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Ego Pharamaceuticals
QV IQ: An AI Consultant for Smarter Skincare Choices
Ego Pharmaceuticals partnered with 4mation to bridge a critical gap in their customer experience by launching QV IQ, an AI-powered chatbot that provides personalised skincare guidance anytime, anywhere.
By extending Ego’s dermatological expertise beyond pharmacy counters into self-select retail environments, QV IQ empowered consumers to access trusted advice at the point of decision-making. Within its first month, the chatbot handled 684 chats, achieved a 97% accuracy rate, and established itself as a strategic asset across retail and complaint workflows. This innovation positioned Ego as a digitally mature, forward-thinking brand in a competitive market.
The client
Founded in 1953, Ego Pharmaceuticals is an Australian company specialising in science-backed skincare and dermatological products. With over 120 products available across Australia and international markets, including the UK, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UAE, Ego has grown into a globally recognised leader in therapeutic skincare.
Just a big thank you to the 4mation team, especially Karen Morales and Elbe, they’ve both been fantastic to work with. Their responsiveness, clear communication, and support have really stood out. Much appreciated!
Samantha Beecroft Strategic Marketing Projects Manager, Ego Pharmaceuticals
The challenge
Historically, Ego’s flagship QV products were sold exclusively in pharmacies, where trained staff could provide expert guidance. Two major industry shifts created a challenge:
- Expansion into non-pharmacy retail channels, such as Coles and Woolworths, where trained advice was unavailable.
- High turnover in pharmacies, reducing continuity of expert skincare support even in traditional environments.
For consumers managing skin integrity/skin health, the absence of trusted advice risked misinformation, poor product choices, and delayed care. Ego recognised a clear gap: how to deliver personalised, evidence-based skincare advice 24/7 at scale.
The opportunity
Consumers increasingly expect instant, reliable, and personalised support through digital tools. The rise of generative AI presented an opportunity to create a virtual skincare consultant that mirrored the reliability of an in-store consultant while being accessible in self-select environments.
Ego’s objective: launch QV IQ by July 2025 to help at least 100 consumers per week with credible, personalised skincare guidance.
The solution
4mation designed and deployed an advanced AI-powered chatbot architecture built on AWS Claude multi-agent technology. Each agent specialised in different workflows – general inquiries, skin support, influencer engagement, complaint handling, and retail operations – ensuring both scalability and accuracy.
Key elements included:
- An experience designed to translate 70+ years of dermatological knowledge into clear, accessible, consumer-friendly advice.
- AWS Claude agents for conversational intelligence.
- Retool dashboards to track complaints, chat volume, and inappropriate language.
The result
The QV IQ chatbot exceeded expectations from day one:
- 684 chats handled in its first month, far surpassing adoption targets.
- 97% accuracy rate, validated by audit.
- Created a new engagement channel where none previously existed.
- Streamlined retail and complaints workflows, saving internal teams time and effort.
- Strengthened Ego’s reputation as a digitally advanced and consumer-centric brand.
QV IQ is now being explored for global rollout, reflecting its success as both a customer experience tool and a strategic business asset.
Key takeaways
- We delivered a first-of-its-kind AI skincare consultant, available 24/7 in both pharmacy and non-pharmacy environments.
- Deployed a multi-agent architecture on AWS Claude, showcasing 4mation’s expertise in AI and scalable cloud infrastructure.
- Achieved measurable impact immediately, with strong adoption and clinical accuracy.
- Built a trusted, collaborative partnership with Ego, laying the foundation for future global expansion.
