.  

One of the largest companies in the networking equipment industry is utilizing this method of introducing Virtual Agents with easy to follow and engaging videos. In doing so, it encourages adoption by giving examples of the ease of use. These videos have been viewed by internal employees, call center agents, and more. 

noHold also made a quick overview video of our Help Desk Virtual Agent, Albert. Check out the video below to see the example.

Would you be more inclined to use self-service options if you were prompted by a quick video clip? How does your company introduce new products or services, like a Virtual Agent, to your end user?  Do you think videos help to encourage usage? 

www.nohold.com

P.S. 

The time with our interns is almost up; this is their last week here with us. We are sad to see them go, but are very excited for them to show us what they have been working on for the past month. Stay tuned for a blog overview on their work creating their own Virtual Agent.   

Throwback Thursday: Are Robots Threatening Your Job Security?

Photo Credit: apps.carleton.edu

If you look back at past T.V. shows/movies, it is almost as if they were foreshadowing a future with robots and interactive technology. Take the 1960's cartoon series, The Jetsons, for example. They enhanced the futuristic vibe of the show by adding a robot as their housekeeper. Now, in today's World, the public is more afraid than ever of robots replacing humans in the job market. I recently read a funny article, making light of the public's worry about a 'robot take over'. The article is titled, '7 Roles That Robots Will Never Fill (Although We Kind of Wish They Would).' 

Read the full article to find out why the author thought a robot could never replace a human in certain occupations.

While most of these seem like a joke, their are many other jobs that robots cannot replace, either. For example, an occupation in creative arts. While, a computer can enhance art (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.), a robot uses logic and lacks the element of a 'creative eye.' Some of the most beautiful art is abstract and that would be a hard concept for a robot to grasp.

What about teachers? We wrote a blog about Jibo, the social robot, being used as a tool to help teach children. While it was proven successful, it does not mean that the presence of a human teacher is obsolete. Young, developing minds require human interaction, and much more to thrive. 

In the end, it is important to look at robots/technology as supplementary to human jobs, instead of a threat to job security. Industry experts and trusted brands envision a work place where technology and humans work together. Creating efficiency, streamlining processes, responding quickly and reducing costs are just a few of the benefits that automation can provide. According to our metrics, we see millions of consumers interacting with Artificial Intelligence a month. People feel more comfortable with A.I. and in most cases, prefer the immediacy of using such tools. Not only are consumers getting to the answers they want quicker, but they are leaving the conversation feeling satisfied as well.       
What do you think about robots, automation and Artificial Intelligence becoming more predominate in the job market? Are you worried, or do you see it as a benefit? How do you interact with AI today in your occupation, and how does it make your job easier? 
www.nohold.com 

Update: Interview with Cisco Small Business, Interns from Italy, and a Feature on the Peggy Smedley Show

noHold has been up to some exciting stuff over the past couple weeks. Here's a quick update on what we've been up to...

1. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Shawn Price, Sr. Manager of End-User & Collaboration Applications of Cisco, to talk to him about the internship program that he is spearheading. Here is a snippet from the introduction. 

"Cisco Small Business has been working with University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and its students on a cutting edge internship program that empowers students to learn about Cisco products, helps improve customer satisfaction and self-support, with the opportunity for students to earn money while obtaining college credit. The students that are part of this program additionally have room for advancement as well as the potential to become a Cisco employee in the future. 

Recently, noHold took some time to learn more about Shawn Price’s intern program at UC Santa Cruz in California; Shawn is Sr. Manager of End-User & Collaboration Applications at Cisco. One of the first of its kind, Mr. Price has spearheaded a project with an incredible Mission: 'We use students first, to promote education, and to give back. The program helps students develop and be successful. In addition, it helps Cisco develop additional support capabilities and it’s a win-win situation for our customers, for the students, and for Cisco.'"

To check out the full interview, please click here.

