Conversational Design
Conversational Design Srl is an Italian marketing and software agency that builds proprietary AI platforms (Zeus and Ercole) for Italian SMEs, delivering managed conversational AI customer care, document comprehension, and all-in-one marketing automation via direct sales and a partner referral network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCesano Maderno, Italy
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Conversational Design does
Conversational Design Srl is an Italian privately held marketing and software agency founded in 2019 (or 2020 per public firmographic data) and headquartered in Cesano Maderno with operations in Varedo, Lombardy. The company builds and operates two proprietary AI-driven platforms, Zeus and Ercole, targeted at Italian small and medium enterprises (PMI). Zeus is a managed AI assistant that ingests client documentation (technical datasheets, e-commerce catalogs, manuals, FAQs) and delivers context-aware responses on web and WhatsApp 24/7, combining proprietary document comprehension with hybrid search. Ercole is an all-in-one marketing technology platform consolidating more than ten separate software tools (CRM, automation, lead management, WhatsApp marketing) into a single subscription bundled with a dedicated Italian-language technical team. The company is also a marketing agency, offering a Conversational Marketing Agency service at the cost of a part-time resource, plus a Custom Solutions line for bespoke agentic systems, dashboards, and integrations.
The business model is primarily subscription-based managed services, with per-customer setup fees starting at €1,500 and recurring annual renewals; customer pricing is otherwise quote-based and undisclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led, anchored on a free 30-minute Discovery Call followed by a fully managed setup in which a dedicated technician handles all integrations, requiring zero technical work from the client. The company supplements direct sales with a two-tier Zeus Partner Program that pays up to 30% commissions to digital agencies, system integrators, freelancers, and software houses referring Italian SME clients, with no certification or technical delivery obligation on partners. Conversational Design is bootstrapped (no disclosed funding rounds), employs 7-9 people, and operates exclusively in Italy, with documented customer logos including ChefLine, Vimar, Johnson-Fluiten, Taopatch, Biolaser, Elettrico, and Finiture d'interni, and a Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5 across 28 verified reviews.
Conversational Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Conversational Design
- Legal name
- Conversational Design Srl
- Website
- https://conversationaldesign.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Conversational Design Srl is an Italian marketing and software agency that builds proprietary AI platforms (Zeus and Ercole) for Italian SMEs, delivering managed conversational AI customer care, document comprehension, and all-in-one marketing automation via direct sales and a partner referral network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Conversational Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conversational AI Marketing Automation
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Software Publishers (5132), Advertising Agencies (541810)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conversational AI Platforms (chat/voice bots, orchestration) (HDAAAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conversational NLP & Dialogue Management (chatbots, agents) (HDAAADAF), Contact Center Speech AI (agent assist, IVR automation) (HDAAAFAL), Social Customer Service & Conversational Sales Platforms (CRAFANAL)
Keywords
Where Conversational Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cesano Maderno
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Conversational Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Managed AI Agent Service (Zeus): Full-service AI customer care and document-understanding assistant delivered as a managed service. Includes knowledge base construction, WhatsApp/web deployment, and continuous optimization by the Conversational Design technical team.
- All-in-One Marketing Platform (Ercole): Unified marketing technology platform with integrated automation, CRM, and WhatsApp capabilities, priced as a single platform subscription below the cost of comparable individual software licenses, bundled with dedicated technical support.
- Conversational Marketing Agency Services: Team-based growth marketing and conversational customer care services, offered at the cost of a part-time resource, generating, qualifying, and engaging leads in real time with 24/7 AI-assisted customer care.
- Custom AI & Software Development: Fully personalized chatbot, AI, and software solutions for clients with requirements beyond off-the-shelf products. Includes custom agentic systems, dashboards, system integrations, and bespoke process automation.
