ABOUT RIV

What is RIV?

RIV is an app that gives business professionals instant hands-free access to any app on their smartphones. Callers summon a RIV Assistant to help them be more productive and stay connected when they’re on-the-go. Most often a RIV caller is driving when they need support, yet they can use RIV at any time.

Why People Need RIV:

  1. RIV is a B2B service for business professionals. Business professionals need to get things done at all times of the day. Without RIV, there is no such thing as hands-free productivity. With RIV, callers can review email, instant messages, calendar items, and other professional tasks.
  2. 70% of drivers use a smartphone while on the road, creating unsafe conditions for themselves and others. RIV makes driving safer while adding the benefit of added productivity.
  3. Whether driving, biking or walking through a crowd, RIV provides a safe and secure way for people to use their smartphones when they need their eyes to be focused on the world around them. RIV Assistants can also come in handy when people are cooking, exercising, running errands and more.
  4. Regardless of the activity, a RIV Assistant is a caller’s extra eyes, hands, and mind—there to help keep information and productivity flowing.

How RIV Works: 

  1. When a RIV Caller summons a RIV Assistant, the app connects the Caller with the most qualified Assistant that is available. The selection is based on a number of attributes of ONLINE assistants including:
    1. Star rating
    2. Device type
    3. Assistant expertise in apps that are typically used by the caller
    4. Signal strength
    5. Location
  2. Once connected, the assistant has the ability to:
    1. Immediately write notes within RIV
    2. Remote control apps in the caller phone
    3. Show the assistant screen to the Caller
  3. Whether reading and responding to emails and texts, scheduling appointments, checking the stock market, finding the nearest charging station or researching the best restaurants nearby, RIV Assistants are there to make the caller’s day easier and more productive.

RIV App Walkthrough

Home Screens:

  1. There are four main screens: Home, Earnings, Rating, and Account. You can click on the footer or swipe left and right to navigate to these different main screens.
  2. The Home screen provides an overview of earnings, statistics, ratings, and feedback. Each one can be clicked on for more information. You can also click on the range dropdown to view your statistics over different time periods.
  3. Swipe or click to get to the Earnings screen; here you can see details on earnings-to-date this week, call history, accrued balance, and more ways to earn.
    1. In the Promotions area, you may see apps where supply and demand are out of balance. The promotion may encourage you to download a certain app and spend time in that app to get more calls.
    2. You are always encouraged and rewarded to invite others to be assistants or callers using the RIV service.
  4. On the Rating screen, you will get details on your rating as well as the acceptance rate and missed call rate. You can also view compliments, feedback, and apps where you have the most experience. The pro tips section keeps you current on how to be a top RIV assistant.
  5. On the Account screen, you can see all your personal information including your picture, name, phone.

Online vs Offline:

  1. This switch in the top right corner of the Main screens turns on and off your ability to receive calls. (ONLINE vs OFFLINE)
  2. You may only receive calls when you are ONLINE. If you try to switch your account to ONLINE and you have yet to complete all the requirements for a valid account, you will be prompted to fill in any missing information. 
  3. You can view a list of what is needed to go ONLINE by visiting your Account screen and clicking “Security”.

Security:

  1. This section ensures you are a trusted partner with RIV. Be sure you have all “Green Check Marks” so that you can go ONLINE and field RIV Callers.

Getting Paid:

  1. RIV disperses your funds weekly on Mondays. You’ll need a bank account to receive funds. Be sure to update and verify your bank account information.

In-Call Controls

Answer a Call

When a call comes in, its because you are the top-rated available assistant at that moment. You are given 10 seconds to answer the call before it is transferred to the next available assistant. You can choose to deny the call by pressing “NO THANKS”, or if you wish to accept the call to start getting paid simply press anywhere in the large blue region.

