Heyday launches Shopify App to give retailers powerful conversational AI capabilities within seconds of install

MONTREAL, Nov. 24, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Heyday, a Montreal-based company specializing in conversational AI for retailers and ecommerce merchants, recently announced the official launch of its self-serve Sales & Support Chat application on the Shopify App Store.

The Heyday - Sales & Support Chat Shopify app is a code-free starter version of Heyday's full suite of features, built to help merchants sell and support their customers online. It includes an AI-powered Product Search for customers to browse and buy products via chat, plus pre-embedded automations for order tracking, and responses to FAQs. Heyday is also an official partner of Shopify Ping, Shopify's free messaging app.          

Since its soft launch in July 2020, Heyday has garnered significant global traction and recently reached 1000 installs across 77 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The app was recognized for its powerful, user-friendly capabilities by Shopify, earning a top spot on the Shopify App Store as a Staff Pick. Shopify also featured Heyday as one of the top global applications for retailers focused on increasing sales this holiday season.

In early 2019, the two Canadian companies began discussing potential opportunities for collaboration. Efforts to create a democratized, self-serve version of Heyday's platform, made for large-sized retailers like MAKE UP FOR EVER, Simons, Decathlon and DAVIDsTEA, were accelerated at the outset of the pandemic.

"We knew we needed to find a way to get a version of Heyday available to as many retailers, as fast as possible" says Brad Wing, VP of Strategy and Partnerships at Heyday. "And Shopify was the way to get us there." To achieve that goal, Wing and team approached Shopify Ping to build an extension and become an official partner. Today, the Heyday extension on Ping, one of four among Apple Business Chat and Facebook Messenger, gives merchants the opportunity to leverage conversational AI.

"Customers expect to talk to a brand instantly today. Heyday brings automation and AI into the mix for solopreneurs so they can provide immediate, relevant responses to customers. This next generation of chat helps small merchants level-up their sales game, increase conversions, and improve customer service in a cost-effective way," says Ellen Dunne, Sr. Product Lead at Shopify.

Last week, Heyday launched the FAQ Automation tool that allows retailers to automate responses to repetitive questions. Launching the self-serve version of FAQ Automation was planned in time for retail's busiest season - and given the sudden store closures across the country - automating responses to incoming questions around order tracking, delivery, and in-store policies via online chat is critical for a smooth customer experience.

Christine Dupuis, VP of Product and Growth at Heyday, says, "We know each merchant is unique, and they receive a wide variety of questions. With FAQ Automation, and our ability to understand thousands of retail-specific intents, merchants can select from dozens of topics to integrate with Heyday's AI chatbot, effectively answering common inquiries at scale, without burdening their support teams."

Heyday's Shopify App store version of FAQ Automation takes just 10 minutes or less to set up and is extremely flexible. "Our AI model can accurately detect customer intent, regardless of how questions are framed. With sudden or imminent closures, retailers don't have to worry about being constantly available to answer inquiries related to curbside pick-up, opening hours, or shipping policies. Plus, with our newly released editor, they can even change the answers to these questions as often as needed." The feature is available in both French and English.

"Working in tandem with a fellow Canadian company to provide greater access to advanced AI chat capabilities for merchants everywhere is ideal for Shopify," says Marie-Claude Leveille, Sr. Technology Partner Manager at Shopify. "We have the same ethos when it comes to providing tools and solutions to help retailers thrive and grow, from solopreneurs to enterprise-level brands."

Canadian Shopify Plus store, Popeye's Supplements, saw significant results from implementing Heyday's AI-powered FAQ Automation and Product Search at the outset of the first lockdown in March. "Thanks to Heyday, we've saved at least 50% in customer service costs, and my team can focus on high-value projects and customers," says Philippe-Antoine Defoy, GM and owner at Popeye's Supplements in Quebec.

To download the Shopify App and try it for yourself now, simply visit https://apps.shopify.com/heyday.

Retailers with multiple brick-and-mortar locations are encouraged to reach out to a Heyday expert directly at [email protected].

If you are an agency or reseller and looking to provide world-leading AI and chat technology for your clients, get in touch with Brad Wing at [email protected].

For questions or feedback related to Heyday's platform or AI capabilities, contact Christine Dupuis at [email protected].

ABOUT HEYDAY

Heyday is a Canadian software company whose conversational AI platform helps retailers and ecommerce merchants accelerate online sales, shorten customer support queues, and deliver personalized customer experiences at scale. Using the combined power of natural language processing, machine learning, and human teams, Heyday AI-powered chat bridges the gap between online and in-store shopping to create richer, contextually-relevant interactions between brands and their customers. Heyday serves medium-sized and enterprise retailers including Decathlon, LVMH, DAVIDsTEA, and Popeye's Supplements.

Visit www.heyday.ai to learn more.

SOURCE Heyday