HR technology leader caps a year-long investment in machine learning and artificial intelligence to introduce its latest product innovation at 2017 HR Technology Conference & Expo
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (October 4, 2017)—Businessolver, a leader in SaaS-based benefits administration technology, today announced its newest product innovation – an industry-first personal benefits assistant that adds greater personalization and real-time benefits support for members using its Benefitsolver® platform. The company will introduce the assistant, named SofiaSM, at next week’s 2017 HR Technology Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
Businessolver’s Seattle-based applied data science team spent a year developing and testing Sofia so that she’s ready in time to meet employees during Annual Enrollment, traditionally two weeks during October or November when companies allow employees and dependents to choose or change their benefits.
“Most of our clients hold their Annual Enrollment period somewhere between mid-October and mid-November,” said Sony Sung-Chu, Businessolver’s Head of Applied Data Science, formerly a business intelligence manager at Amazon. “Knowing that’s the time of year when employees have the most questions about their benefits, Sofia can provide additional support to our clients and their members at that critical time, in a way that’s fast, easy, and accessible.”
Meaning “wisdom” in Greek, Sofia will live up to her name by providing live text-to-text response for employees using the Benefitsolver platform or Businessolver’s mobile app. For example, an employee could ask, “Does my spouse have medical coverage?” or “Do I need to verify coverage for my newborn daughter?” Sofia will type back an accurate, automated response in English, Spanish, or French. She’ll also document transcripts of conversations and save them to an employee’s record in Benefitsolver, so that employers can track issue resolution and collect data on the most common areas where employees require support. For questions Sofia is initially unable to answer, members will be directed to Businessolver’s Service Center to speak with a Benefit Specialist.
As she engages with people and data, Sofia will use machine learning to look for learned patterns and predict future developments, making her smarter and able to provide more complex answers over time. Future enhancements also will include voice recognition to create a user experience similar to what consumers are used to with Apple’s Siri® or Amazon’s Alexa®.
Sofia’s introduction marks a more than year-long Businessolver investment in using artificial intelligence, business intelligence, and machine learning to enhance its platform performance through more robust data analytics and a personalized user experience.
“Our proprietary data show a more than 300% increase in the number of users citing chat as their preferred method of interaction with Benefitsolver,” said Rae Shanahan, Businessolver Chief Strategy Officer. “Sofia is meeting that need for our users, while still providing the more personal, empathetic touch Businessolver is known for. She also puts us on the leading edge of this area of tech innovation in the benefits technology industry. In 2016, Forbes reported that chatbots represent a ‘real digital disruption that could revolutionize major industries [and] permanently change the way humans interact with the digital world.’ As a disruptor in the benefits technology space, we’re confident Sofia will make that prediction hold true.”
Learn more about Sofia’s development and functionality at www.businessolver.com/sofia.
About Businessolver
Since 1998, Businessolver has delivered market-changing benefits administration technology supported by an intrinsic responsiveness to client needs. It creates client programs that maximize benefit program investment, minimize risk exposure, and engage employees with easy-to-use solutions and communication tools to assist them in making wise and cost-efficient benefit selections. Founded by HR professionals, Businessolver’s unwavering service-oriented culture and secure SaaS platform provide measurable success in its mission to provide complete client delight.
Media Contact
Kristin Schmotzer
media@businessolver.com
312-240-3152
