Smartlook

TurboTax Live lets customers video call professionals for tax help. Marketing showed polished, well-lit experts against branded backdrops but the actual experience was different.
Marketing video showing polished, well-lit expert against branded backdrop Actual call with poorly framed expert Actual call with poorly framed expert Actual call with poorly framed expert
Experts were often out of frame, poorly lit, or not using the backdrop at all. Customers quickly noticed the gap between what was advertised and what they got.
Tweet of shirtless person in turbotax live agent's webcam
A well-framed, properly lit expert signals professionalism. When customers connect for tax help, that first impression sets the tone for the rest of the experience.
Photo of the physical branded backdrop attached to an office chair
Intuit sent physical backdrops to every expert. They cost over $1M a year, took up 52" of space, and were a logistical headache to ship. Many experts didn't use them anyway.
Amazon Rekognition ↗ analyzed framing, lighting, and depth in real-time, alerting experts when adjustments were needed. TensorFlow's BodyPix ↗ handled background blurring.
Together, they could replace the physical backdrop entirely, saving costs while giving customers a more consistent experience.
high fidelity design exploration 1 high fidelity design exploration 2 high fidelity design exploration 3
There were two scenarios. When experts log on for the day, the system checks their framing, lighting, and depth before they take any calls. During a live call, it gives subtle nudges or turns the camera off if needed.
After demoing to leadership, a team spun up to take it forward. I helped with the handoff and it eventually shipped to production.
There were still many open questions around expert fatigue and how strict the AI should be. There's a fine line between improving the experience and Big Brother is watching.
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