The head of Hootsuite said he’s aware that engaging with a customer service bot on the internet can be a frustrating process, but he thinks he just acquired the technology needed to make it a more enjoyable experience.

“It’s a loyalty-destroying experience,” said Hootsuite Chief Executive Officer Tom Keiser in an interview Wednesday when asked about disappointing interaction with bots. “It’s no different than talking to a customer service rep and they can’t solve your problem.”

His comments come a day after the Vancouver-based social media management platform announced that it acquired artificial intelligence chatbot company Heyday for $60 million.

Keiser touted Heyday's chatbot’s sophisticated data science, as well as its chatbot design that he said will be used to help brands connect with customers through social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. 

“Heyday has a team of [user experience] designers that are focused on a great experience for customers,” said Keiser. “But [they] can also make it clear on what can’t be answered by the bots, so you don’t end up in that circular conversation that we’ve all ended up in with your phone provider or cable provider.”

Hootsuite has helped brands manage their social media presence for more than a decade, but Keiser said it's really the COVID-19 pandemic that has accelerated a company’s need to have its products for sale directly on social media pages as shopping habits have changed.

“Slowly but surely social media is moving from a place where people connect, to where commerce is taking place,” he said.