As marketing becomes integrated with technology – let’s take a look at the evolution of the new star on the block – the Intelligent Chatbot that’s quietly creating a revolution. Especially useful for brands that have a high service component built into their brand offering – such as travel, BFSI, e-commerce, Chatbots began as simple machines that provided answers from a simple script.

Today, a Chatbot is a computer programme that conducts a human style conversation using natural language based on Artificial Intelligence techniques such as Natural Language Processing, audio analysis, image and video processing. Over time – the AI in the programme learns from its interactions and becomes more ‘intelligent ‘ over a period of time.

A key trigger for the rise of Intelligent Chatbots lies in the development of platforms where the conversation actually takes place – such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.  There is also the platform of a brand / company website. These platforms have provided Chatbot creators with new software architecture and supporting hardware. And so you have intelligent Chatbots that can answer questions, give you suggestions, offer help and even walk you through self-service consumer processes.

Chatbots have thus drastically reduced involvement of human customer service agents and the effort that was needed to handle repetitive inquiries – that would take up a lot of time and  resources.

Today’s Chatbots can find you and basis their knowledge of you, your likes and buying history – are intelligent enough to engage you with you as a potential customer. They can suggest stuff for you to buy, walk you through filing of an insurance claim, recommend a hairstyle for you to try basis your hair-type. They can use chat or voice to engage with you. They will teach, guide, suggest and solve – depending upon what they are programmed to do.

The possibilities for  Chatbots and their use in businesses today are varied and most interesting. Let’s take a look.

As Brand Service Providers

Chatbots are on the frontlines of service – dealing with a set of basic customer queries. In case of complex query – it can offer to bring in a human agent into the conversation.  As part of services offered on Facebook Messenger – a number of restaurant brands are chatting with customers and letting consumers place orders directly in the Messenger window. That’s how FB messenger becomes a channel powered by Chabots for order placement and revenue generation that augments regular customer service channels.

As Shopping Assistants on e-Commerce Websites

Chabots are a natural part of an e-commerce offering where customers naturally and intuitively interact with technology to fulfill their requirements. Chatbots today can be intelligent personal shoppers and help customers select styles, can answer queries, provide information about store policies, assist with returns and more.

A chatbot that intercepts and answers all incoming queries can be created as the underlying architecture and technology improves with greater usage. Beyond a certain level of complexity – queries can be directed to a human agent and thus business can reduce operating costs, improve performance scores and increase customer satisfaction levels.

Enabling Customer-centric Business Processes

In sectors such as Banking and Insurance – there are consumer service scenarios that require a number of compliance based processes to be completed. Take for example – the filing up of an insurance claim form. The Chatbot can walk the customer through the process without the need for a human agent to undertake a standard and repetitive task that would take up time and effort.  Or even the calculation of a premium in a pre-sales situation using a fixed set of parameters – can be most helpful and efficient for both brand and customer.

Supporting Digital Marketing

Chatbots are an integral part of digital marketing – since all channels are utilised to generate leads and sales. Chatbots can be deployed on multiple digital channels with little or no modifications – be it web, social channels or WhatsApp. Chatbots also lend themselves to the subtleties of a particular channel and can also go vernacular if needed.

The Benefits of Chatbots

From a User Experience Perspective –

• Chatbots are a hassle free way for consumers to interact with a brand. There is no need to go to a website or to download an app – since existing platforms such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are used. No fresh registration is needed.
• All content to be shared with a customer is available in one single interface – be it text / image / audio / video and there’s no need to open up multiple web pages.
• The consumer thus has an easy, stress free experience and is not affected by internet usage and bandwidth quality.

From a Brand Perspective –

• The Chatbot has the potential be more than just a consumer acquisition channel. It can be a complete consumer acquisition, retention and engagement tool – as long as it is intuitively designed keeping all possible customer scenarios in mind.
• A well designed Chatbot can deliver on critical KPI’s of Customer Experience / Customer Acquisition / Cost Optimisation.
• As consumers increasingly using voice and chat for search, communication, interactions – thus driving increased response rates.
• A Chatbot eliminates the need for a mobile app or website upgrades / additions – saving cost and effort while being a better and more consumer friendly option.
• Chabot performance metrics have shown a 30 % increase in conversions, 25 % – 10 % increase in customer acquisition and engagement, 20 % plus increase in employee productivity  and 30 % reduction in costs.

It’s a win-win for both brands and consumers. With Chabots that offer lesser cost, higher engagement better and more efficient performance and a superior and more satisfactory user  experience.

Technology truly rocks !