How AI helps convert every message into a sales opportunity

In our age of “instant gratification”, customer relations are no longer limited to hopping onto a website or picking up the phone: messaging services have raised the bar. WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and texts have become the primary means of contact between consumers and brands. Every message is now a sales opportunity… but they’ll also fall through the cracks if you don’t quickly reply !

This is one way artificial intelligence is proving to be a next-gen solution. Learn how AI can transform every conversation into a conversion driver !

Conversational commerce, an essential digital marketing lever

We’ve reached 2025, and an era where customers don’t expect to wait. They’ll fire off a message to check opening hours, ask a question in a comments section, or contact a brand directly. And patience is no longer a virtue: they expect an immediate, precise and personalised reply.

This shift means instant messaging is now the preferred communication channel for customers who want to interact with businesses.

Key figure

According to a Partoo study, 90% of consumers prefer to contact brands via messaging apps rather than by phone or email.

According to a Partoo study, 90% of consumers prefer to contact brands via messaging apps rather than by phone or email.

However, these conversations are more than simple chats: each one presents the opportunity to convert customers. A customer who checks a price, asks about availability or appointments is signalling an intention to purchase. Yet, replying quickly, particularly when messages are piling up, can be a huge challenge. 

And exactly where artificial intelligence proves its worth!

AI to support sales teams

Several studies have shown that the time it takes to reply to a prospect directly impacts the conversion rate. Indeed, if you reply within an hour, you’ll multiply your chances of closing a sale by seven! And if you contact the prospect within five minutes, the likelihood of conversion multiplies by a whopping 21!

In other words, every minute counts. In practical terms, only AI agents can maintain this level of continuous reactivity without compromising standards. This means AI is now the ultimate weapon when it comes to supporting teams, particularly customer service and sales departments.

AI to take the pressure off customer service teams

Traditionally, customer messages were dealt with in-store or at head offices. But the massive uptick in messaging has made it an incredibly time-consuming, if not unmanageable, task.

Artificial intelligence has redefined this shifting landscape. Thanks to conversational agents, businesses can reply around the clock across all communication channels. These agents don’t just generate generic replies: they draw on local data (opening hours, available services, stock levels, customer history) to provide an informed and tailored answer.

And it’s done in a flash:

• Customers receive an instant reply.
• This saves teams time and frees them up to focus on more complex requests.
• The improvement in customer service boosts customer satisfaction and increases their loyalty.

Obviously, AI won’t replace the human touch, but it will act as a smart filter that can handle easy and frequent requests, leaving human expertise to work on higher-value tasks.

Jim, your new AI assistant

Jim automates repetitive tasks such as replying to messages and reviews, collects leads, analyses your customers’ feedback, and optimises your company’s online presence across all platforms – including in AI responses!

Learn more about Jim

AI to bolster your sales teams

Conversational commerce isn’t limited to customer service. It’s also a powerful direct sales tool.

An internet user who asks “is this item in stock?” or “how much do hair extensions cost?” is expressing an intent to purchase. If you don’t reply quickly, you’ll lose the sale, as they’ll have switched to a faster-replying competitor.

Here, too, artificial intelligence is a game-changer. A well-trained conversational agent can:

• qualify the request by collecting key information (name, contact details, budget, exact need, etc.);
• provide the necessary details to advance this intent to purchase (availability, price, terms);
• and, if necessary, redirect the conversation to the right contact person or establishment/branch.

This way, every interaction becomes a qualified lead that’s sent to sales teams in real time. Managing conversations is no longer an onerous chore; it becomes a structured sales generation channel.

Key figure

70% of conversations handled by local businesses are purchase intentions. Yet 42% of leads are poorly or even unqualified when handled manually!

70% of conversations handled by local businesses are purchase intentions. Yet 42% of leads are poorly or even unqualified when handled manually!

Jim doesn’t just answer your customers’ questions. It can automatically transform your conversations into qualified leads!

The role of AI in lead generation

Replying is just for starters. Artificial intelligence also structures and unlocks the potential of every conversation, turning it into a sustainable sales lever.

During an extended chat, an AI agent can collect essential information (contact details, needs, etc.). This data is then automatically transmitted to the CRM or emailed to the sales teams.

This removes two major stumbling blocks:

1. The risk of losing sales due to a lack of follow-up.

2. The time taken by sales teams to manually enter information.

This results in a seamless process: every customer conversation is exploited, every prospect is recontacted, and every chat becomes a potential gold mine.

A real-world example

A prospect WhatsApps a gym to ask about subscriptions. The AI agent will start the conversation, automatically retrieve their name, email, and phone number, and then identify their interest in signing up for a premium membership. All this information is then directly integrated into the company’s CRM. The sales team receives a completed form and can then contact this qualified prospect to process the subscription!

A prospect WhatsApps a gym to ask about subscriptions. The AI agent will start the conversation, automatically retrieve their name, email, and phone number, and then identify their interest in signing up for a premium membership. All this information is then directly integrated into the company’s CRM. The sales team receives a completed form and can then contact this qualified prospect to process the subscription!

In brief: Harness the power of AI to turn conversations into a growth engine

In 2025, ignoring conversational commerce runs the risk of letting most of your sales opportunities slip through the net. Each unprocessed message is a lost potential sale.

Artificial intelligence can not only handle today’s increasing deluge of conversations, but also turn them into strategic levers:

• by ensuring instant responsiveness;
• by qualifying and structuring leads;
• by freeing up teams to focus on closing sales.

In other words, conversations are no longer a time-consuming, costly chore; they are a smart investment that drives sales. Companies that tap into AI to master this channel will gain a decisive competitive edge.

AI is waiting for you!

Discover Partoo’s latest white paper: “AI for local marketing”, a comprehensive guide to understanding the real impact of AI on : 

• local search, 
• online reputation, 
• and conversational commerce.

Download your free guide