CrowdStreet’s Continued AI Transformation with MeBeBot: An Inside Look

As the demands of a distributed workforce continue to shape the way companies operate, CrowdStreet, a real estate investment platform headquartered in Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon, took a proactive step. Recognizing the need for effective, flexible employee support, CrowdStreet adopted MeBeBot’s AI platform in 2021 to serve as an accessible and dynamic HR assistant. This decision not only optimized their people operations but also redefined their employee support delivery experience.  In a recent conversation Sydney Gamble, CrowdStreet’s People Operations Partner, and I (Mindy Honcoop,
MeBeBot’s VP of Customer Strategy & Operations) caught up on CrowdStreet’s journey with MeBeBot, creating version 2 an AI HR Chatbot Case Study  — highlighting efficiencies, autonomy, and transformation.

Getting Started: An AI-Agent Approach to HR

The journey with MeBeBot began as CrowdStreet sought a solution that aligned with their “Work where you work best” philosophy. With a workforce spread across multiple time zones, the HR team needed a responsive, 24/7 resource that could address employees’ HR questions when HR representatives weren’t available.

Sydney Gamble, a member of CrowdStreet’s People Operations team for over three years, remembers the process of integrating MeBeBot into their HR framework. From the start, Sydney saw the value in MeBeBot’s ability to offer quick responses to HR queries, providing reliable support for questions around company policies, time-off requests, and other HR-related inquiries. Setting up MeBeBot took only two weeks, a process that Sydney describes as “fun and engaging,” as she built out the initial database of questions and answers. 

This initial setup provided CrowdStreet employees with a first-stop resource for HR information, alleviating the pressure on HR staff and allowing employees to access crucial information around the clock.

Beyond 2021: Continuing The AI Journey

The implementation of MeBeBot at CrowdStreet evolved beyond an initial Q&A support system. With new features such as enterprise push messaging, MeBeBot transformed into an essential tool for proactive engagement, particularly in managing HR processes such as time tracking and payroll.

Sydney shared that early on, the team wasn’t sure how to utilize push messages effectively. However, as CrowdStreet rolled out a new HRIS tool that lacked built-in reminder features, push messaging in MeBeBot became crucial. 

“We realized we could schedule reminders for managers at critical times,” Sydney explains. “Instead of me manually reminding them every two weeks to process time-off requests, push messages would alert them automatically.”

Over time, these push notifications turned reactive processes into proactive ones, significantly reducing Sydney’s manual involvement. The team soon customized these messages to target only the managers who hadn’t completed their tasks. This targeted communication led to a marked improvement in task compliance. According to Sydney, as more managers adopted this rhythm, fewer push messages were necessary, indicating a seamless behavioral shift among CrowdStreet’s managers.

Another pivotal feature for CrowdStreet was MeBeBot’s feedback feature This allowed HR to gain insights into areas where employees found information lacking or unclear. Sydney notes that this feature has been instrumental in refining their policies and communications.

“Sometimes, we think a policy is clear,” she says, “but feedback shows us where there’s confusion. MeBeBot has given us the ability to continually improve based on real employee interactions.”

The Impact of MeBeBot on CrowdStreet’s HR Team and Their Workforce

CrowdStreet’s adoption of MeBeBot has yielded tangible results in terms of efficiency and time saved, allowing HR to focus on more strategic priorities. Here are some of the most impactful outcomes:

1. Reclaiming Hours: Sydney estimates that the use of push messaging alone has saved her about five to six hours each month. For a lean HR team, this time is invaluable. In addition, by redirecting simple questions to MeBeBot, Sydney saves several hours each week, time that she can now allocate toward policy development, onboarding preparations, and employee support.

2. Enhanced Accessibility: With MeBeBot available around the clock, employees can easily access information outside of traditional working hours. Whether they need details on leave policies or holiday schedules, MeBeBot is a reliable resource. As Sydney explains, “It’s become the first stop for many employees. They go to MeBeBot before reaching out to HR, which has really empowered them to find answers independently.”

3. Streamlined Document Access: Beyond answering questions, MeBeBot helps employees navigate CrowdStreet’s extensive shared drives, directing them to the correct documents and policies. This has been especially useful for the compliance team, as they can now categorize and modularize documents to make essential information more accessible.

4. Promoting a Modular Handbook: With the integration of MeBeBot, the HR team began considering a more modular approach to the employee handbook, moving away from lengthy, dense documents. Instead, employees can quickly access specific sections through MeBeBot’s queries. This modular format has simplified updates and made policies more accessible and understandable.

Outcomes: Transforming the Role of HR at CrowdStreet

CrowdStreet’s experience with MeBeBot reveals a shift in how AI can empower HR teams to work more efficiently while enhancing employee self-sufficiency. For Sydney and her team, MeBeBot represents more than an HR assistant; it’s a tool that fundamentally transforms how employee support is delivered.

1. Enhancing HR Roles: Rather than replacing human interaction, MeBeBot has strengthened the role of HR by handling level-one questions and freeing up time for HR staff to tackle more complex issues. Sydney emphasizes that MeBeBot has been a complementary resource, “enhancing our roles rather than replacing them.”

2. Transforming Support Delivery: MeBeBot serves as the first line of support for HR inquiries, covering essential, frequently asked questions and directing employees to relevant policies. This allows the HR team to focus on more in-depth, strategic matters, as employees now only reach out to HR when they have more complex needs.

“MeBeBot’s AI HR Chatbot is our Level 0-1 employee support destination for hundreds of answers a month andit’s an integral part of the People Team — in fact, MeBeBot even has a place on our Org Chart. We needed to find waysto include AI in our employee support models; else it is too easy to forget its there fulfilling a job.”

Derek Sidebottom, MeBeBot Strategic Advisor / Former Chief HR Officer

3. Improving Work-Life Balance: The presence of MeBeBot has contributed to a healthier work-life balance for both employees and HR staff. With HR inquiries available anytime via MeBeBot, employees are less likely to need immediate responses during off-hours. This buffer has allowed the HR team to set clear boundaries while still ensuring employee support.

4. Building a Better HR Team: Sydney also shared that the collaborative experience of working with MeBeBot’s team has made a meaningful impact. “The MeBeBot team really understands HR challenges,” she reflects, noting the open and transparent communication during the implementation and ongoing updates.

Lessons Learned

CrowdStreet’s experience highlights several valuable lessons for organizations considering an AI-driven HR solution.

(1) First, the initial setup and training process with MeBeBot can be swift and engaging, allowing companies to see rapid returns in efficiency.

(2) Second, the effectiveness of push messaging and feedback features can address a range of HR challenges, from compliance to policy transparency, reducing HR workload and improving employee accessibility.

(3) aAdopting a tool like MeBeBot encourages a modular approach to employee documentation, empowering employees and making HR processes more adaptable to change.

As CrowdStreet’s journey with MeBeBot shows, AI in HR is not merely about automating tasks but rather about enhancing the overall employee experience, creating proactive engagement, and driving meaningful organizational change.

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ABOUT AUTHOR

Mindy Honcoop

Mindy Honcoop is an experienced People Leader now serving as MeBeBot’s VP of Customer Strategy and Operations. Previous HR advisor to Care.com, Spiceworks Ziff Davis, HomeAway.com, Blackbaud, and Expedia.