2. In addition to getting an exclusive interview with Shawn about his internship program, at the beginning of the month we welcomed a few interns of our own here at noHold. To find out a little bit more about their experiences and what they are accomplishing at noHold, read the blog titled, "Traveling All the Way From Italy to the Silicon Valley, noHold Welcomes Interns for a Month."

3. To conclude the update, on August 12th, our CEO, Diego Ventura, had the privilege to be featured live on The Peggy Smedley Show, the voice of M2M and connected devices. Peggy and Diego sat down to talk about Virtual Agents, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Everything. If you missed the show, you can still listen to the show by going to http://www.thepeggysmedleyshow.com, or click here to go directly to the episode Diego appears in. Note that he joins the conversation in the second segment titled 'Interaction with the Internet of Things' and continues through until the last segment.

Now that you are all caught up on the exciting projects we've been working on, stay tuned for more news in the coming weeks.

Cheers!

www.nohold.com

Tips Tuesday: Send Your Kids Back to School with the Best Suited Device for Them

As August is coming to a close, friends and family are trying to catch their last 'fun in the sun' moments before summer officially ends, and school begins. In light of it being back-to-school month, and having the added stresses that come along with that, I wanted to share a resourceful article with great information about picking the right device that fits your youngsters needs. The article is titled "How to Pick the Right Back-to-School Computer for Your Kid." Check it out to see some suggestions regarding which computers are best for kids of different ages. 

Photo Credit: www.imore.com

Not only is picking the right device important, but choosing the right support to go along with that technology is also key. With so many consumers turning to mobile and portable devices, the best way to respond to troubleshooting, diagnosing problems, and how-to support questions is to utilize light-weight and intuitive self-help options such as Virtual Agents. 

Since the kids of this generation are growing up in a technology driven society (also referred to as the App Generation), it is inevitable that they will utilize their devices in school settings. Parents need to know how to pick the right one, and teachers need to learn how to incorporate the kids identity with technology and use it in their curriculum. "Born after 1990, members of this generation have been surrounded and immersed to an unprecedented degree by technology: laptops, tablets, smartphones, handheld devices of every size and shape. Unlike so-called digital immigrants, they cannot remember a less technological era; indeed, unlike every previous generation, most of them do not know what it is like the be lost" (The App Generation: How Technology is Changing Us). 

What devices work best for your family's needs? Do they like the kid-friendly touchscreens or the more advanced software for performance?
www.nohold.com

Traveling All the Way From Italy to the Silicon Valley, noHold Welcomes Interns for a Month

Happy Monday all! I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.

To start off this week, I wanted to share some insider news about what's going on inside the office of noHold...

At the beginning of August, we had the pleasure of welcoming 5 bright, young interns to join the noHold team. Four of the five students traveled all the way from universities in Europe and the other came straight from the Silicon Valley, here in California.

They each come from different walks of life and have a unique perspective on the world. This gives them the ultimate advantage in the up-and-coming tech industry. Let me tell you a little bit about each of them. 

Asraful Islam: Originally from Bangladesh, but is now working on his Masters in Software Engineering at the University of Bolzano (ITA). Some of his hobbies include table tennis and soccer. With a passion to travel the world, Asraful has experience studying within multiple different cultures.

Stefano Masserini: Stefano was born in a small town in Italy called Bergamo. He is currently in his third year at the Free University of Bolzano and is expected to graduate next year. One of his hobbies includes freestyle skiing, a hobby that has given him great opportunities in the field of marketing, working with companies such as Spiagames and Redbull.    

Eleonora Marzadro: Born in Rovereto, Italy, Eleonora attended a high school that focused on the arts (graphic design, photography, etc.). After many courses and a great job opportunity as a graphic designer, she decided to get her degree in Design and Arts. With a knack for photography and HTML, she is a great asset to noHold.   

Victor Gobbo: Coming from a small village in Italy called Perca, he is looking forward to continuing his studies in International Economy at the WU-Vienna University, one of the most prestigious universities in Austria. On his free time, he enjoys sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding.   

