It’s no secret that chatbots have been an incredible addition to websites in general, and specifically for customer service. In the past, chatbots relied on manually written scripts and a limited list of specific responses to a limited list of prompts. These simple chatbots followed a very rigid set of rules, usually posing questions to the user and offering a predetermined set of options for the user to respond with. These chatbots were great for easy, logical enquiries but could not understand intent or context.
Conversational chatbots have an uncanny ability to replicate human interactions by using sophisticated AI, in most cases leading to greatly improved customer satisfaction. Interactions with conversational chatbots result in natural, free-flowing conversations and can give users relevant responses by collecting information and learning in real-time. Conversational chatbots have been so revolutionary that many consumers actually prefer using them over speaking to another human being. In 2019, Salesforce reported that 65% of customers prefer using chatbots because they offer fast answers to their questions.
Featuring a conversational chatbot can be a great addition to any client’s website, resulting in the positive customer service interactions we are all looking for. When it comes to implementing a conversational chatbot for you clients, there are some points to keep in mind:
Limitations
As convincing as they can be, conversational chatbots are not real people. While they learn and mimic human interactions very well, there may be some queries or problems that they don’t understand or may not have access to the right answers to, causing them to give robotic or nonsensical answers. Allow for this by making sure that you include some evasive answers to be used in these situations or allow them to direct the user elsewhere for more information.
Time
All good things take time, chatbots included. Expecting to jump from the decision to feature a conversational chatbot being made to implementing one the very next time is just unrealistic. Creating, implementing, setting up and allowing a conversational chatbot to learn takes time. There are ways to shorten the waiting period, such as using a no-code solution rather than waiting for a developer to create a chatbot for your agency client, but the important thing to note is that patience is key. The time spent waiting will be well worth it when your clients start to see and commend you for those positive results.
Maintenance
Just like anything in the digital world, conversational chatbots require maintenance. In the same way, you would want to update your device’s software to make sure it’s running at its best, you want to make sure that your client’s chatbot is consistently checked over, revised, maintained and optimised to make sure that they have the knowledge they need and are communicating the right way. This often involves taking the time to supply the chatbot with new, meaningful information that it needs to be able to answer questions. This will help maintain positive interactions and keep customer satisfaction high.
Need some help implementing a conversational chatbot? Our genius web developers and digital marketing resellers can help. Get in touch at support@globitalmarketing.com, and we’ll help out!
