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Andrew Gibson (below), Project Manager of ELLA Digital, writes: As someone who works closely with AI-powered email solutions, I thought I knew the difference between a human and an AI response. But a recent experience proved just how far the technology has come and made me realise the untapped potential for businesses in the angling industry.
The story began when I needed banners for the ELLA Digital booth at Angling International LIVE and reached out to a printing company to inquire about international shipping. The first contact was through the chat function on its website, which quickly moved to email. The initial response came in just under two minutes, setting the tone for what felt like a natural back-and-forth. Each of my four emails was met with prompt, precise replies, addressing my questions as if I were speaking to a human representative.
Not once did I suspect I was dealing with an AI advisor. The language was casual yet professional, with a conversational tone that made each response feel like a personalised reply from a knowledgeable team member. It wasn’t until the banners failed to arrive on time that I decided to call the company directly. During the call, I mentioned the name that had signed off on the emails, only to be met with a brief pause before the representative revealed the surprising truth: the emails had all been written by their AI assistant.
I was genuinely taken aback. I had interacted with plenty of chatbots before and knew their limitations, but this experience was different. I had no idea that AI had been handling the entire email exchange. The responses felt so human-like that I never questioned their authenticity. It was particularly eye-opening because I work in a business that leverages AI-powered emails; I thought I would be able to detect the difference. The fact that I couldn’t underscored just how advanced and seamless AI technology has become.
What does it mean for angling businesses? Actually, it means a lot. Think about how much time gets consumed by emails about stock availability, shipping information or fishing event details. These types of low- to medium-complexity queries, while not difficult to answer, can still take up valuable time and resources. The AI I interacted with likely saved a human employee around 30 minutes by handling my questions – a small but significant time saving when you consider how many such emails businesses exchange daily.
What’s exciting is that AI isn’t limited to just answering basic questions. While today’s solutions are excellent for routine tasks, they are evolving rapidly. Soon, AI agents will be able to handle more complex scenarios, like rerouting packages or making changes to travel bookings, drawing on multiple data sources to provide comprehensive responses. Solutions like these are being developed by companies such as Salesforce, and they’re not years away, they are just months from being rolled out.
But AI’s capabilities extend beyond customer service enquiries. For businesses looking to boost sales or streamline lead generation, AI-powered email tools can send follow-up messages, initiate contact with potential customers and even engage in preliminary sales conversations. I have seen firsthand how some of our customers have achieved significant improvements in sales conversions by using AI to automate and personalise outreach.
The key to leveraging AI effectively is quality data. AI thrives on accurate and well-organised information, which allows it to deliver relevant, reliable responses. Businesses with disjointed or poorly maintained data may need to consolidate their systems first. Skipping this step can lead to embarrassing mistakes, like sending incorrect information to customers, which underscores the importance of data preparation before implementing AI.
The good news is that setting up an AI-powered email system might be easier than you expect. Many AI platforms, like the Salesforce Agent, are designed to be low-code, meaning they require minimal technical expertise to configure. With well-structured data, an AI agent can be set up to handle specific types of enquiries in as little as 30 minutes. For more complex use cases, consulting with an AI specialist can ensure a smooth set-up.
Once the AI system is in place, managing it is straightforward. Businesses can monitor performance through dashboards and review conversation histories to ensure everything is running smoothly. The AI will notify human staff whenever a high-priority issue arises or when it encounters a question it cannot answer, allowing for seamless human intervention as needed.
ELLA Digital: Your Partner in AI-Powered Email Solutions
For angling businesses, the opportunity to adopt AI is substantial. At ELLA Digital, we specialise in helping companies harness the power of AI to transform email communication and customer engagement. Whether it’s automating routine responses, enhancing lead generation or handling more sophisticated tasks, our AI solutions are designed to optimise your operations and improve customer satisfaction.
Our partnership with Conversica AI enables us to offer advanced AI capabilities for sales and customer service, allowing your business to engage with leads, follow up on enquiries and close sales more efficiently. We’ve seen significant success with our customers, who report improved response times and higher conversion rates.
At ELLA Digital, we also help you get your business data ready for AI by working with you to unify and clean your information, ensuring that the AI system delivers accurate and relevant responses. With our expertise, we can guide you through the process of setting up AI agents tailored to your needs.
We also provide ongoing support to monitor the AI’s performance, manage updates and handle more advanced customisation when necessary. Our intuitive dashboards and conversation history tools give you full visibility into how the AI is performing, so you can make adjustments as needed.
Ready to Embrace AI?
For businesses in the angling trade, adopting AI-powered email solutions isn’t just about keeping up with the times, it’s about staying ahead of the curve. Whether your business is ready to deploy AI today or needs guidance on preparing for the future, ELLA Digital is here to help. Our team will work with you every step of the way, from data preparation to AI deployment and beyond.
Don’t let routine tasks slow down your business. Contact ELLA Digital today to start your AI journey. Whether you’re ready to adopt AI or need assistance to get there, we’ll help you unlock the benefits of this powerful technology. The potential is huge, and the time to act is now.
T: +44 208 087 0138
information@elladigital.co.uk
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