Brandon Liu: Just starting high school, Brandon is one of the youngest interns here at noHold. He is the son of one of our experienced engineers here at noHold.   

As students, they will be here up until the end of August (a total of one month) and with their time here, they will be creating their own Virtual Agent. As a team, they will go through all the steps involved in creating a Virtual Agent; from creating and organizing content to marketing strategies to promote the Virtual Agent. At the end of the month, they will have the opportunity to present what they have completed to our team at noHold (the board)!       

Here is a picture of our talented interns.

From left to right: Brandon Liu, Victor Gobbo, Stefano Masserini, Eleonora Marzadro, Asraful Islam

Throughout the rest of the month, stay tuned for updates on their experience. 

I'll leave you with a quote that our intern Eleonora shared with me that relates to their experience, and the importance of embracing new challenges and all the positive that can come from that. "I once read, 'Become friends with people who aren't your age. Hang out with people whose first language isn't the same as yours. get to know someone who doesn't come from your social class. This is how you see the world. This is how you grow.' That's why I travel and I try to put myself out of my comfort zone as much as I can!"

Cheers!

www.nohold.com

Throwback Thursday: How Important is Having a Multilingual e-Service Strategy?

In light of Throwback Thursday, I found a noHold blog from 2011 titled, 'Is your e-Service Strategy Multilingual? 72.7% of Internet Users say it should be...' Now, three years later, more and more companies are realizing the importance of having a multilingual strategy, and putting those plans into action.

Recently, a client of noHold, one of the World's leading, multinational computer technology company, launched another version of their Virtual Agent...in German! To become a global success, the need to appeal to people all over the World is a necessity. If not, you are excluding a large population of potential consumers that you can be marketing to. I'll leave you with this statistic that further validates the need for companies to have multilingual strategies for not only sales, but support as well.

"...85 percent of Internet users do not make important purchasing decisions unless product descriptions are in the language they speak, according to Common Sense Advisory, an analyst firm specializing in translation services. And visitors stay twice as long on sites in their native languages, according to Forrester Research" (Content Translation Speak the Language of ROI).

What is your company doing to accommodate to your non-English speaking consumers? 
www.nohold.com

Diego Ventura, CEO of noHold, with Special Guest Glenn Schleicher, Sr. Director of Customer Service at Cisco, Talk about the Internet of Everything (IoE) on The Peggy Smedley Show

August 11, 2014, Milpitas, California – In recent news, Diego Ventura, the Founder and CEO of noHold, Inc. was published in an interview with Connected World Magazine. Now, Ventura is invited back to be a guest on their live radio show, The Peggy Smedley Show.

Connected World Magazine is a trusted source for all things M2M. They provide insider knowledge about the latest innovations in connectivity, and top technology trends. Tim Lindner, a distinguished member of the editorial advisory board at Connected World Magazine, sat down with Diego to talk about the Internet of Everything phenomenon and how noHold fits into the equation. “What we learned is that what noHold does will at some point in the future touch your lives on a daily basis. It will soon be very transparent to you. All you will see, hear, and touch will be his company’s Virtual Agents.” (Lindner, 2014; Diego Ventura, CEO noHold, Talks IoE and A.I.). To read the full interview, please click here.

As a seasoned veteran on all things M2M and connected devices, The Peggy Smedley Show is a reputable source for industry professionals and technology enthusiast alike. The show features select guests to inform listeners of the different perspectives on the market today, and what they envision for the future. noHold is very excited to announce, tomorrow, August 12th at 12:15 p.m. CT, Diego Ventura will debut live on The Peggy Smedley Show. Glenn Schleicher, Sr. Director of Customer Services at Cisco will also be there sharing his thoughts on the topics at hand. They will sit down and discuss matters such as: Virtual Agents empowering humans to experience the Internet of Everything, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), cognitive computing, and everything in between.

