Xero launching Facebook chatbot

Xero [NZX: XRO] has created a Facebook Messenger chatbot that will perform basic tasks and recommend accountants to its customers.

Xero says its clients will be able to discover new apps in its “ecosystem” and ask the chatbot (named Hey Xero) about their latest financial data, such as who owes them money or when their next bill is due.

Accountants and bookkeepers will have better business leads and spend less time answering basic questions, Xero says.

The accounting software developer says it is working on making the tool available on other messaging platforms such as Slack and Apple iOS.

“By developing this capability, Xero will be able to share the tools, technologies and best practice methods with banks and financial services connected to the small business community to further enhance the global financial web Xero is building,” the NZX-listed company says.

Xero chief executive Rod Drury says, “Connecting the more than 50 million small businesses on Facebook Messenger with accountants is a huge opportunity for our industry. We’re opening up access to accounting software, solutions and advisors to help millions of small businesses be more productive and get the advice they need to grow and create jobs.”

The chatbot, developed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), will be launched “later this year.”

According to Facebook, more than one billion people around the world communicate on Messenger every month, and more than two-thirds of people expect to use messaging apps to talk to business.

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RAW DATA

Xero today unveiled an innovative chatbot codenamed Hey Xero that will provide small businesses and their advisors with a completely new way to access the Xero ecosystem and their accounting data quickly, from their platform of choice.

Available later this year, Hey Xero will have the capability to connect the more than 50 million small businesses who use Facebook Messenger every month into the wider Xero ecosystem, opening a new way for businesses to discover the cloud accounting platform and find the right advisor for them.

Using Hey Xero, businesses will be able access the Xero Advisor Directory and be recommended a suitable accountant or bookkeeper in their area. Xero subscribers will also be able to discover new apps in the Xero ecosystem and query their latest financial data, such as who owes them money or when their next bill is due.

According to Facebook, more than one billion people around the world communicate on Messenger every month, and more than two-thirds of people expect to use messaging apps to talk to business.

Developed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Hey Xero will enable small businesses to talk to their accounting system without leaving Facebook to better understand their business. For accountants and bookkeepers, it means more and better business leads, and less time answering basic questions and more time providing real, high-value business advice.

Xero is also working to make the tools available to other messaging platforms such as Slack and Apple iOS in the future, enabling Xero subscribers and new customers to access their accounting dashboard from their platform or device of choice.

By developing this capability, Xero will be able to share the tools, technologies and best practice methods with banks and financial services connected to the small business community to further enhance the global financial web Xero is building.

Hey Xero was announced on day two of Xerocon South, Australasia’s largest accounting technology conference, bringing together more than 2,000 accountants, bookkeepers, financial professionals and exhibitors from Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Commonwealth Bank is Platinum sponsor of Xerocon South, with Paypal and AWS as Gold sponsors.