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Skyler360 was the first virtual assistant lead cultivation tool Inman examined for this column. Two years later, it continues to service its agent clients and has recently released a few new ways to do so.
The most notable update to the software is a rapid “teaching” feature for users to quickly link specific words or phrases to an automated Skyler (the bot’s name) conversation.
For example, should an agent be alerted by Skyler that it’s been “stumped” by a lead’s questions, an agent can view the thread to identify the offending terms, then quickly enter them as triggers, or “alternatives” to get over the discussion hurdle, and allow Skyler to take back control of the conversation’s “intent.”
For example, if a buyer uses enters “browsing” or “just married,” an agent can link that term to the response thread for buyer leads. If a person uses the term “market value,” it’s likely about selling, and so on.
The interface for entering terms and linking them to discussions is made very easy, and it allows agents to rapidly “train” their virtual assistant to maneuver through even the most vague chats. I think some minor tweaking to the user interface’s lexicon could make this feature even more user friendly, as “intent” and “alternative” take some getting used to.
In relation to its quick-training tool, Skyler360 can now understand longer-form sentences because of enhancements to its NLP (natural language processing) capabilities.
Facebook advertisers will enjoy Skyler360’s new native integration with the social network. The new feature sends people who click on a listing’s Facebook Lead Ad directly into a conversation with Skyler, who will already be armed with their name and type of interest.
The software can hold multiple conversations with buyers and sellers, depending on the ad’s content.
The company also shared that Skyler360 can now support agent teams with the ability to assign conversations and manage leads assigned to different agents. Should an agent decide to leave the team, any leads in progress can be transferred to another agent within a couple of steps, ensuring potential buyers and sellers aren’t forgotten about during the transition.
Ron Sasson, Skyler360’s founder and CEO, told Inman via email that his company is in advanced stages of discussions with a major, growing national brand about providing the software to its agents.
Should that relationship finalize as expected, the agency in question will join Keller Williams as another national real estate brand tightly embracing automated lead response tools.
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