Summary: With the growing interest of organizations to have a closer, real-time connection with their customers, there is the emergence of business-to-consumer messaging channels coming from startups and even well established companies. To address the growth of customer interactions with these new messaging platforms, organizations are turning to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatbot" target="_blank">chatbots</a>, natural language processing, artificial intelligence and machine learning to respond to customers in a way that creates a compelling and natural interaction with the customer.<br> This weeks, we discuss business-to-consumer messaging with Richard Smullen, the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.pypestream.com/" target="_blank">Pypestream</a>, one of the first to create this next generation consumer messaging platform where consumers comes to one place to talk to the brands that are important to them.<br> Topics covered in this weeks show included:<br> <br> * Richards experience in his early startup and how he ended up coming the US from South Africa<br> * The painful experience that led to the idea that became Pypestream<br> * Why do organizations needs yet another messaging platform to connect with their customers?<br> * What is missing from the existing messaging platforms such as Facebook Messenger, etc?<br> * How do customers find and connect with brands in these new messaging platforms?<br> * What are <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/why-brands-barbie-uber-are-so-hot-chatbots-170577" target="_blank">chatbots</a> and why are they important?<br> * How do chatbots respond to customer inquiries?<br> * What will chatbots look like 3 to 5 years from now?<br> <br> About Richard Smullen:<br> Richard Smullen is the CEO of Pypestream, the leading business to consumer messaging platform. Pypestream provides customers with a single destination to message their favorite brands and local businesses. Richard previously served as co-founder and CEO of Genesis Media LLC, a next generation multiple media, real-time video advertising platform.<br><br> With Pypestream, brands have the ability to securely chat with customers, as well as transfer files and deliver customized content to targeted audiences. Attachments are stored in the Cloud, and messages are encrypted and stored in a secure, cloud-based filing cabinet. Soon businesses will also be able to leverage Pypestream’s proprietary artificial intelligence technology to be automate how they respond to customers and fans in real time, as well as handle in-message payment transactions.<br> Links Mentioned In The Show:<br> <br> * <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsmullen" target="_blank">Richard on LinkedIn</a><br> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/richard.smullen.3" target="_blank">Richard on Facebook</a><br> * <a href="https://www.pypestream.com/" target="_blank">Pypestream site</a><br> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pypestream/" target="_blank">Pypestream on Facebook</a><br> * <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-store/id1033682898?pt=117924398&ct=website&mt=8" target="_blank">Pypestream app on iOS </a><br> * <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pypestream&referrer=utm_source%3Dwebsite%26utm_medium%3Dweb" target="_blank">Pypestream app on Android</a><br> <br> Listen to this week's show, <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/What_Is_The_Innovation_Behind_Chatbots_And_Why_Is_It_Important_S12_Ep5.mp3" target="_blank">What Is The Innovation Behind Chatbots And Why Is It Important? S12 Ep5</a><br>
