Report:
The Forrester Wave™: Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B, Q1 2024
How does Forrester define the Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B market in 2024?
B2B conversation automation solutions have evolved significantly to meet the demands of self-directed buying groups. These solutions facilitate open-ended, context-aware, natural-language dialogues that engage buyers and customers while providing real-time, role-relevant insights to internal teams. Vendors should automate conversations across synchronous and asynchronous delivery mechanisms, offer multimodel, multimodal, multilingual solutions, and enable conversational use cases across the full B2B customer lifecycle. The technologies have become critical components of modern revenue marketing technology stacks as organizations increase investment in conversation automation.
Key Facts for The Forrester Wave™: Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B, Q1 2024 in 2024
- Publication Date: 25-Mar-2024
- Document ID: RES180603
- Summary: In our 33-criterion evaluation of providers of conversation automation solutions for B2B, we identified the most significant ones and researched, analyzed, and scored them. This report shows how each provider measures up and helps B2B revenue marketing professionals select the right one for their needs.
- Authors: Jessie Johnson, Steven Casey, Laurynn Bedard, Faith Born, Kate Pierpont
How did the Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B market evolve in 2024?
- B2B conversation automation solutions have evolved significantly to meet demands of self-directed buying groups
- B2B buyers and customers expect responsiveness and relevant personalization across marketing and sales interactions
- Solutions facilitate open-ended, context-aware, natural-language dialogues that engage buyers and customers
- Vendors provide real-time, role-relevant insights to support internal teams interacting with audiences
- Vendor offerings may originate from revenue process optimization, inbound marketing, digital experience, or customer support
- Solutions continue to evolve to address conversational use cases spanning the B2B customer lifecycle
- Conversation automation has become a critical component of modern revenue marketing technology stacks
- Nine providers evaluated: Conversica, Drift, Qualified, Amelia, Genesys, LivePerson, DRUID, Intercom, Yellow.ai
- Evaluation based on 33 criteria across current offering, strategy, and market presence
- Leaders identified: Conversica and Drift
- Strong Performers identified: Qualified, Amelia, Genesys, LivePerson
- Contenders identified: DRUID
- Challengers identified: Intercom, Yellow.ai
What product features are required to be included in this year's evaluation?
- A solution sold as a standalone conversation automation solution offering. The solution is comprehensive and purpose-built for AI-powered conversation automation.
- Track record of revenue growth from B2B organizations. Total solution revenue must be at least $10 million with B2B organizations representing at least 25% of overall solution revenue.
- Mindshare among Forrester's enterprise customers. The vendors we evaluated are frequently mentioned in Forrester client inquiries, shortlists, consulting projects, and case studies.
What are the common features of top products in the Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B space?
No common features specified.
Scope Exclusions
- Solutions not sold as standalone conversation automation offerings
- Vendors with total solution revenue below $10 million
- Vendors where B2B organizations represent less than 25% of overall solution revenue
- Vendors without significant mindshare among Forrester's enterprise customers
- Solutions not purpose-built for AI-powered conversation automation
Inclusion Criteria
Vendors must, among other requirements:
- A solution sold as a standalone conversation automation solution offering that is comprehensive and purpose-built for AI-powered conversation automation
- Track record of revenue growth from B2B organizations with total solution revenue of at least $10 million and B2B organizations representing at least 25% of overall solution revenue
- Mindshare among Forrester's enterprise customers, frequently mentioned in client inquiries, shortlists, consulting projects, and case studies
Offering Strengths — Relative Weighting
- B2B buyer and customer experience — 20%
- Conversation personalization — 20%
- Conversational delivery mechanisms — 10%
- Conversational modalities — 10%
- Interactive content — 10%
- AI and analytics — 10%
- Lifecycle revenue marketing — 10%
- Extensibility and security — 10%
Strategy Strength — Relative Weighting
- Vision — 30%
- Innovation — 20%
- Roadmap — 20%
- Partner ecosystem — 10%
- Adoption — 10%
- Pricing flexibility and transparency — 5%
- Community — 5%
FAQs
Q: What does this research cover?
