dir="ltr">It’s no secret that artificial intelligence-powered bots can chat with customers, but with new technology from Israeli-based start-up TechSee, bots can now see as well. TechSee’s technology is an AI-based video service. It leverages a combination of computer vision, augmented reality and users’ smartphone cameras to deliver tech support to customers.
Customers can use their cameras to capture the problem that they need support with, while TechSee’s computer vision can apply artificial intelligence to analyze the problem, and then apply augmented reality to demonstrate how to solve it. The technology can be used to supplement live assistance from agents, or can deliver service on its own as a virtual assistant.
For Eitan Cohen, the CEO and cofounder, the idea for the company arose from necessity. While helping his parents trouble-shoot an issue with their cable box over the phone, he realized it was difficult to lead them through the required steps to fix it without seeing the box—enter TechSee, which would enable him, as the support provider, to “see” the problem in that situation.
Today, despite being early days for TechSee, the company already provides over 15,000 agents at companies like Samsung and Vodafone with the visual technology. And the tool is delivering results—companies that use TechSee typically see a 40 percent rise in customer satisfaction and a 17 percent decrease in tech dispatches, which means problems are increasingly being solved over the phone, without the need for on-premises repair.
“Tech may become more of a commodity, but customer service does not. Solutions like ours allow companies to provide low-cost technology without having to hire more people to solve issues that might arise with it,” Cohen told TechCrunch.
As time goes on, the technology will only get smarter, Cohen explained. Every time TechSee’s video functionality is used, the video from the interaction is stored in a catalogue so that the artificial intelligence at its core can learn from it, better preparing bots to tackle new problems.
TechSee’s current funding round was led by Scale Venture Partners, which praised the start-up for its innovative vision in a company statement from Andy Vitus, a partner there:
"TechSee recognized the great potential for combining computer vision AI with augmented reality in customer engagement. Electronic devices become more complex with every generation, making their adoption a perennial challenge. TechSee is solving a massive problem for brands with a technology solution that simplifies the customer experience via visual and interactive guidance."
Salesforce has also backed TechSee, which applies Salesforce Einstein to its technology.