Press release:

Kyocera and ALO Knock It Out of the Park with an AI Customer Service System for Polar Park Stadium

ALO combined with rugged Kyocera DuraXV Extreme flip phones replaces walkie talkie radios and helps the WooSox deliver culturally inclusive experiences for fans in 99 languages

San Diego, Calif. – September 20, 2021 –  The ALO.ai customer service and communication platform and Kyocera’s most rugged flip phone, DuraXV Extreme on the Verizon 4G LTE network, are helping the team at the new state-of-the-art Polar Park ballpark communicate instantly with both personnel and fans, and track issues to ensure a spectacular fan experience. The home of the minor league Worcester Red Sox, WooSox, the AAA team for the major league Boston Red Sox, opened in May 2021 as one of the most high-tech event and sports facilities in the country with the world’s first autonomous check-out store* and full coverage throughout the grounds enabled by the Verizon network, augmented by Wi-Fi.

As part of a program for improved in-stadium team coordination, Polar Park workers were equipped with rugged DuraXV Extreme devices with the ALO.ai Android app and activated Verizon SIMs to ensure always-on service, push-to-talk (PTT) headsets, charging holsters and other accessories. ALO enables staff to communicate in real-time with fans in their native language (99 languages supported) via SMS text messaging, voice, and the ALO chatbot embedded in the WooSox mobile app. Ballpark staff use ALO’s push-to-talk (PTT) audio, chat, photo sharing, and live video to coordinate operations and resolve fan requests. Even the mascot, WooSox Smiley Ball, uses ALO with a DuraXV Extreme.

“We incorporated ALO on Kyocera’s DuraXV Extreme devices for Opening Day on May 11 and our crew has been using them ever since with great success,” said Matt Levin, SVP and CFO of the WooSox. “ALO is a revolutionary communication and coordination tool that ensures we’re delivering high levels of fan experience and safety, and the durable flip phone reduces costs overall with its lower device and service plan charges. What began as a pilot program with 15 devices is now expanding to nearly 60 for more of our staff and we plan to socialize our solution with other ballparks within the league.”

The ALO.ai customer service and communication platform runs on most phones and web browsers, and the ALO platform is comprised of four modules:

* Communicate is for team communication and contains a multilingual, global walkie-talkie with push to talk, group chat, and live video with no channel limits. ALO’s realtime natural language processing transcribes all audio communication and speaks text messages and notifications.

* Support enables teams to communicate in 99 languages with customers and other external constituents in a shared fashion while on-the-go via SMS, voice, and the ALO chatbot for mobile and web.

* Dispatch allows teams to dispatch resources both automatically and manually. Teams can dispatch from a central location or delegate responsibility to local team members, and ALO task management makes sure nothing falls through the cracks and team performance is measured.

* Integrate is an API for system integration and an SDK for embedding ALO in software applications. The ALO API can be used to add context to communication from enterprise systems, and for workflow automation.

Kyocera’s ultra-rugged DuraXV Extreme flip phone is an ideal platform for the ALO.ai Android application – with 100dB+ front-facing loudspeakers, programmable PTT button, and easily-accessed buttons on the top of the device enabling users to view contacts without opening the flip. DuraXV Extreme is the first flip phone to feature a 1.2GHz, 64-bit Quad-core processor for quick response times enabling the most reliable communication, including PTT with ALO over cellular or Wi-Fi. The long-lasting removable 1770mAh Li-Ion battery keeps users productive on even the longest days, with battery care mode to extend the overall lifespan of the battery. And the 5MP auto-focus camera with LED flash captures key images and video. At the end of a crazy day at the park, DuraXV Extreme can be easily cleaned using a mild dish soap or disinfected using alcohol (70% solution) or cleaning wipes.

“The simplicity of our DuraXV Extreme flip phone loaded with ALO’s impressive AI software helps keep users focused on their tasks inside the ballpark,” said Vipul Dalal, Divisional Vice President of Kyocera’s Communications Equipment Group. “The device’s superior audio quality and optimized PTT are crucial in this ultra-loud setting. Personnel are able to advance through channels without opening the flip as well, saving precious time when communicating urgent customer service requests.”

Kyocera’s Total Solution
Using technology to help improve business productivity is a key tenet of Kyocera’s Total Solution offering, which includes rugged devices and service support along with applications and accessories from a large partner ecosystem. Dedicated support lines, overnight advanced device replacement, custom provisioning, custom repair, lifecycle management, and more help our valued business customers. The company’s rugged devices offer a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than non-rugged devices by holding value for a far longer period of time: they cost less in repairs and replacement, do not require expensive aftermarket cases, and – most importantly – function reliably in critical environments, ensuring that business continues without interruption.

*First autonomous checkout in pro sports stadium.
+IP68 dust proof and waterproof for water immersion up to 6.5 feet for up to 30 minutes.
**Subscription required for mobile hotspot and ALO.

About ALO.ai
ALO.ai revolutionizes customer support for deskless teams who do not stare at a screen all day, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and lower costs. Customers use SMS, voice, and web & mobile chatbots to ask questions, make requests, and report incidents. Then, team members use ALO, from anywhere in the world and on any device, to communicate, and coordinate task execution. Frontline workers rely heavily on ALO’s push-to-talk audio communication since they often cannot use a phone or computer screen when they’re working. When teams adopt ALO, all audio, video, and text communication is unified in one easy-to-use app.

ALO uses artificial intelligence to enable realtime, multilingual communication among team members, and between team members and customers. ALO can also be embedded by software developers using the ALO SDK and integrated with the ALO API to other enterprise systems. To learn more, visit https://alo.ai or contact the team via email at sales@alo.ai

About KYOCERA
Kyocera International Inc.’s Communications Equipment Group (CEG) is the headquarters for Kyocera wireless devices in the Americas. With a history of quality and innovation delivering many “firsts” to the U.S. market, Kyocera is the leader in rugged mobile solutions. Launching more than 100 waterproof and rugged mobile devices globally over the last 10+ years, Kyocera strives to offer rugged, reliable technology as an integral part of a total mobile offering: combining MIL-STD 810G-certified ruggedization and enterprise-grade security with a partner ecosystem, industry-specific applications and innovative accessories. Working with leading service providers, Kyocera has created a “Total Solution” offering that helps deliver a significantly lower total cost of ownership to a wide range of industries such as public safety, transportation and construction. White glove services including overnight advanced replacement, custom provisioning, repair and more help productivity for business customers. When it comes to blending performance, durability and support, Kyocera’s rugged mobile solutions are in a class of their own. For more information, visit www.kyoceramobile.com or follow the company at facebook.com/kyoceramobile, twitter.com/kyoceramobile, youtube.com/kyoceramobile, instagram.com/kyoceramobile and linkedin.com/company/kyoceramobile.

Kyocera Corporation (TOKYO: 6971), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of industrial and automotive components, semiconductor packages, electronic devices, smart energy systems, printers, copiers, and mobile phones. During the year ended March 31, 2021, the company’s consolidated sales revenue totaled 1.5 trillion yen (approx. US$13.8 billion). Kyocera is ranked #603 on Forbes magazine’s 2021 “Global 2000” list of the world’s largest publicly traded companies, and appears on The Wall Street Journal’s latest list of “The World’s 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies.”

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Media Contact:
Leasa Ireland
LPI Communications for Kyocera
310.750.7082
leasa@lpicommunications.com

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