The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian retailer says its newly-launched online shopping platform now features a chat services powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in a bid to improve customer service

CBS Bahamas, the home improvement merchant, in a statement said its online store - currently available only to early-access users - marks a major upgrade over the previous version. The company has partnered with SiteGPT to introduce the round-the-clock chat service provided by AI, known as the '#BuildBeautiful Bot'.

This is designed as an intelligent assistant that will provide customers with immediate, personalised support regardless of the the time of day and complexity of the inquiry. This includes product and pricing look-ups, recommendations on how to tackle DIY projects, and suggesting products and tools needed to accomplish specific tasks. The bot can also assist with order issues, provide technical support and, if necessary, escalate inquiries to a human agent.

"The launch of our new webstore is a significant milestone in our mission to deliver the best possible shopping experience to our customers," said Brent Burrows II, CBS Bahamas' senior manager of e-commerce. "Our partnership with SiteGPT allows us to offer unprecedented, around-the-clock customer support. The #BuildBeautiful Bot is more than a tool; it's a companion that will guide our customers through their home improvement journey."

CBS Bahamas said it will launch the webstore to the general public in the coming weeks. However, users can access the #BuildBeautiful Bot and the new website by joining the early access programme at https://bit.ly/cbs-early-access