Rivet|MRO introduces AI-powered website assistant for independent distributors
Rivet|MRO has introduced ChatBolt, an AI-powered website assistant designed specifically for independent industrial, electrical, MRO, safety, HVAC, plumbing and construction supply distributors.
Unlike a traditional website chatbot that relies primarily on canned responses, Chat-Bolt is trained using a defined set of information approved by the distributor, including website content, FAQs, product and service information, PDFs, sales materials and other resources. This allows ChatBolt to provide more useful, conversational answers while keeping responses grounded in information specific to the distributor. By limiting the AI to those approved sources, ChatBolt also reduces the likelihood of the fabricated or off-topic responses that can occur with more open-ended AI chat bots.
“Distributor websites contain a tremendous amount of useful information, but customers still have to know where to look for it,” said Tim Rasmussen, principal. “ChatBolt gives visitors a much easier way to interact with that information. Because its responses are grounded in the distributor’s own approved content, it can provide the convenience of conversational AI while helping ensure answers remain relevant, reliable and specific to the business.”
Available 24/7, ChatBolt can answer questions about products, services, promotions, company information and other common topics while directing visitors to relevant product categories, resources, contact forms and quote-request pages. This gives customers immediate assistance while reducing the amount of time distributor employees spend responding to routine website inquiries.
“For a lot of distributors, the website is already doing the hard work of attracting someone who has a question or a need,” said Kristen Foth, director of marketing services.. “ChatBolt helps keep that person engaged by giving them an immediate way to find what they need instead of searching through page after page or leaving the site without an answer.”
ChatBolt can be customized to reflect the distributor’s branding and preferred tone, communicate in multiple languages and provide insight into the questions visi-tors are asking. Those interactions can also help distributors identify gaps in existing website content and better understand what information customers are looking for.
ChatBolt is part of Rivet|MRO’s growing suite of AI-powered tools developed around the sales, marketing, customer engagement, collections and operational needs of independent distributors.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The September/October issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Rotator Products. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dr. Bharani Nagarathnam and Frank Hurtte, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
