Episode 013: IP Messaging - Backbone of Conversational Engagement

In today’s episode of the Conversational Messaging Podcast, Gupshup’s Product Leader, Kunal Talreja, joins Srini to discuss how the Gupshup IP Messaging empowers a no-app, no-call, and no-store visit—the most convenient customer service for both sides. Tune in to see how less is more! 

The Gupshup IP Messaging 

Kunal explained the power of the Gupshup IP Messaging (GIP), a platform that transforms one-way messages into two-way conversations. Ultimately, GIP gets rid of inconvenient processes that require customers to call the brands, install applications, or visit the stores. By just clicking a link that’s embedded in messages sent to customers, customers can start transacting using automated customer service powered by smart bots. 

“When it comes to IP messaging, since it is on the internet, it gives you a leverage of using various different formats, can carry large files, and it can enable two-way communication.” - Kunal Talreja

Accessing Everything at Home 

Digitizing and automating customer processes should be a norm for brands, especially now that there are so many restrictions due to COVID-19. It’s a convenient and smart move for brands, no matter which industry they’re under—retail, banking, or even car dealerships. The customer should not have to go to stores, banks, or showrooms for processes they can complete by just scanning a QR code or clicking a link that would just collect their information and proceed with the process. With just a click, everything they need should be delivered right to their homes. 

“The customer change that a customer needs to make is not major; it's just within the same SMS template that they're using.”  - Srinivas Vijayaraghavan

Personalized, 24/7 Customer Service 

The GIP offers countless possibilities—customer experience improves significantly, from being able to reach resolution bots 24/7 to get a more personalized customer experience. For the brands, it’s quick and easy as they only have to provide the template for messaging and provide the functionalities (i.e. report fraud, file a complaint, apply for a loan, purchase a product, etc.). With the GIP, the messaging channel doesn’t stay a messaging channel; it becomes a marketplace where brands could expand and reach a wider audience. 

“It gives a very good competitive advantage to small retailers and SMEs to have their own digital store in which they can get customers to do all those transactions without coming to their store physically.” - Kunal Talreja

Bio:

Kunal Talreja is a Product Leader at Gupshup. He’s been driving a lot of cool innovations around the area of messaging within the company. 

Srinivas has over 2 decades of experience in running marketing for high-growth technology companies and managing corporate marketing, product marketing and demand generation. Prior to Gupshup, he held marketing leadership positions with Qubole, Pluralsight, Mobileum and Tejas Networks.

Resources:

Gupshup.io

Transcript

00:01

Listen to insights on how conversational messaging is changing the way businesses and their customers engage. Join gupshup CEO Varun and VP for marketing srini, and an array of guests for conversations about conversations. This is the gupshup conversational messaging podcast.

00:29

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the conversational messaging podcast. This is srini as always welcoming you. So we are deep into Season Two of the podcast Season One, we focused a lot on the basics of conversational messaging, why it's important. And season two, we have been focusing on a lot of the product innovations that we are seeing in the market and what we're bringing out as gupshup leveraging conversational messaging. And today, we want to focus on a very specific, I would say messaging innovation, that has been a key enabler of conversational messaging, which is called IP messaging. And in order to give us more insight on what IP messaging is, and what are its applications, and also Gup ships old version of IP messaging, our invite and welcome, actually, canal canal is a product leader at gupshup. And he has been driving a lot of cool innovations around the area of messaging within the company. So welcome to the show, Connor.

01:32

Thank you Sweeney for inviting me for this podcast, I'll try my best to share as much as I can in terms of what we are doing into the innovations lab at capture.

01:43

Sure. And Kunal, I think what we can start off with is this whole term called IP messaging, and how it has sort of grown and what it is exactly, so we want to sort of also give a definition of it to our audience, and give us some examples of how it has grown and proliferated over the last eight or 10 years.

