With the surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases, there have been reports of deteriorating mental health among people. Companies, especially startups are striving hard to match up to the situation, and banking on technology heavily to find a palpable solution.
Startup BetterLYF.com is one among them that is using AI in the mental health space, to do away with mental health issues and panic attacks. To give us a clear understanding of the functioning, Vikram Beri, Founder and Spokesperson, BetterLYF.com, shares some interesting data…
Has the pandemic radiated an increased need of taking care of the mental well being? Has your platform seen an upsurge?
As people are becoming more aware of mental health issues, especially with the consequences of the current pandemic the recognition of its need will and in fact have created an upsurge already. As people have moved from office to home, the professionals in this space have also started to deliver the services online. All over the world, there has been at least a 30% upsurge in demand for online therapy, whereas our platform experienced a 60-70% upsurge in the last one month.
How has AI been of service to you in your mental health expedition?
We are currently building an AI interface to scale up our business that will help a user reach out to the counselor and make a more informed decision before starting their therapy.
Do you think technology tags along with some loopholes?
Technology cannot replace professionals. In our space where human connection and empathy is a large piece of intervention, a bot definitely cannot deliver the same.
What are your immediate and longterm milestones like?
Our immediate milestones: To build a tech-enabled support system to enhance the client experience and launch a mobile application. Long term milestones: To create a strong network of counselors all over the world, face to face intervention centers in most of the cities in India, become leading EAP providers, and one of the trusted platforms to deliver excellent quality therapy services.
Lastly, any word of advice for the wannapreneurs?
Put the client first and create value for them. I don’t believe in chasing user growth by offering free services that aren’t sustainable. In my opinion, a delightful consumer experience creates a win-win for both clients and a venture. I also believe in being conservative and don’t support burning cash in marketing just because you have access to it.