How BotForge Built Carly, a Chatbot for Finding Endurance Events

Carly helps people discover endurance events, including running, cycling, triathlon and obstacle courses. It lives in Facebook Messenger and draws its events from the Active Network search API.

The Challenge

The chatbot needed to search the Active Network directory by event type, location, free text and date, sit within Messenger's menus, and send alerts for upcoming and last-minute events. Users had to be able to save and update their location and choose how often they hear from it. It also needed help resources, easy navigation and a sporty persona that felt natural and encouraging.

The Approach

BotForge built Carly into Facebook Messenger, reachable through private messages or the Messenger app, and connected it to the Active Network search API for real-time event listings.

• Search by event type, location, free text or date
• Event alerts, daily or weekly, for new events that match the user's criteria
• Last-minute alerts for upcoming events with places left
• Saved location for personalised results
• Direct links to Active Network listings, so users can register straight away
• A sporty persona, encouraging and energetic, for an endurance audience

Messenger was chosen for its engagement. Messenger chatbots get four to five times the open rates of email and three to five times the click-through rates, which suits time-sensitive event alerts.

The Outcome

Endurance sports fans have an always-available way to find events, with recommendations tailored to their preferences, location and alert settings, and a link straight through to register.