To listen, please go to http://www.peggysmedleyshow.com/, and click on the ‘Listen Live Tuesday at 12 p.m. CT’ link in the navigation bar at the top of the page. Be sure to call in during the Q&A portion of the show to share your questions and comments; the number is 866-977-2346 ext. 2. Also, we will be tweeting live throughout the show. To join the conversation tag @noHoldAI and use #IoEConvo.

“It is nice to see the industry accepting Artificial Intelligence as a strategic differentiator. The show will give us an opportunity to discuss some of the latest developments and what the future has in store.” Diego Ventura, CEO of noHold.

About noHold, Inc.

noHold is a privately held company established in 1999 and is headquartered in Milpitas, CA, USA (Silicon Valley). noHold is the acknowledged leader in Web based Self-service solutions with a mission to deliver real answers to real questions - real fast. Simple to use, easy to implement and as close to human as you can get, noHold turns automated customer support into cognitive customer interaction. noHold customers include Toshiba, Lenovo, Cisco and a host of industry leaders. More information can be found at www.nohold.com.

About The Peggy Smedley Show

As the voice of M2M and connected devices, The Peggy Smedley Show is an entertaining, yet fun, resource for listeners looking to understand the issues and challenges of implementing the newest technologies both in the workplace and at home. Broadcast live each Tuesday from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. CT on wsRadio.com, host Peggy Smedley brings her years of experience, knowledge, analysis, and sense of humor to each show. The Peggy Smedley Show features discussions with top-tech thinkers and newsmakers, offering in-depth analysis, while sharing the hottest connected-device stories and trends. To learn more, or to hear current or past shows, please visit www.peggysmedleyshow.com.

Press Contacts

Sarah Ramoz

Marketing Operations Manager

sramoz@nohold.com

408.946.9200 ext. 305

Veronica Cech                                                                                                           

Social Media Assistant                                                                            

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408.946.9200 ext. 356                                                                                          

Please follow noHold's 'Press Center' for our latest press releases and news.

Throwback Thursday: Dentist Move from Old-Fashion Painkillers to New-Aged Virtual Realities

I recently came across an article from Yahoo! Tech (Instead of Painkillers, Dentists May Soon Just Plunge You into a Virtual Reality) and found that virtual realities have been proving to be for more than just gaming. These headsets that immerse you into another world are appearing in your neighborhood dentist office? Yes, that is right, the dentist office! According to Tara Long of Discovery News, studies are being done on using virtual realities to alleviate dental pain. Check out the video below for the whole scoop. 

Video Source: Yahoo! Tech

Before the presence of immersive technology, painkillers/ anesthesia were the only way to reduce some of the pain from dental procedures. Now, the future of this technology is looking to replace modern medicine. What is your opinion on virtual realities used inside the dentist office? Is it all just a hoax or does the distraction and immersive elements of virtual realities really make you not feel the pain?

www.nohold.com

35% of IT Operations Organizations Will Have 75% of IT Service Desk Contacts from the Business Resolved by Virtual Assistants

In recent news, noHold announced last Thursday our partnership with a trusted provider of user-oriented IT solutions for systems, security, mobility, and ITSM challenges. In doing so, we are working together to introduce the next-generation Help Desk to IT organizations with the help of Virtual Assistants/Virtual Agents. Here is our stance on the topic.   

Typically, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction are prioritized on two different levels, and in a customer-centric world, companies often let employee satisfaction fall by the wayside. In fact, industry experts in IT Operations have said that in general, IT Service Management is five to six years behind consumer-facing Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Knowing this, companies are taking another look internally and starting to incorporate what experts call a ‘necessity’ to running an efficient Help Desk. Top research firm, Gartner, predicts, “By 2016, 35% of IT operations organizations will have 75% of IT service desk contacts from the business resolved by virtual assistants” (Source: Gartner Predicts 2014: Automation Brings Promise to IT Operations Management, but at What Cost? 12 December 2013. Authors: Greene, J., Colville, R., et al.).

