Update on Messages, Support, and a New Designer

Hi all,

The last few days, in addition to working on design requests, I've been working on a better way to answer questions, help people find files, collect requests, and generally help people get the most out of everything that's already available.

What I've been building is something I'm calling a digital persona.

A lot of information currently lives in my head: product information, licensing details, compatibility questions, file locations, common issues, product history, and all the other things I answer through messages every day. I'm working on getting that information into a digital environment where people can access it more easily.

This isn't just a collection of canned responses. It can hold a conversation, answer questions based on the information I've provided, point people in the right direction, collect requests, and know when something should be escalated instead of answered.

The first version will be connected to Facebook Messenger. When someone sends a message, it should be able to handle the vast majority of common questions. If it can't, or if something needs personal attention, it gets escalated.

Right now it's running in development mode, so it's only available to me and a small group of people helping test it. I'm intentionally trying to break it. I'm taking real questions people ask, giving it the information behind those answers, testing edge cases, and generally trying to find its limits before it goes live.

One feature I'm especially excited about is request tracking. If you ask about a product, size, lid, accessory, or feature that doesn't currently exist, it can recognize that, collect the request, and add it to a centralized list for review so ideas and opportunities don't get lost.

Longer term, I think this could become useful for things beyond product questions. If I explain how to do something in Bambu Studio once, for example, there's no reason that information shouldn't be available to everyone else who asks the same question later.

Most importantly, this is not intended to create a barrier between me and the community. It's actually the opposite. The goal is to answer common questions faster, make sure requests don't get lost, and allow the things that truly need my attention to get in front of me more quickly.

I've also recently brought on additional CAD support. My focus will remain on developing new products, new features, and new ecosystems while the new designer helps expand those ideas across the existing product lineup. If I create a new lid system, for example, he can help implement it across the compatible sizes and models while I continue moving the next ideas forward.

The messaging system requires Facebook approval, so assuming that process goes smoothly I expect to have it available for broader testing within the next week or two. I think I can incorporate it into Patreon messages too but I will sort that out later.

I've included a screenshot below so you can get an idea of what the conversations look like today. It's still a work in progress, but the progress so far has been very encouraging.