When people hear “chatbot,” they often imagine having a conversation with a robot online. While that was the case for some, chatbots have come a long way since the early days of instant messenger. Chatbots are an interface that can respond to users’ queries either by text or by voice. Believe it or not, over 1.4 billion people interact with a chatbot while online, primarily through companies’ websites or messenger apps. This has been a godsend for many businesses, as these tools yield advantages for both businesses and consumers alike.
What are the Different Types of Chatbots?
There are two types of chatbots that users should know about: scripted bots and intelligent bots. Scripted bots use preset questions and responses to interact with users. These are the bots whose answers appear immediately after submitting an inquiry on a website form, like an automated FAQ page.
Meanwhile, intelligent bots use artificial intelligence to give flexible responses. These bots learn from past experience to provide better answers to future questions. In essence, intelligent bots feel like you’re talking to a real person rather than a computer.
Both types of chatbots have two variations: personal bots and team bots. Personal bots offer one-on-one communication between a single user and a chatbot—almost like a personal assistant. On the opposite side of the coin, team bots allow multiple users to communicate at once or utilize information from countless users all at one time. Some brands will use bots specifically made for them, such as Airbnb’s bots that can help you book a trip.
Using Chatbots to Grow & Amplify Your Business
Since chatbots can interact with consumers, they unlock new opportunities to propel your company forward. In fact, integrating chatbots into your customer service department is one of the best money-saving ways to use this technology. With this function, they can answer questions normally provided by a human account rep. This means businesses will have one less person to hire, and you can then distribute the saved funds to other projects.
If a consumer still needs to talk to a human representative, chatbots can help a service rep gather the necessary information they need before even speaking with a customer. Chatbots can ask for information such as the person’s name, address, and order number so a service rep can dedicate more time to other areas. Many companies are already using this functionality to increase efficiency.
Chatbots can also help boost your sales. Yes, you read that right. Chatbots can grow your eCommerce sales. If a visitor orders a shirt through your website, your chatbot can recommend pants or shoes that would go with it. Upon seeing the suggestions, the customer can choose to add some of those items to the shopping cart. In other words, you just had a chatbot up-sold a customer and increased their order value. Many companies even integrated chatbots into Facebook Messenger to take advantage of this functionality.
Should You Use Chatbots?
Chatbots provide great benefits and help your business expand exponentially. If you are considering using a chatbot for your business but don’t know where to start, contact Premiere Creative by dialing (973) 346-8100. Our digital media professionals can help set you up with all the tools you need to successfully harness chatbots for your business.