02:03

So like you see, I'll just talk a little bit about history of messaging, like 20 year back when was the first messaging system was created. So it was like you can send 160 character message from one place to another using an electronic device. And typically, if you see after 20 years also, today, our traditional SMS is being like the same. The only innovation which has happened into that is, today, you have an option to send a URL or use some emoticons, right. So apart from that, there hasn't been such innovation in this particular sector. And with recent new, like messaging apps coming in, like WhatsApp and other IP based messaging applications, have done the whole ballgame into a very different scenario, wherein now these SMS where these enterprises are informing their customers about regular transactional updates or promotions and offers, enables them to do a two way communication wherein the users can reply back then there is a two way communication happening. chatbot have also been plugged in to kind of automate a lot of these queries. So there is a lot of momentum happening around this after IP messaging, enter into this particular area of communication, right. And that's where the whole innovation from a traditional SMS to the IP messaging has come in. And gupshup is playing a key role here because we are like one of the biggest partner with WhatsApp and we are also developing our own messaging channel, which converts SMS into two way in house at gupshup.

03:54

Great thanks for the return. I think it comes to IP messaging channels. Apart from WhatsApp, you also have several others, right like Facebook, messenger and telegram and signal and all of them can be used over a data network. And I think that's what differentiates them from traditional SMS SMS.

04:13

Yes, yes, the whole difference is the technology. So the telecom pipeline, which is being used to pass SMS is very limited to the kind of data you can transfer from one place to another place. But when it comes to IP messaging, since it is on internet, it gives you a leverage of using various different formats and can carry large files, it can enable two way communication. So the whole spectrum of IP messaging now enables a lot of new things like rich media conversation. So now brands can send PDF files, videos, images, and a lot of other format information to their consumers. And while the consumer sees that message, they have an option to reply. Back with various different kinds of formats of information. So gupshup is kind of being a one stop solution for enterprises wherein we enable various different IP and non IP messaging channels. Why are single API so right, like, brand can come and integrate with us and wherever the customer is, they can reach and connect with them on any of these channels.

05:24

Right? So one subtlety I want to bring out or nuance I want to bring out within IP messaging is what requires an app and what is essentially app plus. So I think a lot of the messaging channels we mentioned, you know, most of them require an app to be downloaded on once mobile phone. So can you tell us a little bit about what is the technology behind IP messaging being Atlas, and maybe you can talk a little bit about the app ships own IP messaging channel, which is an app plus version of it?

05:53

Yeah. So I think today, if you like want to communicate with anyone, you need to download an app and like we have come up with a business messaging channel, which does not require an app download. So it can be simply accessed via just clicking on a link or scanning a QR code. So there could be various different entry points to this particular messaging application. But it's overall in terms of how do I say in technically it's built on a pw a based architecture, wherein you can access it anywhere, anytime, you just need to have a browser in your phone, and you just click on that particular link, and you are on this particular messaging channel, which is completely configurable. In terms of the user interface and UX, which can carry enterprise own themes and branding logics, they want to apply. And it's open to kind of interact with any bot or human agent connection. And it converts typical every, like non structured message into a structured rich media card format messages. And it also allows various different call to actions.

07:04

Great, I mean, that's a pretty powerful feature set. And I think, for our audience members capture on our own IP messaging channel is called gip. or capture IP messaging and that's what Kunal was describing just now. So switching gears Kunal, like if you look at an IP messaging channel, like Kip, like you said, it can be activated, like the messaging experience can be activated, either by clicking on a link or by scanning a QR code. Like if I'm a mobile phone user, and I have many brands that are sending me messages. So typically, how would I receive a link from a brand to a gift link, for example?