Some companies are already embracing a more interactive Help Desk. For example, Fidelity, the world’s largest provider of financial services, used Apple’s Genius Bar as inspiration for constructing their Help Desk. By doing this, the company is providing a closer, more personal relationship between the business and their employees. Multiple universities are also following suit, creating Help Desks with a similar concept to the Genius Bar.

A ‘Genius Bar’ inspired Help Desk is a move in the right direction; but as for the near future, IT organizations seem to be getting more interactive, in addition to becoming automated. In fact, industry experts agree that most IT help desk tickets can be handled through self-service. It is increasingly important for IT to implement a quality self-service solution for their employees to ensure profitability and employee satisfaction.  

A revolutionized Help Desk will include leveraging a Virtual Assistant as a first point of contact. One way of making a Virtual Assistant easily accessible, is through QR codes. Simply scan the QR code and a Virtual Assistant will pop up to help you with questions regarding BYOD, company policies, email issues, and more. When a live agent is necessary, the Virtual Assistant can carry the conversation over to the live agent so they know the root of the issue and can take action quickly. Incorporating a Virtual Assistant into your IT strategy can support employees, while allowing the Help Desk to spend less time responding to issues that can be automated, and more time focusing on the business.

I'll leave you with this slideshare demonstrates how a Virtual Assistant empowers enterprise customers.

   

noHold Joins the LANDESK One Partner Program to Create the Next Generation Help Desk

"MILPITAS, CA, (July 24, 2014) — noHold, Inc. announced today that they have joined the LANDESK One technology partner program to provide employees with the next generation, self-service help desk solution. LANDESK One is designed to provide opportunities for ISVs to create innovative and complementary technology on the LANDESK platforms. The program advances LANDESK’s user-oriented IT vision by enabling ISV partners to amplify the complete LANDESK portfolio to create customized, user-focused solutions. noHold and LANDESK are coming together to support the need of interactive technology for internal customers (employees). 

noHold Virtual Agents are used by leading brands to revolutionize their customers’ experience. Albert is an extension of noHold’s flagship product, InstantSupport™,but instead designed for employees to find answers to their problems, on their own terms. Albert can be customized with company-specific information or pre-packaged with answers to top questions about Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), Windows and Apple Operating Systems, and more."

_________________________________________________________________

Please click here to continue reading the full press release. 

www.nohold.com

The First Social Robot to Hit the Market, Jibo

Throughout time we have used robots to accomplish many different missions: sending them to space, using them within the military, efficiently running a manufacturing line, and more. Now, social robots are hitting the market, such as Jibo, the world's first family robot. 

Photo Credit: wearethefrontier.com

Jibo is a compact robot with a huge personality, designed by a pioneer of social robotics, Cynthia Breazeal. Similar to Virtual Personal Assistants (such as Siri and Google Now), Jibo can greet you and remind you of appointments throughout the day. More importantly, social robots (like Jibo) have been seen to have a greater impact on literacy and second language learning than standard computers. The interactive element of Jibo makes learning easier because of it companionship feel, unlike a regular application on a device (Meet Jibo: The World's First Family Robot).

Click here to watch an interview with Breazeal talking about her inspiration for Jibo and its different functions.

With robots gaining popularity, some people are concerned about robots replacing humans within jobs, and/or replacing human roles in general. As Breazeal said in her interview with Katie Couric, "It's about human empowerment." Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is being used to augment human actions, not take over.  

How do you feel about a personal, social robot for your home? Would you buy one, why or why not? 

www.nohold.com

Throwback Thursday: The Evolution of Movie Robots and Artificial Intelligence

Trivia Question: Does anyone remember the first movie a robot appeared in?

...Give up?

