HP (#20 on the Fortune 500) is one of the world’s largest computing companies, creating technology to make life better for everyone, everywhere. The company’s mission is to engineer experiences that amaze, and HP produces more devices for more customer segments than anyone else in the industry.

HP’s massive innovation and scale bring about a massive challenge: how to establish meaningful customer relationships when faced with a large product portfolio and millions of users around the globe.

Since the majority of HP devices are sold through retail channel partners, HP doesn’t control the customer experience or have a direct customer connection at the point of sale. However, they do own the ‘first boot’ – that critical moment when a consumer first uses their new device – and the subsequent customer journey through usage and discovery.

Drilling into the first boot experience, HP’s research found that robust product knowledge and software are major contributors to satisfaction, but pre-installed software and wizards are too generic to meet consumer needs. The company also found that the more customers spend time and explore, the happier they are with the new device and more likely to recommend to others:

• 90% of customers want to do more with their PC
• 70-80% of user satisfaction is generated at first boot
• 44-47% dissatisfied with pre-installed software experience
• Software drives 50% of top 10 customer wants in next device

Armed with these findings, HP looked to reinvent its approach to the first boot experience and beyond. Instead of treating every customer in the same way, HP wanted to provide a personalized experience to inspire, engage and assist customers in getting the most possible from their new device.

HP set strong criteria: the personalization strategy would need to scale to millions of customers without losing relevance; it needed to seamlessly integrate with HP’s existing and future product marketing assets; and it should automatically optimize in real time as new data and content entered the system.

Beginning at first boot, HP Jumpstart takes users through a series of nine dynamic screens and up to 30 content tiles that connect them with the most relevant information based on what they want to achieve with their new device.

Using advanced AI, every screen and every flow is personalized in real time from thousands of potential messages and differs by customer, segment and geography – presenting the most relevant experience from millions of possibilities. When the customer returns to the app, additional screens and suggestions are available based on up-to-the-moment goals, preferences & behavior.

For example, a U.S. customer buying a premium laptop may be immediately enticed to “Watch Netflix anywhere with a 360-degree hinge” or “Charge your phone from your laptop even when it’s powered down” – essential features that HP had no way to communicate in the past. Alternatively, for a hardcore gamer with a new desktop, HP Jumpstart can take on a totally different complexion with the personality, look and feel of what the HP gaming brand is all about.

Behind the scenes, Engage leverages nearly 300 contextual data attributes received by the Jumpstart app to power a dynamic, personalized content experience based on what is most germane to each customer segment. Advanced machine learning and AI maps individual customer behavior against advanced targeting and audience segmentation tools to display the right content within each screen – as well as determine the correct screens and flow.

Each HP Jumpstart experience is continuously – and automatically – optimized with advanced machine learning that eliminates manual A/B tests. All content is served directly from HP’s Content Management System, allowing HP to use every asset while relying on Engage to scientifically optimize customer response.

Behind the scenes, Engage leverages nearly 300 contextual data attributes received by the Jumpstart app to power a dynamic, personalized content experience based on what is most germane to each customer segment. Advanced machine learning and AI maps individual customer behavior against advanced targeting and audience segmentation tools to display the right content within each screen – as well as determine the correct screens and flow.

Each HP Jumpstart experience is continuously – and automatically – optimized with advanced machine learning that eliminates manual A/B tests. All content is served directly from HP’s Content Management System, allowing HP to use every asset while relying on Engage to scientifically optimize customer response.

Within six months of launching the Jumpstart companion app, HP has rapidly expanded Jumpstart to millions customers worldwide, and expects this to be the company’s largest direct customer channel by the end of the year. The new companion app has yielded greater than 30% increase in engagement as compared to the generic template HP used in the past And HP continues to record measurable boots in customer volume and quality of engagement, including significant increases in minutes of use each month and average monthly CTR.

HP continues to take advantage of new opportunities to use Engage to accumulate customer insights while delivering a personalized relationship the across the customer lifecycle. Ultimately HP plans to use personalized content to improve all aspects of its business: from awareness of devices, accessories and services through contextual help and predictive support for established users.