- Partner Referral Commissions: Partners earn commissions on the setup fees (one-time) and annual renewal fees of Zeus clients they refer. Setup fee starts at €1,500 per client; partner commission is up to 30% on both setup and renewal fees, settled quarterly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Zeus Partner Setup Fee — starting at €1,500 one-time |
| Subscription | Annual | Partner Commission — up to 30% on setup and annual renewal |
| Subscription | Annual | Managed AI Agent (Zeus) — full-service subscription, price not publicly disclosed |
| Subscription | Annual | Marketing Platform (Ercole) — all-in-one subscription, price not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Conversational Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Conversational Design sells proprietary AI-driven conversational marketing and customer-care software to Italian small and medium enterprises. Its flagship product, Zeus, ingests company documents (technical sheets, catalogs, manuals, FAQs) and answers customer questions on web and WhatsApp 24/7, while Ercole consolidates more than ten marketing tools into a single subscription platform. The company complements these products with a managed Conversational Marketing Agency service, custom AI/software development, and a Zeus Partner Program that pays commissions to referring agencies and integrators.
Product overview
Conversational Design is a marketing and software agency offering a portfolio of proprietary AI-powered products centered around conversational marketing and automation. The core offering consists of Zeus (AI assistant with document comprehension for web/WhatsApp), Ercole (all-in-one marketing platform replacing 10+ tools), the Conversational Marketing Agency service, and Custom Solutions for bespoke implementations. The Zeus Partner Program enables agencies and consultants to resell Zeus to Italian SMEs with recurring commissions. Products share integrated WhatsApp automation, lead generation, and 24/7 AI customer care capabilities, unified by proprietary document understanding and hybrid search technology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Zeus: AI assistant that understands company documents (technical sheets, e-commerce catalogs, manuals, FAQs) and responds like the best expert. Available on web and WhatsApp, 24/7. Entirely managed service with proprietary technology.
- Ercole
Products and services
- Zeus Zeus is a proprietary AI assistant that reads and understands a company's documents (technical sheets, e-commerce catalogs, manuals, FAQs) and responds as the company's best expert on web and WhatsApp, 24/7. It is delivered as a fully managed service by the Conversational Design technical team, with no technical effort required from the customer.
- Ercole Ercole is an all-in-one marketing automation platform that consolidates more than ten separate marketing software tools into a single subscription. It includes lead generation and qualification, WhatsApp automation, CRM and e-commerce integrations, and a dedicated Conversational Design technical team, at a cost below a single comparable software license.
- Conversational Marketing Agency The Conversational Marketing Agency service delivers a dedicated growth team at part-time resource cost, generating, qualifying and engaging leads in real time, combined with AI-assisted 24/7 customer care, for Italian SMEs that prefer an outsourced marketing function.
- Custom AI and Software Development Custom AI and software development service covering fully personalized chatbots, AI agents, dashboards, system connectors, and bespoke process automation for clients whose requirements exceed off-the-shelf products. Deliverables are designed as scalable, secure, high-performance solutions.
- Zeus Partner Program The Zeus Partner Program enables digital agencies, system integrators, software houses, consultants and freelancers to refer or resell Zeus to Italian SMEs without handling any technical delivery, certification, or support. Two tiers are offered: Referrers (Segnalatori) earn a one-time commission on setup fees, while Commercial Partners earn recurring quarterly commissions on annual renewals.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of AI conversations resolved without human operator intervention over 6 months for ChefLine (6,252 product catalog)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Conversational Design
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Conversational Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Conversational Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Zeus Partner Program — Digital AgenciescoreThe Zeus Partner Program recruits digital agencies (web, SEO, advertising) as channel partners to refer Italian SME clients to Zeus. Partners earn up to 30% commission on setup fees and annual renewals with no technical delivery, certification, or support responsibilities. Agencies need to manage at least 5+ SME clients ideally. The program includes a sales kit (pitch deck, one-pager, email templates, client qualification brief) and co-managed or fully delegated demo capabilities.
- Zeus Partner Program — System Integrators & IT ConsultantscoreSystem integrators and IT consultants managing ERP, CRM, or management systems for Italian SMEs can add Zeus as a conversational AI module without building anything themselves. Partners earn recurring commissions and face zero technical delivery burden — the Zeus team handles all integration, maintenance, and support.
