Domain launches innovative Facebook Messenger chat bot

Recently, Domain (Australian real estate website) announced they would be utilising bots to help service their customers.

At Facebook's F8 conference, Facebook launched the Messenger Platform (in beta), which made it possible for developers to connect with the more than 900 million people across the globe who use Messenger in a new, innovative and interactive way.

Essentially, the Messenger bot employed by Domain will allow consumers to find properties by asking for the information they need via Messenger, creating a whole new property search interaction for Australian consumers.

Bots for Messenger are designed for anyone in the world who want to reach people on mobile – regardless of the size of company or idea. They can be effective for any business, as it doesn't matter whether building apps or experiences to share weather updates, confirm hotel reservations or send receipts from a recent purchase, bots make it possible be more personal, proactive and streamlined in the way that you interact with people.

Now people exploring suburbs in Australia can start a Messenger chat with Domain and 'drop a pin' or simply search a location. The Domain bot will instantly show them properties relevant to their location or search details.

What's more, people wanting to know the value of a house they walk by can start a chat with Domain and ask for the price on any address – it doesn't even have to be for sale. The bot will instantly respond with a full property profile.

"We're always looking for ways to make searching for property easier and more enjoyable, and our Messenger bot is a great way for people to instantly access the information they need quickly to get ahead in the property market," says Damon Pezaro, chief product officer at Domain. "Consolidating property search into one of the most popular consumer apps creates a whole new experience for Domain's audience. It's widely cited that consumers spend around 85% of their time using just five smartphone apps each month. Creating a Domain bot for Messenger allows a more natural communication interaction and saves consumers time flipping between apps and websites.

Regardless of what happens, it certainly opens up a plethora of new opportunities for future developers and business solutions.