RIV Button

  • Main button
    1. This is a draggable and clickable hover toggle button for showing and hiding the sub-control buttons as needed.
    2. The sub-control buttons hide automatically when you switch to a different mode. This allows you the maximum screen space to get your work done.
  • SUB-Control Buttons
    1. Screen Control
      1. Clicking this icon instantly shows the caller’s mobile phone home screen and allows you to control their screen. ONLY PRESS THIS AFTER RECEIVING PERMISSION TO DO SO, or if the caller specifies what app to open on their device: (EG: Please open my Gmail, Slack, etc)
    2. My Notes
      1. A RIV Call always starts in the “My Notes” mode. This mode allows the Assistant to start typing any notes immediately that the Caller needs to jot down. 
      2. ALSO, the Caller may share any previous notes to the Assistant (eg: directions of which apps to go to to do which tasks). This can be great for repeat tasks on the Caller side that they don’t need to repeat for each new Assistant.
    3. Screen Share
      1. This icon instantly shows the Assistant screen to the Caller in use cases where this makes sense. This is often used when research and browsing are required.
    4. SIGNATURE
      1. THIS IS A BUTTON TO PRESS AT THE END OF EACH TASK TO SHOW THE CALLER IS SAFELY USING RIV. THIS BUTTON QUICKLY PRINTS THE TEXT: “sent with riv.co” in the location of the cursor.
    5. SPEECH TO TEXT (STT)
      1. Press this button when the caller wants to dictate long text and it’s more efficient to use this AI above typing. Be sure to read back and edit any mistakes which may occur in the Speech to Text.
    6. TEXT TO SPEECH (TTS)
      1. Press this button when the caller wants to have any text on the screen read out loud. This is best used when a large amount of text is requested to be read. This technology may be set to read faster than normal speed by the caller.

Transfer Call:

  1. Drag the RIV button over the TRANSFER CALL icon at the TOP center of the screen
  2. Release the RIV button on top of the TRANSFER CALL icon to end the call on the assistant side and transfer the call to the next top RIV assistant on the Caller side.
  3. Why transfer the call?
    1. If you are asked by the caller to transfer the call, then transfer.
    2. If you don’t feel confident or feel stuck with the app you are being asked to use. It is best to be upfront with the caller so you can still get a good rating up until that point.

End Call:

  1. Drag the RIV button over the END CALL icon at the bottom center of the screen.
  2. Release the RIV button on top of the END CALL icon to end a call.

Be Prepared

System Setup:

  1. You can be a great expert with just an updated Android phone, yet we find you might have an advantage with a few key items we recommend.
    1. Get a Phone stand
    2. Get a Bluetooth Keyboard
    3. Get a Headset
  2. Download popular apps and get familiar with them. The more apps you have that people use…the more calls you will receive.
    1. Download top used Apps

How to Take a Call

RIV Basics:

  1. A great RIV assistant knows what professionals need, how they communicate, and how to expertly use a mobile phone to get things done.
  2. This person is:
    1. A great listener
    2. A clear communicator
    3. A problem solver
    4. A multitasker
    5. Polite
    6. Efficient
    7. Genuinely interested in helping others
    8. And takes feedback in a constructive manner (yes, assistants serve callers…and callers are required to give feedback for every call. Great RIV assistants use this feedback to improve.)

Phone Etiquette:

Remember to Follow good phone etiquette. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Greet the caller by NAME. “Hi John, how can I help you?”
  2. Don’t eat while on a call
  3. Take calls in a quiet place
  4. Smile when you talk to a customer over the phone. Your voice really does sound different when you smile and a customer can hear that. A pleasant hello starts off more empathetic than a reluctant one. 
  5. Maintain Conversation Flow
    1. Once one task is done…suggest a review of their calendar or notes they wish to jot down.
    2. If you notice many notifications on the phone…ask to read those to the caller and clear their slate.
    3. Adhere to the needs of the Caller. If they are in a rush to get off the phone…Help them accomplish that.
  6. End on a high note. You are creating your own business within RIV. Be sure to create an inviting place for people to come back to. You can add a positive note by saying something like:
    1. “It was great working with you”
    2. “Have a nice day”
    3. “Congrats on cleaning your slate”
    4. “Reach out anytime, RIV is always available”

How to Listen:

  1. Keep your mic in a consistent place so that your volume does not go up and down on the caller side.
  2. Stay relaxed – You get paid based on your time spent. You are helping the caller to do something they need to be done right away with quality. Be someone reliable that they can count on to execute methodically.
  3. Listen completely – Let the person finish before taking action.
  4. Wait for a pause – to ask questions
  5. Do ask questions – Asking questions ensures you understood everything and have listened actively.
  6. Run it back – Be sure to read back content, orders or messages before submitting…and always get a confirmation.

When Confronted with a Challenge:

  1. There will be a time when you are asked to do something reasonable that you are unfamiliar with or feel you are not able to perform at a high level of satisfaction. Be honest in how you may not have done this before.
  2. Ask the caller if they wish to transfer to another assistant or to let you take a first shot at getting the work done.

