As we prepare to ramp up the Beta release of the RunSignup AI Chatbot, we thought it would be interesting to explain some of the lessons we have learned.
First, to explain our goal. We want to provide a free AI Agent Chatbot to every event to improve customer support and reduce overhead. Since we have 30,000+ events on our platform, we have to do that at scale – meaning we need to automate things and do it well.
Lessons
- Integrated Website Content and Event Data Is Key
Our investment in Websites V2 seems particularly prescient, as it provides first-class website content and display capability, not just a registration or ticket page. This allows events to fully explain their details and provide all the essential information participants need, such as whether dogs are allowed, where parking is located, and what the refund policy is. - How Information Is Passed Into the AI Model Matters
We have spent a fair amount of time and talent on figuring out how to optimally train the AI on website content. We have found two innovations:- Formatting and filtering content is much better than relying on website scraping.
- We can train the AI model within seconds of new content being added to the website, so that it’s always up to date.
- Data Is Tricky and Still Being Refined
We continue to work on integrating new MCPs into our RunSignup AI Chatbot. We have learned that simply scraping result data is not sufficient. MCPs need to be built in parallel with robust APIs. For example, our MCP digests key race data such as price change dates, giveaway options, add-ons, age restrictions, and other important details with RunSignup’s API – not just content on the website. And we are working on doing the same for results data. - Prompting Really Matters
Creating a general prompt that works across 30,000 AI chatbots is far more challenging than building one for a single event. Because RunSignup offers such an extensive set of features, crafting prompts requires careful consideration of how the AI recognizes which features are enabled or disabled and how it communicates that information back to the customer. - Adapting to New Technologies Is Exciting and Challenging
Being on the front end of new technologies is a lot of fun, but it comes with a steep learning curve and requires constant adaptation to the ever-changing AI landscape. The only thing we know for sure is that today is the worst AI will ever be, which is both exciting and a little scary.
Beta Roll-Out and Coming Features
- We are currently in beta and starting to roll out the chatbot to people on the waitlist. You can still join here https://www.ticketsignup.io/TicketEvent/RunSignupAIChatbotWaitlist
- Early access requires your race to use Websites V2 and have comprehensive content via our FAQ component.
- Currently only available on RunSignup. TicketSignup coming soon.
- Upcoming features include:
- Automatic chatbot styling based on your Website V2 color scheme
- Training specific answers so you can customize responses
- Real-time data integration for results, photos, and bib or corral lookups.
- MCP integration is coming to production soon and will enable the bot to access and respond to even more complex data.
What Makes Our AI Chatbot Different
The chatbot is fully integrated into the RunSignup platform, giving it access to all relevant website content, event setups, participant data, and results to provide the most accurate answers possible. The chatbot leverages all the powerful tools RunSignup offers, including the extensive set of race and peer to peer fundraising event features, Website Builder, APIs, and new MCPs.
On the Importance of Customer Support
We know how time consuming and crucial customer support is for every race director. Participants often miss the fine print, and questions can quickly accumulate. That is why we are dedicated to bringing you new support-focused tools, including the AI chatbot, FAQ component, and seamless escalation to human support when needed. Our goal is to help you serve your participants more efficiently, streamline your processes, and save you time so you can focus on what matters most: hosting a successful race.