Sunny Ray talks with Eric Brown of AskOtto about the Trigger, Task, Text, Talk framework and why the order of the four steps matters. Eric explains how AskOtto uses AI to dial, wait on hold, and bridge a live call between two people so nobody dials or waits. He traces the idea back to his earlier company Dataium, where he scored purchase intent from clickstream data, and shares what dealers often misread about shoppers. He describes how a customer pushed him to add the Task step to what began as a three-part model. Eric also covers why turning every call into an inbound call collapsed hold times, how QR codes, ads, and email links can start conversations without forms, and how a new API is bringing AskOtto into other platforms. He closes with his view that phone calls will become connections, and where listeners can learn more.
Eric Brown of AskOtto explains how triggers become tasks, texts, and live human conversations, with no forms, no dialing, and no hold music.
What is AskOtto and what problem are you solving?
We started from the idea that humans want to talk to humans, not pretend humans. Our AI dials the phone, waits on hold, tells the person who is calling and why, then bridges the call between two people without anyone dialing or waiting. As the AI advanced, we could start those conversations automatically from a signal, like someone actively shopping for a Honda Accord.
What results do dealers see from this approach?
When a shopper replies to a simple prompt and gets connected, there is no form, no lead chase, and no CRM step. We see about a 40% lift in people who say call me, and a two and a half to 3x lift in phone conversations about that car. You can't sell a car without talking about it.
What first pulled you into reading what car shoppers intend to do before they do it?
I used to own Dataium, which took unstructured clickstream data and scored the probability someone would buy, like an 86% chance of buying a Honda Accord in the next 72 hours. Looking at that data, I saw how much friction we create by making people chase websites and inventory searches. All of that data sits in the cloud, so why make people chase it?
What is the biggest thing dealers misread about their own shoppers?
They misread the level of intent and what matters to the shopper, because we tend to shout at people instead of listening. We analyzed thousands of dealership phone conversations with AI, and the top skill tied to a sale was empathy. That means understanding the true need and helping someone buy a car rather than trying to sell them one.
Where did the Trigger, Task, Text, Talk sequence come from, and which of the four almost got cut?
The sequence came from me, but Task came from a customer. It started as three Ts: trigger, text, and talk. He said there is a task in between, a set of actions like updating the CRM, texting the consumer, and creating the rep prep. That way the agent already has the context before anyone is on the phone.
When did you realize the real problem was the wait?
Nobody dials because they don't want to talk to someone. Early on, we made everything an inbound call, and the outbound calls that were blocking inbound lines went away. Hold times collapsed. Our AI calls and waits until someone is available, and we don't ring the phone unless it can be answered. It is like giving everybody an admin.
What has to be true in the next 12 months for your growth?
We think we can 10x, not just double. We need more automation in our own onboarding, and we just launched an API so email and texting companies can integrate us. Growth really comes from more triggers. Each new data source, like a dealer's DMS, brings its own intelligence and triggers that can bridge a call automatically.
In five years, what does a phone call look like when everyone's AI waits on hold for them?
It is not a call anymore, it is a connection. Phone numbers are largely obsolete proxies for devices. I just need to connect with you, so the AI checks your devices, waits until you're available, and lets me know. It can even learn patterns, like knowing Charlie golfs on Friday afternoons and calling him Monday.
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