At a time when some students were quarantined, isolated, zooming and/or learning behind masks, they were able to get the attention they needed from their professors with the help of Alex Taylor, who happens to be an artificially intelligent customer bot in a simulation called RNMKRS (pronounced “Rainmakers”).
Southeastern students learned and practiced professional sales skills and communication in the fall semester by selling to Alex, who listens, adapts, and responds as students use voice activation on their mobile phones via an app to train virtually. The training ultimately led to a worldwide sales competition, where employers like Dell, Gartner, TTi, EMI, and YRC Worldwide recruited students for jobs.
“Fifty-nine schools from the US, Canada, and Germany for a total of 2,176 students competed,” said Dr. Stefanie Boyer, RNMKRS co-founder, and Bryant University professor.
Real-time scoring and feedback allowed coaches to see how their students were doing as they were practicing building rapport, empathy and trust with the customer bot—all from their mobile phone.
Directed by Southeastern Professors Dr. Tará Lopez and Dr. April Kemp, the following Southeastern students finished among the top in the competition:
Top 10%: Mckay Rayborn, Sabir Hishamuddin (Overall, Southeastern College of Business Winner)
Top 20%: Breanne Choate, Colby Ford, and Darnell Butler
Top 30%: Aubin Brian, Katherine Lively, Kirstyn Garland, Michael Rivera, Preston Gautreau, Phillip Mosher, and Sami Madona
For more information about Southeastern’s Sales Program, visit southeastern.edu/sales.
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