RIV Example Calls

Intro:

  1. A RIV Assistant can do anything the phone, internet, and Apps can do. This being the case, there are some ways a RIV Assistant can use this technology most efficiently.
  2. Typically, assistants do research-related tasks on their phone while showing the caller what’s going on.
  3. Action related tasks are best carried out by controlling the caller’s phone. 
  4. RIV Note-taking can happen in the RIV Notes section while the Caller is on another call and needs passive notes taken, or while the Caller is dictating notes directly.
  5. Here are some examples of tasks we’ll walkthrough:
    1. Research
    2. Reading and writing emails, SMS, and instant messages
    3. Placing Calls
    4. Modifying Calendar Entries
    5. Using 3rd Party Apps

Research:

  1. Caller ASKs: I’m on the way to a meeting with John Smith from Microtech Solutions. Please walk me through his bio on Linkedin.
    1. Assistant: Sure, let me confirm I have found the right person…I’ll start from the top unless you have specifics you want to learn about him.

Reading and writing – email, SMS and Notes:

  1. Caller ASKs: Please go into my Gmail and read me the subject lines of my unread emails.
    1. Assistant: Shall I start will the most recent unread or oldest? 
    2. Caller: Newest First Please… and let’s respond to any email where I am directly asked a question. 
    3. Assistant: Ok…here we go…
  2. Caller ASKs: Please add to RIV Notes the following foods I’ll be making for dinner this coming Friday: Fesenjan, Flan, Curry
    1. Assistant: OK, I’ll add a bulleted list you can find each easily. Shall I look at some typical recipes for each of your listed dishes?
    2. Caller: Please do, I’ll need a shopping list
    3. Assistant: OK, I’m working on it…I’ll add links to the best recipes I find as well. Are there any dietary restrictions?…

Calls and Calendars:

  1. Caller ASKs: Please Call Sam Jenkins to confirm that a 2 pm meeting works. I think his phone number is in the signature of one of my Gmail emails.
    1. Assistant: OK, found it, Calling Sam using your phone
    2. Caller: Great, feel please stay on the line to take RIV Notes, and so we can pick up doing work after.
    3. Assistant: OK
    4. Caller: Sam was available, please book a meeting with Sam, Nicole, and John for 2 pm today in room 102
    5. Assistant: Ok, I confirmed that all parties are open at that time…as well as the resource. The invite was sent out.

3rd Party Apps:

  1. Caller ASKs: Please order some Thai food from Yelp to be delivered to my home address.
    1. Assistant: Ok, let me look at some reviews near you and find a few menus. Any specific dish you want?
    2. Caller: Tofu Fried Rice and a fresh coconut
    3. Assistant: Ok, I found three Thai food restaurants, The best is called Thai Cuisine. Shall we go with that one? The total would be $14.53
    4. Caller: yes, please proceed
    5. Assistant: Ok, the order has been placed. It should arrive in 30 minutes.
  2. Caller ASKs: I need a Task Rabbit sent to my house tomorrow morning at 9 am to help assemble some IKEA furniture. Could you get that setup?
    1. Assistant: Ok, I’m opening your task rabbit. I see Jeremy is highly rated, He is available at 9am to do that work. He’ll charge $15 per hour. Shall I book him?
    2. Caller: Yes. Thanks!

RIV Safety:

RIV Safety:

  1. RIV only works when a call is active. So only complete tasks while you are on an active call. If you are asked to do work while a call is disconnected you will have to politely request that they stay on the call while the work is done.
  2. RIV is limited to what a phone, the internet, and apps can do. Think of RIV as the modern-day smartphone assistant. If you are asked to do something that is not possible with the phone, internet, and apps, you will have to explain the limitations and work with the caller to determine a good solution.
  3. RIV is for professionals and for getting things done. RIV is not a place for asking an assistant to do anything they feel uncomfortable doing.
  4. RIV is not a dating service.
  5. If there is ever a bad experience with a caller, an assistant is encouraged to end the call, rate the call with one star or below and add a note; we will immediately investigate. Note, that if you rate a caller with 0-1 star, you will never be connected to that caller in the future.
  6. Also REMEMBER, RIV RECORDS CONVERSATIONS FOR EVERYONE’S PROTECTION.
  7. IF YOU FEEL THAT THE CALLER IS IN DANGER OF BEING HURT OR HURTING THEMSELVES PLEASE DIAL 911 FROM EITHER YOUR PHONE OR THE CALLER PHONE