More Than a Chatbot: An Exclusive Look Into Mongoose Harmony

What’s so unique about this piece of edtech and why should higher ed institutions consider implementing it? Before we dive into all things Harmony, we need to level the playing field here. You know, make sure we’re speaking the same language. Then, hop on over to our Enrollify Exclusives feature of Harmony for a series of video interviews with Product Manager, Amy Kilpatrick.

What is a chatbot?

Most standard chatbots check the box of being able to answer frequently asked questions for website visitors 24/7. Bots can be extremely helpful for prospective students who may not be too familiar with the ins and outs of your institution; having a bot presence on your site gives them quicker, easier access to information they're most interested in.

On the backend, a typical chatbot is created a lot like a decision tree, where it starts by asking the visitor one question, and based on the user’s ‘decision,’ continues to the next question on that particular path. It may have many branches, but the conversation is quite linear and the goal is to answer the question(s) and be done.

A recurring issue with many chatbots is their inability to resolve issues that are ‘off-script.’ If a question is asked that isn’t part of the knowledge base, they don't magically find it - they default to being stumped. The response might be something like ‘Hmm, not sure. You can call 555-5555 to talk with a human.’ Nine times out of ten, the user engaged with the bot to avoid getting a generic number to call, so they end up more frustrated than when they started the conversation.

How is an “intelligent virtual assistant” better than other bots?

A virtual assistant actually completes tasks, using complex conversation flows to guide website visitors through processes. It takes the simplistic if/then logic of a standard bot several steps further.

Mongoose Harmony is proactive rather than reactive. Unlike other bots which are just waiting to be asked a question, Harmony will reach out to engage in conversation first. It’ll use context clues like which page they’re on and what part of the journey the user is in to serve them up content that’s personalized and relevant throughout.

Powered by Drift, which is used by over 50,000 businesses, Harmony makes use of the most cutting-edge technology. Bells and whistles like natural language processing, automation, and custom brand designs all come standard with the Harmony solution.

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Three key features of Harmony

Below are features that both set Harmony apart from the rest of the chatbots out there and are incredibly useful for institutions that want to provide the best possible student experience while also protecting staff time.

1. The ability to escalate conversations to live chat
   • Within regular business hours, assign someone on staff to handle chats that are not able to be resolved by FAQ-style bots. 
     • Example: "I don’t know what the status of my application is and I can’t find the email with instructions on reaching out. Is there an advisor I can speak with?"
       
       

1. The ability to schedule meetings right within the chat
   • Allow users to book a meeting with your staff — could be an academic advisor or admissions counselor — right within the conversation.
     
     

1. Harmony integrates with other campus software
   • Music to your IT team’s ears, Harmony seamlessly integrates with other systems on campus.

It’s also important to point out that, beyond Harmony's superior functionality, there is a dedicated team at Mongoose who’s rooting for your success. Not only do the folks at Mongoose have a thorough understanding of higher education, they also work closely with you during the onboarding process and well after to ensure your goals are defined and that Harmony is delivering (and surpassing) the outcomes you expect.

More about Mongoose

Mongoose is dedicated to being a bridge for higher education between schools and constituents. With a focus on conversational marketing software, Mongoose takes great pride in offering both the knowledge and the tools to help higher ed grow and retain a long-lasting collegiate community.

Both Cadence, their premier texting platform, and Harmony, their intelligent chatbot solution, exist to create successful outcomes for students and staff alike.

Find out more about Harmony's features through our series of videos with Product Manager Amy Kilpatrick 👇

Go Behind the Pitch Deck

CRMprov is a biweekly show that reveals how institutions can experience growth through technology. Tune in as higher ed enthusiasts Mickey Baines and Jamie Gleason partake in free-range dialogue around changes in edtech (including CRMs), vendor tutorials, insights on outcomes, industry adoption, and more!

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