- Zeus Partner Program — Software Houses / SIcoreSoftware houses developing or reselling ERP, CRM, or management systems to Italian SME clients can integrate Zeus as an AI conversational module within their existing product stack. No development or maintenance required from the software house; the Zeus team handles all implementation and ongoing support.
- Zeus Partner Program — Freelance ConsultantsminorIndependent consultants and freelancers with existing networks among Italian SMEs can join the Zeus Partner Program as either Referrers (one-time commission) or Commercial Partners (recurring commissions). No team, certification, or technical background required — the partner's role is purely commercial.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Conversational Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tidio: Conversational AI and chatbot platform aimed at SMBs, offering AI agents, live chat, and WhatsApp automation. Directly comparable to Conversational Design's Zeus product on customer size, AI-driven customer care, and WhatsApp-first delivery.
- WATI: WhatsApp Business API platform targeted at SMBs and growth-stage companies with shared inbox, broadcasts, and chatbot flows. Overlaps directly with Conversational Design's WhatsApp automation stack.
- ManyChat: Leading chatbot platform for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger with strong SMB adoption and marketing automation features. Closely mirrors Conversational Design's WhatsApp automation and lead-qualification use cases.
- Landbot: No-code conversational AI platform for sales, marketing, and support across web and messaging channels. Directly comparable as a chatbot/conversational platform sold to mid-market and SMB customers.
- Crisp: All-in-one customer messaging platform with chatbot builder, shared inbox, and AI features aimed at SMBs. Comparable to Ercole's consolidated-tools value proposition and Conversational Design's multi-channel support model.
- Trengo: Customer service platform combining chat, email, and WhatsApp with automation for SMBs and mid-market. Comparable as a multi-channel AI-assisted customer care platform with similar SMB focus.
Emerging players
- Chatfuel: Chatbot platform focused on Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp for SMB marketing and support. Comparable as a focused chatbot-builder peer targeting similar conversational sales and customer service use cases.
- Botpress: Developer-oriented conversational AI platform with strong LLM and RAG capabilities for building custom chatbots. An adjacent emerging player in the same NLP/dialogue management category as Zeus.
Broad incumbents
- Sinch (MessageBird): Large cloud communications and messaging API provider offering WhatsApp Business, omnichannel, and conversational AI capabilities. Comparable as a broad messaging/AI incumbent with overlapping WhatsApp automation.
- Yellow.ai: Enterprise-grade conversational AI platform for customer service and employee automation across voice and chat. Broader incumbent in the same category as Conversational Design's Zeus but at enterprise scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Conversational Design social profiles
Digital presenceConversational Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Conversational Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Conversational Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Conversational Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Conversational Design
What does Conversational Design do?
Conversational Design sells proprietary AI-driven conversational marketing and customer-care software to Italian small and medium enterprises. Its flagship product, Zeus, ingests company documents (technical sheets, catalogs, manuals, FAQs) and answers customer questions on web and WhatsApp 24/7, while Ercole consolidates more than ten marketing tools into a single subscription platform. The company complements these products with a managed Conversational Marketing Agency service, custom AI/software development, and a Zeus Partner Program that pays commissions to referring agencies and integrators.
Is Conversational Design a public or private company?
Conversational Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Conversational Design founded?
Conversational Design was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Conversational Design based?
Conversational Design is headquartered in Cesano Maderno, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Conversational Design make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Managed AI Agent Service (Zeus) is the primary driver. The others are all-in-One Marketing Platform (Ercole), conversational Marketing Agency Services, custom AI & Software Development and partner Referral Commissions.
Who are Conversational Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tidio, WATI, ManyChat, Landbot, Crisp and Trengo. Emerging players are Chatfuel and Botpress. Broad incumbents are Sinch (MessageBird) and Yellow.ai.
Does Conversational Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Conversational Design.
What industry is Conversational Design in?
Conversational Design's product category is Conversational AI Marketing Automation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAFAC, Conversational AI Platforms (chat/voice bots, orchestration), with a secondary code of HDAAADAF, Conversational NLP & Dialogue Management (chatbots, agents). Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7371.