07:40

Okay, so I'll talk about a real use case, right? Today, let's say we receive transactional messages from Bank stating, let's say if you use your debit card from an ATM machine to like, take some money out, right and instantly receive a message that you use your ATM card and at this particular place, and you got the money out. And if you want to report fraud, here is a toll free number, right? So basically, right now, what's happening is that bank is informing you over the SMS about this transaction happened. And if in case, you want to reply back, stating that this is a fraud, or like you have a situation wherein you need to communicate back with the brand, you need to call that toll free number, and there, you need to wait for 15 minutes, just to convey your message, right. And the ideal way could be, you could have just having a system wherein you could reply to that message stating, let's say just report fraud, it's not me or block my card, right? So just this small communication, which needs to be done takes the user out of that particular communication channel, from messaging to voice and there, he has to work for a long time, and the agent will come and the conversation will happen, right? So now let's say let's put this use case, how can we kind of make this more effective and efficient way again. So the brand uses our Send Message API to reach out to like you to give you an your transaction update, right at that time, they tell us just a made a gambling with our customer support bot in it, right? Correct. And they do not need to do any development for that. So gupshup identifies Okay, this is the message for which we need to embed a chat link, they will embed this particular visit link inside the message, modify the message and send it to customer. The customer now sees that if you would like to report fraud, click on this link. And the moment he click on that link will go to that particular bank board. And then he can just say report fraud, and it's done. So it's that easy. So what you had done, like by taking 15 minutes of the customers and having involved huge amount of support team at the backend to kind of do it, which carries lot of expenses for the brands. This can be just automated with a chatbot and gift channel, and you can just do it.

09:56

So that's very interesting, because essentially you're talking about and we know That, you know, there are billions of what we call us one way messages being sent out there today. And what this does is that it converts one way messages with this link into two way conversations. Yes, that's really interesting. So which means that the customer change that a customer needs to make is not major, it's just a within the same SMS template that they're using, they can actually send, they can just insert a link, which sort of fires of a bot.

10:27

Yes, they do not even need to insert a link, they just need to tell us insert this particular specific link into it. So this complete functionality is driven by a very good configuration system, which we have created here. So basically, this is like also a no code automation technology for brands they have been using, like Send Message API already. So they just need to tell us that. Okay, here is the template. And this is what we need to do with this template and rest is taken care of. So they do not literally need to do anything.

10:57

Great is interesting. So can you tell me like now you're giving us a use case of how, you know the link arrives? And I think the same thing that you were mentioning is also possible via QR code, right? For example, yeah, go down. That's really interesting, because we are now moving from a very talking about a physical space, and how a physical space can actually be a trigger point for a digital conversation. So just Can you just walk us through that sequence?

11:23

Yeah, I think it would be great if I pick up an example for this use case also. Sure. So I'll take an example of a b2c product toothpaste, right? So let's say if you're going to a supermarket and you see a big aisle where you will find hundreds of varieties of toothpaste, right, and you don't know which one to like buy right and usually most of the people prefer buying a toothpaste based on the test and there are brands who have done a good amount of research and they have launched a lot of new products, which takes care of a lot of technicalities which consumers are not aware of right. So consider like there is a toothpaste brand, which has launched one of their new products. And it does a lot more than provide a taste or fresh breath to you right while you use it. So there is a study which has a QR code and it says let's say let us figure out which is the best toothpaste for you Please click on this link or scan this QR code. Then let's say the consumer goes and scans the QR code and it is now chatting with a chatbot which is powered by gab and now you are inside gift messaging service diaper messaging product and it will ask you some basic questions let's say like what kind of toothpaste you have been already using, what are your preferences and then it says let's say I'll help you out use the right toothpaste and you just need to click a photo selfie of your teeth right in that messaging app itself we have an option you can click photo using your camera phone and you just click a picture and upload it on the chatbot and chatbot is powered by an AI which analyses your teeth shade right so specifically everyone wants to kind of improve the whiteness of their teeth and it tells like okay on this shade metre you are at seven and you need to reach five right? So here are the three different products which the company has recently launched and that would definitely meet your requirements based on what we could analyse based on the information we have caught right now if you see this is completely changing the whole way you get your customer to select a product and upsell the new technology which you are building into toothpaste space,

13:36

can you give an example of the QR code being there on a on a standee of maybe in a store, but that QR code can even be there on the packaging itself the box that you buy. And this sort of creates kind of a direct two way conversation from a physical product or a physical surface between a consumer and the brand?

