Macy’s tests in-store artificial intelligence tool

It won’t help you find Pikachu, but a new mobile tool from Macy’s will assist shoppers in navigating the store.



The department store retailer is piloting “Macy’s On Call,” a solution that lets in-store customers use their mobile phones to interact with an artificial intelligence (AI) platform powered by IBM Watson. The Satisfi intelligent engagement platform provides the connection between the mobile tool and the Watson platform.



Macy’s On Call, accessed via a mobile browser, allows customers to input natural language questions about the store's unique product assortment, services and facilities. These can include store navigation details, as well offerings such as the myStylist personal shopper program and buy-online-pickup-in-store counters.



Shoppers then receive a customized response to the inquiry. There are a number of ways that customers may request information. For example, a customer could type, "Where are the ladies shoes?" or type a combination of brand and product inquiry. They will receive the relevant response and location of that product in the store.



Using Watson’s machine learning capabilities, the system will evolve with usage as it obtains more information about each store’s customers. According to Macy’s the popular searches category, which highlights responses to the most asked questions in each store, is already demonstrating this feature.



Engagement is conducted through a question and answer interface, leveraging Watson's Natural Language Classifier. Additionally, at select locations, the interface is available for customers in Spanish, via Watson Language Translation, as Macy's tests language capabilities, functionality and consumer interest in preferred languages.



"At Macy's, we remain focused on identifying, testing and supporting new ideas and approaches that will help elevate service to our customers through technology,” said Peter Sachse, Macy's chief growth officer. “With an eye towards innovation, we are moving fast to test and scale up pilot programs that help enhance their experience with us, This program, in partnership with Satisfi and leveraging the power of IBM Watson, will help us explore new ways to engage one-on-one with customers in-store, providing them another level of service right at their fingertips."



Ten store locations were chosen, representing a cross-section of Macy's store portfolio. Five of the locations serve as the base learning stores, with the Watson implementation deployed solely as a customer-led, self-serve initiative. The other five locations have an additional feature that allows customers to request assistance through a face-to-face engagement with a Macy's specialist associate.



As the program progresses, Macy's aims to closely study and gauge other potential uses of the technology, with the goal of implementing Watson's full cognitive dialogue capabilities. The retailer also hopes to learn more about in-store features and services that most resonate with shoppers.



Mobile devices have become a ubiquitous fixture in the store shopping experience. Consumers are already engaging with the brick-and-mortar environment using their smartphones as an interactive tool. Retailers like Macy’s are figuring out that rather posing a threat to store performance, mobile technology can actually enhance it if leveraged properly.



The first phase of Macy's On Call recently launched and is expected to run through late fall of 2016. Pilot stores are located in markets in California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey and Oregon.