You probably know or have already seen a chatbot online by now. People most likely use them to get a quick answer, resolve a complaint, get a human on the line, make a reservation or pay a bill. But what if these few simple lines of code can be used to make your life even simpler?
Bot induced shopping is not the future, it’s already here. It is a piece of software that works based on a set of rules written by a human to give you a reply. Some use artificial intelligence-based on commonly used phrases in Q & A format. You probably have used them in messenger apps or in dialogue boxes on websites. Trying to guess the next word in a text message or auto-complete can also be considered some sort of a bot. The whole point here is to understand what your user is looking for and guide him in the right direction in a conversational format. Either he wants more information on a subject (an article, a newsletter) or to just place an order its purpose is to make useful suggestions based on your clients intent. It’s not just another marketing tool in your arsenal, it offers itself as an on-screen answer on what to do next.
No bot, of course, can be a panacea to all your needs but more like aid to a simple task. The interaction should be as “human” as possible. Once you have accumulated enough data on what people are most likely looking for, streamlining the process will become much easier as the user intent will be identified quickly. If your client is looking for a lengthy explanation to an issue another form of communication should be suggested. Always start by asking the main question and then follow up with more queries along with possible alternative answers to minimize any confusion and identify the solution. Drawing a flow chart will help you in designing the chatbot but that’s just steps one. Step two is refining and customizing as much as possible to improve your customer experience and make your brand more “conversational”. Also, keep in mind that sometimes necessary human oversight of this feature might fall back on your customer support department.
Bots are nothing new but despite all the setbacks, they will be part of the future in some format. Either that’s providing information in augmented reality secured by blockchain or used in wearable technology like voice search they seem to be able to adapt to new technologies beyond just being a robotic receptionist desk. It just requires you to make a choice and get involved.