13:56

Yeah. So basically there are lot of such products wherein you need to tell customer what are the use cases of the product, right? could be some cooking item, what are the things you can do with that item? Right? Right. So the brand has a very less less space on that packaging to tell a lot about what that product can do for you. Rather than just putting very, very small letters and information you just put a QR code and let us scan a QR code it come to give you can show him the complete explainer video how to use that item or various different use cases. You can also use it can also place another order which can be shipped to his house directly once he's bought something from any place. So there could be lots of things you can do if that QR code is on the product

14:43

or destroyed. I mean the possibilities are really endless. So yes, what you can do for our listeners canalis probably based on your own experience of using this technology to you know, sort of bring in these conversations into different verticals or industries. Can you maybe Give us an example of maybe three industries where gap is improving the customer experience or converting these one way conversations or even these physical experiences into two way conversations. So if you can give us a few examples certainly

15:14

like the same QR code base entry point with gap we are using in automobile sector, right so because of pandemic lot of physical activity has got restrictions and people like to do their liking general things over the mobile phone while they are sitting at home. So things have moved online in a very fast pace in last two years right. So like with respect to automobile let's say what typically used to happen was people used to visit showroom and the dealer sales executive will explain you the complete features and functionalities of a car you intend to buy and then you go on a test drive and then you make a purchase right? So he kind of completely automated that use case by having a QR code so usually, these automobile companies are putting a lot of newspaper ads like along with the phone number they add or the address they add they can have just add a QR code which is powered by gupshup. And they can say book a test drive right from your home, just scan this QR code and you scan a QR code the bot of that particular automobile brand will open it will ask your basic information your address and your test drive his book and the car will come to your house via an executive of that particular dealership and you can make a test right so and also like if you have already bought a car there is a possible use case wherein the brand adds a QR code inside the car itself like let's say now you want to get your car service done you just scan a QR code there will be a service bot wherein which will ask you some basic questions like what type of service you want and you put your address the company executive will come and pick up your car from your home. So typically you do not need to physically take your car there or you do not need to call the brand and get it done. It's totally automated The best part for automobile dealerships is let's say they have like five people receiving the phone calls for these services now if the sixth one is calling he'll be always invade through it. So those kinds of things can be automated and put up to in scale and the brand can also tell customers about what all new things which are coming in what all upgrades they can do in their car via these chatbots

17:31

well that's a great example it's one of the oldest customer journeys out there you know buying a two wheeler or or a four wheeler and that whole thing can now be digitised whether someone is visiting car dealership through a QR code or if there's an advertisement being placed in the paper so that's that's really interesting. Can you give us an example of another industry where something that's traditionally being done in a certain way can and we can infuse the conversational element to improve customer engagement with give

18:01

Yeah, I talk about banking, or retail both actually so sure. in retail space, we have come up with a complete digital solution for retailers where they can just go and create a digital catalogue for all the items they are selling. And they can share the URL of their digital store to any of their customers or they can put in their QR codes inside the store which will allow the end customers to just scan and then there will be a gift pw a base chatbot comm ecommerce interface will open where the customer can interact and make a purchase that in their from their phone itself. So it's a combination of communication and e commerce as a business arm. So we've combined both of them and enabled retailers to have their own digital presence in today's world. And right now if you see like after COVID everything is online. So it gives a very good competitive advantage to small retailers and SMEs to have their own digital store in place which they can get customers to do all those transaction without coming to their store physically.

19:11

So for example, if I you know, I probably go across the road to my street corner retail store to buy groceries and that particular store is now empowered with gift to have a digital store. How do I access that link? So is it typically the retailer sends an SMS to their database of customers that they have? Or you know, do they place a QR code on their store?

19:35

Yeah, so both ways would work. So generally, these retailers have WhatsApp groups where they put all the new things which they have got in stock so that all of their customers know. So they can just use the same group and say okay, if you want to buy directly from your home, just click on this particular link you will see the complete catalogue and make a purchase there put your address we will deliver it. So that's completely up to you. made and the customer needs to just go and click on the link, same can happen over the SMS. And if let's say someone hasn't gone through that SMS and that person goes to the store, then then in their itself, the store manager can tell him just click a photo of that particular QR code or send that particular link to them on the SMS or WhatsApp itself. So now this will completely transform their experience from physical buying to digital buying.

