Apple Business Chat became generally available in March 2018 when owners of iOS devices upgraded to version 11.3. At the time (as the graphic to right shows) it unveiled a list of brands that were already integrating Apple business chat into their conversational marketing deployments. In two-by-two fashion, the list showcases a number of globally-recognized brands. These include The Home Depot and Lowe’s from the home improvement category; hoteliers The Four Seasons and Hilton; financial services companies Wells Fargo and Discover; B2B specialists NewEgg and Aramark; and long-time vets of the telemarketing world Harry & David and 1-800 Flowers.

In the latest marketware targeting consumers, Apple characterizes Business Chat as “a whole new way to talk to companies.” The relative novelty of Apple Business Chat is subject to debate because there are a number of alternatives both for message-based and “in-app” initiation of conversations between brands and their customers. Apple’s chief differentiator is the tight integration with both iOS and iMessage, Apple’s core messaging platform. The former makes it easy to support “friction-free” (I would call it “conversational”) access to chat agents in the course of browsing a Web site (through Safari), navigating through Maps or even by invoking Siri in a text box. Integration with iMessage marks a concentration on privacy from the get go. It is the basis for Apple and its partners to provide end-users with control of their personal information. This is a key differentiator.

An Ecosystem Apart

Apple is pursuing its time-tested approach to fostering innovation within an ecosystem of selected partners. The group of partners who joined the beta program in July 2017 were Salesforce, Nuance, Genesys and LivePerson. ZenDesk and IntheChat followed in relatively short order. When iOS 11.3 shipped, the list of “platform partners” expanded by only a few. Cisco joined, making it and Genesys the only other member of the cloud-based contact center community. The other members illustrate their particular specialties. eGain’s software products comprise an “engagement hub.” Lithium grew out of efforts to provide social platforms for communities of customers to answer each others’ questions.

Two relative upstarts round out the ecosystem. One is Quiq, a 3-year old company from Bozeman, MT, chartered as an equal opportunity messaging platform supporting Q&A over SMS/Text, Facebook Messenger, Chat, and Kik – as well as Apple Business Chat. Kipsu is an older company (established 2010) that has established expertise in making text messaging and chat an efficient channel for companies in service-driven industries, including hotels and healthcare.

This ecosystem is proven to be an efficient spawning ground for the brands mentioned above. High visibility use cases include Aramark’s “Beer2Seat” service that enables Philadelphia Phillies fans to use their iPhones to buy drinks. Without needing to download an app or use special software, they can take pictures of a QR code on the seat and message an order to a nearby vendor. Because there is a credit card associated with each individual’s AppleID, product selection and payment is seamless.

A Complete Solution for Apple’s Core

Apple Business Chat’s “beta” is the alpha and omega of Conversational Commerce. From the beginning, it provides a way for end-users (prospects, customers and employees) to initiate conversations with sales or support personnel in situ (like in a ballpark or large retail outlet) as well as individuals in remote contact centers, including work-at-home agents. By design, it obviates the need to download an app, log into a service or jump to another site. Nor does it require a user to provide personal information (such as payment information) when it comes time to complete a transaction.

This walled garden approach is a difference maker because it gives end-users the ability to initiate and to complete a transaction almost effortlessly. At the same time Apple business chat, with help from selected partners, supports asynchronous conversations over potentially long periods of time. That’s a good working definition of “customer loyalty,” a term that applies to Apple and its fans as well as any brand and its customers, clients or members.

The problem, for brands, is that Apple’s platform amounts to a big YAWG (Yet Another Walled Garden) that their customer care, IT, contact center or mobile app development staffs must support. The success of Apple Business Chat will not mean the end to the non-iOS digital channels, and Apple’s tight control of partnerships and applications initiatives is bound to slow adoption and use. The journey to mass adoption is a few years away. In the meantime, those living outside the iOS ecosystem are well-advised to devise features and services that are at parity with Business Chat in that they simplify access and provide tools for protecting privacy and reaching the proper resources and completing tasks with a minimum of effort.

Like their customers, brands seek to minimize the amount of effort it takes to incorporate Apple Business Chat into their lives. That means minimizing the amount of customization and professional services required to bring up a new feature or function. It also means maximizing the ability to leverage existing investment in CRM, knowledge management and most importantly live agents who ultimately support a great customer experience.

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