fteg-ai-chat Compete on features + price Pilot: EaseeBuy I1 inbox live

FTEG AI Chat — Business Model

Who pays, what we must match in the market, and how FTEG wins vs Respond.io / Chatbase / Intercom. Anchor client scenario: EaseeBuy (FTEG client) — WhatsApp + website chat + AI first reply + human takeover + CRM follow-up.

Contents

1. Why this product must compete
2. EaseeBuy scenario (anchor)
3. Company comparison
4. Must-win feature parity
5. How FTEG charges (draft)
6. Controlled knowledge + calculators
7. Commercial rollout with Track I
8. What this is not
9. Open pricing decisions

1. Why this product must compete

AI Chat is not a “nice widget”. For clients like EaseeBuy it is the front door of sales + CS: WhatsApp enquiries, website chat, Messenger / Instagram, AI answering first, officers taking over, lead assignment, application follow-up, payment reminders, full conversation history.

• Feature bar: match Respond.io Growth for inbox + AI + human handoff + channels.
• Price bar: undercut US$159–199/mo for the typical Malaysian / SEA SME seat pack.
• Integration bar: deep-link into the client’s own CRM / application system (FTEG advantage).
• Trust bar: AI must use fixed rules / calculators — not invent interest rates or approvals.

2. EaseeBuy scenario (anchor)

EaseeBuy already knows Respond.io. Any FTEG pitch must feel familiar in capability, cheaper / stickier in ownership, and stronger when connected to EaseeBuy’s instalment / application stack.

Customer
   │
   ├── EaseeBuy website chatbot
   ├── WhatsApp
   ├── Facebook Messenger
   └── Instagram
             │
             ▼
      FTEG AI Chat Inbox   ← (today they would use Respond.io)
             │
       ┌─────┴─────┐
       ▼           ▼
  AI Agent     Human Officer
       │           │
       └─────┬─────┘
             ▼
 EaseeBuy CRM / Application System

Example conversation (must support)

Customer: “I want a refrigerator costing S$2,400. What is the monthly payment?”

1. Ask preferred tenure: 6 / 12 / 18 / 24 months.
2. Calculate estimated monthly payment from fixed EaseeBuy rules (not free-form LLM math).
3. Explain eligibility requirements from knowledge base.
4. Collect name + contact details (lead capture).
5. Provide application link.
6. Transfer to an EaseeBuy officer when needed (human handoff).
7. Record enquiry for follow-up in CRM / BO.

Knowledge the AI may use

3. Company comparison

Respond.io cost shape (what clients feel today)

Respond.io advantages for EaseeBuy today: existing familiarity, strong WA, shared inbox, AI→human, follow-up, API/CRM. Disadvantages: lock-in, Meta still extra, customisation needs a developer, price scales with contacts.

Why not Chatbase US$500 / Intercom first

• Chatbase — great for a pretty website bot; weaker multi-officer WhatsApp CS department.
• Intercom Fin — 2,000 AI outcomes × US$0.99 = US$1,980 plus seats + WhatsApp. Fine later, not for pilot.

4. Must-win feature parity

Ship checklist vs Respond.io Growth for EaseeBuy-class clients. Track I phases map to delivery.

5. How FTEG charges (draft)

B2B subscribe in fteg-erp. Meta WhatsApp conversation fees remain Meta’s bill (same as Respond.io — we do not pretend to absorb Meta). Meter AI replies so LLM COGS stays bounded.

6. Controlled knowledge + calculators

Phase after inbox (I4). Same six sections as the EaseeBuy recommendation:

1. Product catalogue
2. Instalment-plan rules (+ calculator tool)
3. Eligibility & application procedure
4. Delivery & warranty
5. Payment & collection FAQs
6. Human-escalation rules

Later (post-pilot): connect live systems — application status, product availability, payment status, CRM tasks, EaseeScore — only after secure customer verification.

7. Commercial rollout with Track I

8. What this is not

• Not a thin Chatbase-style website-only bot
• Not absorbing Meta WhatsApp fees into the SaaS price
• Not Intercom Fin outcome billing for v1
• Not rebuilding WhatsApp Business Manager UI
• Not free-form AI inventing finance / legal answers

9. Open pricing decisions

• Lock Growth at RM 499 vs RM 399 / RM 599?
• Pilot: free 3 months for EaseeBuy vs RM 299?
• AI credit pack size for Growth (e.g. 2,000 replies / mo)?
• Extra seat price (e.g. RM 49 / officer)?
• Annual discount (Respond.io’s US$159 angle) — e.g. 2 months free?
• SGD pricing SKU for Singapore-facing clients (EaseeBuy) vs MYR-only?