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A chatbot is a form of artificial intelligence (AI) that can simulate a real conversation. A site visitor is able to chat with the bot, and receive answers to questions. Chatbots leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) with question & answer programming to interact with people in an authentic way, remembering the conversation and following a predesigned conversation flow.
It’s simple. A site visitor clicks on the chat window on your website and types out a query. Behind each query lies intent, they may want to know some information, make a purchase, or use a service.
The bot is programmed to follow a process to give the correct answer. The goal is to capture the semantics and core meaning of the words sent to it and to use that information to give the correct answer.
Simple chatbots use rule-based processes to match keywords to information and respond appropriately. More complex approaches use machine learning to recognise user intent and continuously get smarter.
Chatbots essentially work one of two ways:
Depending on your needs, both options could be a good idea. For simple FAQs, a rule-based chatbot could work exceptionally well, but for more complex conversations, using AI can have great results.
Read more about exactly how chatbots work.
Chatbots can use machine learning and deep learning to improve their intelligence, and the two main ways are Natural Language Understanding, and the more complex Natural Language Processing. Machine learning allows the bot to be retrained through feedback loops, provide A, B and C options that the customer can choose from, improving accuracy.
The bot is programmed using entity, intent and context.
Natural language processing takes things to a new level and enables the chatbot to continuously get smarter.
We’ve written an article all about NLP and Machine Learning, check it out here.
Much like human chat, chatbots are versatile and can be used for a wide range of solutions, from growing your business and getting new business through to customer support and issue resolution.
Customer support
One of the most common reasons for using chat is to handle customer support queries. Chatbots can be easily programmed to respond to common questions and provide an appropriate response.
Chatbots are efficient, being able to handle queries efficiently 24/7, meaning out of hours support is available while your team sleeps. They’re able to handle an infinite number of chats concurrently, reducing your cost to serve by requiring less employees.
Lead generation
Similarly to human chat, chatbots can be great tools when used for lead generation. Chatbots work well when it comes to taking sign-ups for further information and free trials, booking appointments or meetings and taking details for viewings.
Bots are able to gather more information and pre-qualify leads through chat, meaning a greater number of higher quality leads are coming through to your team. Appearing to visitors when they need it most, chat can break down barriers and increase conversion from existing traffic.
Sales enablement
Chatbots can be programmed to make data-based suggestions and recommendations and display these in chat, making them a great solution for driving more sales through your website.
Chatbots can appear to customers when they need it, reducing basket abandonment and guiding them through the buyer’s journey, being able to turn unsure visitors into paying customers and handle last-minute queries.
Routine tasks
The ability to add many integrations into a chat window means that chatbots are a great option for handling routine tasks that would take up your human team’s precious time.
Chat is efficient, and routine tasks can be handled via a smooth solution, taking care of customer needs quickly. Anything from changing an appointment or meeting time, updating information, checking on order status, or any other common queries you get through your website can be handled through a chatbot.
Find out more about the uses of chatbots.
We’ve all experienced or known someone who has experienced a negative conversation with a bot, whether that’s an automated phone line or a chatbot. Why do so many customers have a negative experience and what can be done about it?
An independent survey among 3,000 UK and US customers revealed the main factors that made chatbots unappealing. Repeating information was one of the key reasons, but so was ‘getting stuck and not knowing what to do next’, which teaches us that the answer to an effective chatbot lies in the programming.
From the simplest rule-based chatbot right through to complex AI, if you don’t take the time to research your customers and continuously optimise, it can lead to frustration. By digging into your data, you can find out which questions are frequently asked and what kind of phrasing your customers use, and program the bot appropriately to deal with these issues.
Finding out where customers are getting frustrated and where the bot is tripping up is essential to iron out any issues and prevent customers from having a negative experience. Learn more.
Understanding your goals
Creating an effective strategy requires understanding your goals. Do you want a chatbot that can handle customer support queries to take the train off your human team? Or do you need something to enhance the user experience and increase sales or leads?
Understand your audience
From there, you can begin to paint a picture of your audience. Who are they, what do they need and what kind of questions do they frequently ask? Digging through old chat transcripts, emails or phone calls allows you to gain a full understanding of how they phrase questions and what they need assistance with, enabling you to create a conversation flow which benefits them and suits your goals.
Choosing the right software
There are many types of chat software out there, and what you need depends on your goals. Consider the level of complexity you need. Do you have skilled technical employees who can custom create what you need, or do you need a simpler application. Consider whether you need integrations, such as in-chat sign up forms and calendar links.
Programming and optimisation
Using the information you have sourced on your audience and goals, you can program your chatbot to respond to questions appropriately. The work doesn’t stop once you are set up though, ongoing optimisation is needed to keep things working well. Continuously add answers and assign different phrases to them, as well as checking where customers get frustrated so you can make changes.
View the 7 step guide to building a killer chatbot for your website.
The capability of chatbots are constantly expanding and there are so many benefits.
Read more about the benefits of chatbots.
Entrusting the face of your business to artificial intelligence can be a scary thought, which is why a successful strategy requires expertise when it comes to planning and programming. If you put the time into making your bot the best it can be, you will certainly reap the rewards.
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