A: This research covers a comprehensive evaluation of nine providers of conversation automation solutions specifically designed for B2B organizations. It evaluates vendors across 33 criteria grouped into three categories: current offering (50% weight), strategy (50% weight), and market presence (0% weight). The evaluation focuses on solutions that use AI to deliver audience-centric interactions, automate conversations across synchronous and asynchronous channels, offer multimodal and multilingual capabilities, and enable conversational use cases across the B2B customer lifecycle from discovery to post-purchase engagement.
Q: Who should use this research?
A: B2B revenue marketing professionals should use this research to select the right conversation automation solution for their organization's needs. It is particularly valuable for organizations looking to increase investment in conversation automation technologies, enhance digital experiences, optimize revenue processes, improve personalization, support self-directed buying groups, and automate interactions across the customer lifecycle. The research provides detailed vendor profiles with strengths and weaknesses, best-fit scenarios for each vendor, and a customizable Excel-based comparison tool to adapt criteria weightings to specific organizational requirements.
Q: What are the mandatory features of vendors included in this market?
A: To be included in this evaluation, vendors must offer a comprehensive standalone conversation automation solution purpose-built for AI-powered automation, demonstrate a track record of revenue growth with at least $10 million in total solution revenue where B2B organizations represent at least 25% of overall revenue, and have significant mindshare among Forrester's enterprise customers as evidenced by frequent mentions in client inquiries, shortlists, consulting projects, and case studies.
Q: What are some reasons for not being included in this report?
A:
- Solution is not sold as a standalone conversation automation offering
- Solution is not comprehensive or purpose-built for AI-powered conversation automation
- Total solution revenue is below $10 million threshold
- B2B organizations represent less than 25% of overall solution revenue
- Lack of mindshare among Forrester's enterprise customers
- Vendor declined to participate in the evaluation process
- Vendor only partially participated in the evaluation process
Q: What should buyers consider when evaluating products in this market?
A:
- Ability to automate conversations in synchronous and asynchronous delivery mechanisms across multiple digital channels
- Support for multimodel, multimodal, multilingual solutions with real-time translation capabilities
- Capability to enable conversational use cases across the full B2B customer lifecycle including demand qualification, appointment setting, buying group connection, and program enrollment
- Prescriptive guidance through use cases and templates spanning B2B customer lifecycle, audience dynamics, and revenue development processes
- Integration capabilities with core revenue marketing technologies and CRM platforms
- AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants that can qualify demand, set appointments, and learn from conversations
- Customizable conversation flows and out-of-the-box templates for revenue optimization
- Ability to capture and activate first-party intent signals from conversational data
Q: How has the Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B market evolved in 2024?
A:
- Revenue stakeholders striving to meet demands of self-directed buying groups
- B2B buyers and customers expect responsiveness and relevant personalization across marketing and sales interactions
- Marketers and sellers expect AI-assisted interactions in their professional lives similar to personal experiences
- Vendor offerings evolving from origins in revenue process optimization, inbound marketing/digital experience, or customer support to address conversational use cases spanning the B2B customer lifecycle
- Increasing investment in conversation automation solutions as critical components of modern revenue marketing technology stacks
- Generative AI-enhanced features resulting in more humanlike dialogues and increased brand customizability
Q: What differentiates Strength of Offering vs. Strength of Strategy?
A: Current Offering evaluates the present capabilities of vendor solutions including B2B buyer and customer experiences, personalization, delivery mechanisms, modalities, interactive content, AI/analytics, lifecycle revenue marketing support, and extensibility/security. Strategy evaluates forward-looking factors including the vendor's vision for the market, innovation capabilities, product roadmap, partner ecosystem strength, customer adoption, pricing models, and community engagement.
Reference
- Forrester, The Forrester Wave™: Conversation Automation Solutions For B2B, Q1 2024, 25-Mar-2024, ID RES180603
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