A Sales Assistant for Chemical Measurement Equipment (SEARCHEM)

SEARCHEM is a KBS sales assistant for equipment measuring chemicals that has been developed under clearly commercial conditions. The system is in use now and evaluated in a field-test in order to adequately focus future extensions. Complex knowledge including a fairly large taxonomy of chemicals is used to identify measurement problems of customers and to select appropriate equipment. SEARCHEM elaborates recommendations even for chemicals that are not contained in the list of chemicals presently known to be measurable by the equipment available. Task and problems of selling assistants in general are outlined before concentrating on concept and implementation of SEARCHEM in detail.