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Best Buy Gains Apple Business Chat Support

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Customers can now message Best Buy to get questions answered, store timings, resolve issues, and more using iMessage through Apple's Business Chat feature, as first reported by Apple blog Appleosophy.

Best-Buy-Chat-Feature.jpg

Using iMessage Business Chat, Best Buy customers can now initiate a conversation with the retail chain by either navigating to a Best Buy location on Apple Maps and tapping the "Message" button or through its website and apps.

Apple Business Chat allows customers to message participating businesses right through iMessage on their devices, just as they would text a friend or family member. Apple Business Chat integrates with Apple Maps and Apple Pay, enabling users to purchase and pay for items in chat and begin chats through Apple Maps.

Article Link: Best Buy Gains Apple Business Chat Support
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/04/19/best-buy-apple-business-chat/
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If it's a real person as opposed to a chatbot then this is an improvement. I never reach out to companies for basic info like store hours or account balances--which is the only thing that chatbots can help with.
 
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Kkspire said:
When you contact support from a website or app using an iPhone, it opens right up into the messages app. You don’t really need to know anything…
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Oh, I wasn’t aware of this.

That goes to show how much I use chat support. 🤣
 
I hate when these companies partner with other huge companies, it never gives the little guys a chance. Why can't any business hook into this?
 
marco114 said:
I hate when these companies partner with other huge companies, it never gives the little guys a chance. Why can't any business hook into this?
Click to expand...

been wondering this myself, would really like to use it in our place...
 
barkomatic said:
If it's a real person as opposed to a chatbot then this is an improvement. I never reach out to companies for basic info like store hours or account balances--which is the only thing that chatbots can help with.
Click to expand...
Having developed a chat bot that lets customers and store reps for a bottled water company that lets people report problems with a their dispensor or a drop off location, get in depth faq answers and schedule service appointments, without involving a live operator, I disagree. :)
 
i love this feature. it's been so helpful. not too many businesses are on it yet, but last week i discovered that bed bath and beyond are, so that helped a bit with communication, as their phone support is very odd...
 
My hope is more businesses start using this. I was pretty impressed with Verizon’s use of this and my ability to activate an eSIM with chat (live person connected after answering questions and authenticating) Felt way easier than submitting an order and hoping this worked. The fact Best Buy is still around is also a retail miracle.
 
Anybody know what information goes to the company when we use this feature? I keep my phone number and Apple ID email as closely held as I can— does using this feature expose either?
 
I wonder if this will ever go international? Where I live (Belgium) companies have just discovered WhatsApp and as it’s available cross platform and iPhones don’t have a big market share, I think we’re stuck with Mark’s software :-(
 
DConroy said:
Having developed a chat bot that lets customers and store reps for a bottled water company that lets people report problems with a their dispensor or a drop off location, get in depth faq answers and schedule service appointments, without involving a live operator, I disagree. :)
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Perhaps for a business where questions are relatively straight forward this would work, though I'd still bet that customers with more complex issues get frustrated with the delay a chatbot presents unless you've made it easy to bypass it when necessary.

When calling a wireless carrier or a bank where issues can get really complex, navigating all the automated systems meant to deter you from speaking to a live person are extremely frustrating and time consuming.
 
Analog Kid said:
Anybody know what information goes to the company when we use this feature? I keep my phone number and Apple ID email as closely held as I can— does using this feature expose either?
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You aren't exposed.

www.apple.com

iOS - Messages for Business

Messages for Business lets you easily connect with companies to ask questions, schedule appointments, and make purchases right from the Messages app.
www.apple.com
 
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marco114 said:
I hate when these companies partner with other huge companies, it never gives the little guys a chance. Why can't any business hook into this?
Click to expand...

Messages for Business Accounts - Apple Messages for Business

Understanding Apple Messages for Business
developer.apple.com developer.apple.com

The short answer is, smaller companies may also be able to use it. There is, however, a certain minimum technological threshold that must be crossed. This is true in any aspect of business or life in general.

I suspect Apple would be delighted if this was adopted by many businesses, large and small. The whole point is to make Apple's products more useful to Apple's customers so that they never stop buying Apple products.
 
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