Most people have “chatted” with a chatbot when they have queries about a product or a service. Some are fine with this automated program that interacts with them as a human would. But, there are some who still prefer to talk to an actual human being.
Still, love them or hate them, chatbots are not going anywhere. Because of the dramatic advancements in machine learning and other related technologies like natural language processing, chatbots have become really popular. Compared to previous generations, today’s chatbots are smarter, more responsive, and more useful.
However, there are brands that are not using chatbots to their full potential, hindering the customer experience of using them. So what a brand can do to make full use of chatbots?
Understand The Data
Phillipe Mestriz, vice president of customers at Khoros said with some self-serving statistics, the data on chatbot acceptance is all over the place. He says, “99 percent of people love talking to bots.” Then there are larger research firms and analysts that found that people would actually prefer talking to a person.
Nevertheless, the number of customers who are willing to interact with a bot is increasing, especially for easy and basic questions like “Where’s my order?” or “At what time do you guys open?” Mestriz further commented that there is no need for customers to call customer support, being put on hold, and to identify themselves. All they have to do is to go online and get the answer almost instantly.
Self-Service
It is important to educate customers on where they can access the information that they need themselves. Because more often than not, most of them don’t know if the self-service option is available.
One of the ways a brand can do to promote customers to use self-service is by making use of existing channels. Inform customers that they can access the resources on the website, and include links in the outgoing support or confirmation emails.
Also, a brand can make a more aggressive switch and direct customers to self-service. However, they should always have the option to have one-on-one support via email or phone if the issues can’t be resolved without an agent.
Keep Chatbot Conversations Simple and Fast
The purpose of engaging with a bot is to quickly get customers the data they need or route them to the right person to help with minimal friction. In the bot experience, the more questions a customer is asked, the more likely they are to feel stress and friction.
Make The Switch Effortless
Too much automation poses a risk. Some businesses are enamored of technology and risk alienating their clients. A simple way out of the chatbot discussion must always be there. The bot can often understand uncertainty and pass the client to a live support agent seamlessly. Otherwise, for the customer to turn to live support, there must be a simple way.
It is undeniable that chatbots and AI technology are the future. Hence, every company needs to consider the digital experience they provide to their customers. As Mesritz puts it, “Think about your customers’ digital experience as the first solution, the first frontier, and the thing your company wants to solve for.” Though it is not the only answer to customer experience, it is a key factor. Putting a chatbot into action the right way can help businesses serve their customers better.
