SoundHound AI Brings Real-Time Agentic AI to the Retail Sales Floor at MWC
Sales Assist, a voice-powered AI agent from SoundHound AI, is built for the moment that matters most: the live customer conversation. It listens with consent, understands context, and feeds the right prompts to the associate's screen-right when they need it.
Launched at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, this assistant focuses on point-of-sale decisions where pricing, promos, and options can change fast. SoundHound handled nearly 30 million AI-driven customer interactions across telecom and retail in the past year-there's already a lot of signal to work with.
What Sales Assist Does (In Plain Terms)
Sales Assist runs quietly in the background on any device with a mic and screen. As the customer talks with the associate, it identifies intent and surfaces timely guidance-no screen swivels, no system hopping, no awkward delays.
- Checks upgrade or offer eligibility based on account status
- Pulls billing and plan details in context
- Surfaces current promotions, bundles, add-ons, and trade-ins
- Calculates options and required disclosures on the fly
- Suggests compatible accessories to lift attachment rate
As Michael Anderson, EVP of Enterprise AI at SoundHound AI, put it: "Voice assistants and chatbots have been around for years, but truly effective, enterprise grade voice interaction is only now becoming possible. With AI maturing, voice is evolving into a central customer interface that doesn't just respond but resolves."
Why It Matters for Sales Teams
Most stores collect data for dashboards after the visit. This flips it. The data works during the conversation, so associates can present clear choices and keep momentum without leaving the counter.
Because recommendations and disclosures come from the same logic everywhere, customers get consistent answers across locations and shifts. That shortens ramp time for new hires and reduces dependence on deep product memory.
Example: A Telecom Customer with a Damaged Phone
Customer mentions their phone is cracked. Sales Assist picks up the cue and checks eligibility, account history, and billing status. It then lines up trade-in values, upgrade paths, relevant promos, and compatible accessories-ready for the associate to confirm and explain.
The conversation stays natural. The associate leads; the AI keeps the options tight, compliant, and current.
Turning Customer Data into Better Conversations
Instead of sifting through CRM tabs or promo sheets, associates get a single stream of prompts at the right moment. That means faster quoting, fewer hold-ups, and a smoother close.
For managers, you get more uniform execution: the same logic, the same disclosures, the same pricing accuracy-regardless of who's on shift.
Rollout Checklist for Retail Leaders
- Confirm in-store consent flows, signage, and audio policies with legal/compliance.
- Integrate core systems: CRM, billing, inventory, promotions, pricing rules, and disclosures.
- Define out-of-bounds topics and escalation triggers to keep associates in control.
- Train reps on mic etiquette, reading prompts while talking, and summarizing options clearly.
- Start with a pilot (one region or category) and set a two- to four-week feedback loop.
- Measure lift, tune prompts and eligibility logic, then expand.
Metrics to Watch
- Attachment rate (accessories, warranties, add-ons)
- Time-to-quote and overall handle time at the counter
- Promo uptake and bundle mix
- Conversion rate and average order value
- Compliance adherence and rework due to errors
- Training ramp time for new associates
Privacy, Consent, and Customer Trust
Sales Assist listens with customer consent and should be deployed with clear in-store notices and opt-in processes. Keep audio use transparent, restrict data access by role, and log only what's needed to support service and compliance.
Set boundaries. When a topic is sensitive or outside policy, the assistant should prompt an escalation or handoff-not guess.
Where to Level Up Your Team
If you're equipping associates to sell with AI in the loop, start here: AI Learning Path for Sales Representatives. For store-wide rollout and operations, see the AI Learning Path for Retail Managers.
Bottom Line
Real-time, voice-first assistance helps reps keep the conversation moving, present the right options, and close with confidence. Customers feel heard. Associates feel supported. And managers get consistent execution across every store.
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