The Power of AI and Conversational Commerce

Shifting consumer habits and preferences have made technology adoption a must for every company. While talk about technology adoption has become commonplace, many industry players have yet to embrace innovation. Manuel Centeno, VP of Sales for North Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, Yalo, highlighted the need to transform how smaller enterprises leverage technology to thrive in an increasingly digitized market.

By using messaging apps and AI for more meaningful conversations, Yalo helps major global brands connect with customers in a personalized, direct, and efficient manner, enhancing both the customer experience and operational efficiency. Centeno emphasized the company’s mission to democratize technology for small businesses, stating that these companies represent a market of around US$80 billion. He underscored the importance of providing access to advanced technological tools to a segment of the market that often lags in terms of innovation.

According to Centeno, companies receive a billion consumer messages via WhatsApp. Centeno highlighted this as evidence of the shift in consumer preference toward messaging platforms as a primary communication channel. In this context, he noted that currently 1.6 million companies are using Yalo's platform to manage their customer interactions through these messaging channels.

Centeno highlighted a crucial strategic opportunity: the fact that many companies, especially smaller ones, have not yet adopted messaging channels to interact with their customers. He emphasized that this gap represents an opportunity to improve conversion rates and customer engagement. Yalo's technology, according to Centeno, is designed to bridge this gap by providing companies with an accessible and user-friendly platform to integrate messaging into their business strategy. This opportunity is not limited only to small businesses. It can also be applied to larger companies that have not fully capitalized on the power of messaging in their customer service and sales strategy.

AI has become an indispensable tool for companies looking to thrive in an increasingly competitive and technologically advanced business environment. “Artificial intelligence is no longer a luxury but a necessity,” says Centeno. “It is just as important as having a website in the digital age.”