Microsoft x Zoovu | Success Story

The challenge: Helping customers find the perfect laptop from thousands of choices and driving sales across hundreds of channels

Microsoft prides itself on being both customer- and partner obsessed. It strives to be the best brand to buy from and work with. That’s why it knew it was time to act when it found that thousands of online customers were overwhelmed by the number of laptop choices, causing them to abandon their search. And because Microsoft sells almost exclusively through retail partners, this problem was limiting sales for hundreds of retailers around the world.

The technology powerhouse knew that they had to offer retail partners a more effective way for customers to discover the product that was right for their needs.

The solution: Using AI product advisors to counter choice paralysis for millions of customers and drive revenue for retailers

Microsoft needed to give customers a way to quickly and confidently find the right laptop for their needs. That meant going beyond basic filters that used technical specs, like RAM and hard drive type, to guide shoppers.

It started by using the Zoovu Data Platform to map technical specifications to customer needs and preferences. For example, a light-weight computer with lots of RAM, a fast processor, and a long-lasting battery would now be classified as ‘good for gaming’ and ‘good for travelling’.

The Microsoft team then used this data and Zoovu’s Conversation Studio to create digital assistants that guide customers to the perfect product. Online shoppers are taken through a dynamic question and answer flow that asks about their needs, preferences, and budget. Using this zero-party data, customers are recommended the laptop that best fits their needs. These assistants also allow for easy customization and bundling of products.

The next order of business was to scale these experiences across hundreds of retailers around the world. Microsoft did this by auto-translating assistants in Zoovu so it could distribute the experiences to retailers in dozens of countries.

In late 2023, Microsoft added Zoe, Zoovu’s generative AI product advisor, to several of their experiences. Zoe gives customers a personalized explanation of why a laptop is the perfect match for them and instantly answers any question a customer has about the product (try out the Microsoft experience below).

Microsoft hasn’t limited these experiences to online shoppers—it’s launched product assistants and Zoe on in-store kiosks to help both customers and sales staff discover the right laptop for their needs.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 13 Core recommendation screen

Ask Zoe about the laptop’s:

1

Capabilities

Ie. How long does the battery last?

2

Usage and fit

Ie. Is this laptop good for travelling?

3

Compatibility

Ie. What kind of connectors does it have?

4

Maintenance

Ie. What kind of regular maintenance is recommended?

The results: Revolutionizing the way people shop online while boosting sales for retail partners

Microsoft has seen almost every KPI tick upwards since launching its first experience with Zoovu more than six years ago.

"Over the past six years, Zoovu has proven to be a crucial partner in developing a product discovery strategy that enhances the shopping experience across a multitude of retailers." said Ram Iyer, Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Ecommerce at Microsoft.

Over 1 million customers have engaged with product assistants and advisors. Not only have these experiences increased engagement by 90% and click-throughs to product pages by 35%, but shoppers that go through these experiences convert 166% more often than those that don’t.

Zoe has boosted these numbers even further. Retailers that integrated Zoe into their assistants have seen a 25% increase in conversions on PDPs. Zoe has also helped drive a 27% increase in in-store revenue when it was launched on kiosks.

"[Zoe] has led to notable increases in click-through rates, conversion rates, and in-store revenue,” says Ram.

“Moreover, it has enabled us to collect comprehensive customer insights, giving us a deeper understanding of what our customers value most.”

It’s not only Microsoft who is seeing the value of investing in product discovery—retailers have also seen the benefits.

“By collaborating with Microsoft and Zoovu, we've been able to deliver more innovative customer experiences for our shoppers and help make our teams more efficient and informed,” says Officeworks General Manager Merchandise Jim Berndelis.

“With Zoovu’s generative AI experiences and Microsoft’s dedication to empowering its retail partners, we've significantly improved how we connect customers to the best device for them.”