20:27

That's really interesting. And you were also mentioning banking sector. So can you give us an example of how that can help?

20:34

Yeah, so banking, like you know, like this has been a very traditional way, like, if you want to open a bank account, you have to go, if you want to take a loan, you need to go to the bank, even if you want to get some kind of additional information with your account. Or if you want to do some kind of KYC, where you need to update some documents, you will always have to physically go to the bank, right. So now we have put all those use cases into a chatbot, which could be like deployed on WhatsApp or gape. So the brands can just enable all these use cases on their mobile numbers with the help of gab. And they can just tell their users that if you let's say your KYC spending, here is the link to do the KYC. The customer clicks on that link, you just put all his documents, which needs to be uploaded, and it's done. And then the banks received all the documents. So you do not need to physically go and do all those things, right? If you like looking for a two wheeler or an automobile loan, so you just talk to that particular lending company or bank on WhatsApp stating, what is your requirement how much loan you want, what's the 10 you're we are integrated with a lot of bureau API's wherein we'll fetch the credit score of that particular end customers, and we can do kind of loan approval and the whole transaction can happen over these communication channels. So literally, the customer does not need to do any kind of physical or telephonic conversation with that lending company or bank to avail their services.

22:04

That's great. I mean, that's really an interesting use case. I think these are really good examples of where traditional processes for customer engagement, even those that use messaging, like SMS, etc can be transformed. And not necessarily replacing but using SMS as a vehicle to convert a one way outreach into a two way conversation. And secondly, even looking at the traditional physical process, like going to a store or buying something or walking into a bank branch and, and doing something, or even going to a dealership and buying an automobile. A lot of these physical processes can be digitised with the help of IP messaging, and in particular cap so it's it's been really interesting. So what would your input be to any brand that has been using traditional messaging channels? Like let's say, SMS and the other known channels? What should their transition be like? or How can they add grip to what they're already doing? I mean, we're not talking about replacing anything, but how do you how do you use grip? Or how do you add grip to something that they're already doing or messaging?

23:11

Yeah, I agree with you, it's not actually replacement, it's an upgrade, right. So like consider SMS or any other communication channel like WhatsApp, these are not just as a messaging channels, they could equally act as a marketplace for these brands to kind of interact with their customers in more personalised and detailed manner with almost 90% of automation. So that saves a lot of money for the brands and at the same time, they get a lot of new customers and easier ways to like reach out to the customers and it's very convenient, right like let's say if I want to do something at odd hours right with a specific brand I want to check out their new products or like I want to avail some kind of customer support service post 11pm. So the brand has to keep 24 seven customer support system in place. But with this particular system in place, you do not need to do that because almost 70 to 80% of any customer support use case could be automated by a chatbot and you just need to plug it in on gift channel and enable it on SMS or just plug it into WhatsApp and everything is really available whenever the customer wants on their mobile phone. So they just need to come to us and tell us okay these are the few use cases which we have been using communication services for and caption can help them how those can be upgraded to save a lot of their money in to the manual things they are already doing and also help them upsell and convert more and more customers.

24:48

Great. Thank you so much for your time canal. So adding to our listeners. So if you're an enterprise that is on be using the non traditional SMS or even the non IP messaging channels out there Consider using an atlas channel as well, to complement what you're doing with the more traditional channels. And if you're a business that that is using a physical experience for buying or for customer support, you can also consider creating this phygital experience where you're transitioning a customer from a physical surface to a digital experience, and IP messaging. And in particular gupshup ip messaging with the Progressive Web App technology can play a huge role there. So thank you so much, once again, canal for your time, and thank you to our listeners for tuning in. We'll be back with another episode of product innovation around conversational messaging. Until then, stay safe. Thank you.