The first robot debuted on the big screen in the 1919 film, ‘The Master Mystery’, except they weren't called robots yet; they were called automatons. For today’s audience, robots are a common thing to see in movies and they have only gotten more technologically advanced…and bigger! Check out this Yahoo! Movies video that takes you through a short tour of the evolution of movie robots.

As you can see, robots, and the brains behind the robots, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), have continued to evolve throughout time. The beginning years of A.I., the technology did not have the diagnostic, conversational ability. Before, humans would interact with A.I. but it could only pick out keywords. In essence, there was no logic behind it. For example, if you asked an A.I., “I need directions to the grocery store from noHold”, it would pick out the key words (directions, grocery store, noHold), but it wouldn't be able to decipher the connecting words. The A.I. might interpret your request incorrectly and give you directions to noHold from the grocery store instead.

Now, A.I. is more advanced, and does not only use logic to process information, but also customizes responses. 

One way to provide custom responses (that is gaining popularity in the market) is using predictive technology. Taking the example from above about directions, if you ask a Virtual Agent where the nearest movie theater is, and it can respond with the solution AND give you options of nearby restaurants or the latest reviews on a current movie as well. Predictive interactions make it easier for users to get relevant information, without having to ask.

Location-based awareness is also a trending technology for new devices. Using GPS tracking to pinpoint your location, a Virtual Agent can use that information to provide users with location-specific content.

By combining logic, predictive interactions, and location-based awareness, Artificial Intelligence has evolved to become more user-friendly and personalized.

Do you remember your earliest interaction with a robot or A.I.? How has the experience evolved over time? In your opinion, what will A.I. be capable of 5 years from now? 

www.nohold.com

Virtual Agent in Action: User Navigates to the Correct Solution Quickly

Happy Monday! Not too long ago, noHold created a quick demonstration video. In this example, a user encounters an issue with his account. Instead of contacting the company directly, he opted to use their self-service solution.    



As you can see, a Virtual Agent is a user-friendly way for consumers to find the answers to their questions without having to wait for an agent to become available. Additionally, if users elect to use a Virtual Agent, it reduces the volume of calls to the Call Center, in turn cutting the costs. It is a win-win situation for all parties: the customer gets the answer they need while being immersed in an interactive customer experience, and companies deliver outstanding customer service without over paying. 

Does your company's contact center get the same frequently asked questions multiple times a day? Do you think automation will help achieve that 'win-win' scenario?

For more information on self-service solutions, please check out our website: www.nohold.com 

Throwback Thursday: Traditional Robots vs. Human-Like Robots

Photo credit: ucsddigitaljournalism.blogspot.com

Do you remember the times when a person would mention a robot and the image in your head would resemble the picture to the left? Big, bulky, square body parts, with antennas and computer features on the exterior completely validated the "I am a robot" phrase. 

Photo credit: dunckelnews.com

Today, when we see pictures or movies of what robots of the future will look like, they typically have more human features (see example on right), but are still recognizable as machines. 



     

Photo credit: news.yahoo.com

Now, robots are becoming more human-like than ever. To the left is an image of what appears to be a woman, but in reality, it is a robot. In Japan, one company is experimenting with robots, designing them to look, move, and talk like a human.  Japanese robotics expert, Hiroshi Ishiguro says "Making androids is about exploring what it means to be human," he told reporters Tuesday, "examining the question of what is emotion, what is awareness, what is thinking." (Woman or Machine? New Robots Look Creepily Human) 

Imagine adding Virtual Agent technology to a humanoid robot to provide it with the proper knowledge to answer questions. For example, the humanoid robot could be a store clerk, knowledgeable about your favorite product, customer service, etc. Or imagine an employee Help Desk with a human-like robot to answer your questions about BYOD, corporate policies, and more. How would you react? 

What is your opinion on robots that look exactly like humans? If you have used a Virtual Agent for Customer Support, Care, or sales questions, do you prefer to know that it is an automated solution before interacting?   

www.nohold.com