Chatbots have been on the rise over the past few years, with platforms such as Facebook Messenger leading the way forward. The purpose of chatbots is to provide a new way for businesses to communicate with their customers, providing a more direct route for consumers to use to reach businesses. They are simple and easy to implement, and can work for almost any industry.Â
When you are implementing a digital marketing strategy chatbots should be a priority on your list. Because they can be used on social media platforms as well as on your own website, they provide an affordable and efficient method of communicating with customers. Not sure if a chatbot is the right fit for your business? Below we give some of the top benefits of chatbots.Â
But…What Is A Chatbot?
Many people who are not experienced in the world of digital marketing or of technology often mistake chatbots for robots or bots, but a chatbot is not a robot (but it is a type of bot – confusing, we know!). Chatbots are programs which are powered by rules and artificial intelligence (AI) which are combined to simulate interactions with users.Â
In simple terms, a chatbot is a program or service that can have a conversation with a user just like a real person would. Chatbots use Machine Learning to gather conversational information, such as the cadence of a message, to copy human conversations and react to written or chosen responses.Â
The more advanced options can understand human language and not just commands, but many businesses can reap impressive benefits with just using the basic model. More and more social media platforms are implementing chatbots, and WhatsApp has even introduced the option to have automated replies for the Business app, which is a form of chatbot.Â
What Are The Benefits?
So, now that you know more about chatbots (and see that they are not from the distant, sci-fi culture) you are probably wondering what the benefits could be for your business. Not only will you be able to communicate more efficiently with your consumers, but you will also be able to provide a 24/7 chat service without having to hire salespeople to be on shifts all day.Â
Below are just some of the benefits of using chatbots for your business.Â
Make The Most Of Messenger Apps
Messenger applications have grown significantly in popularity over recent years, meaning that consumers’ preferences are leaning more toward direct interaction with brands over mass-produced communication tactics. Chatbots allow you to interact easier and faster with consumers, helping you to use messenger apps to their fullest abilities.Â
For mobile users who interact with brands on their mobile phones, being able to message companies from their devices rather than having to use a computer or laptop is preferable. Because these people have apps already installed on their phones, you will not need to create a new app, you can simply make use of the messenger applications already on these platforms.Â
Helpful Handling Of Customers
A human being can only handle so many customer interactions at once, which could cause your sales or marketing funnel to become clogged and inefficient. However, chatbots can handle dozens of simultaneous interactions from dozens of people at once. This allows your business to answer every possible question as it is asked, without any delay.Â
Chatbots are not only limited to answering questions, you can use them to arrange deliveries of products or even the transfer of funds from bank accounts. If a consumer is able to organise a package delivery by using a highly responsive chatbot rather than having to wait for a salesperson to answer, they will be more likely to continue purchasing from your company.Â
Always Available
One of the major benefits of using chatbots for your business is that they are always available. And with customer service being one of the most important factors to the success of a business, you cannot afford to lose out on this benefit. Being available no matter the time will make for a more positive customer experience.Â
You can also program these chatbots to send urgent requests to sales people if the replies are not providing the recommended assistance. This allows your human assistants to focus on urgent requests and be available for these clients, helping to boost your reputation and your customer service experience.Â
Get Chatting
Using chatbots for your business can help you to stay up-to-date with what customers demand and expect, and can also help you to save time and costs on attempting to reply to every message that consumers send you.Â
You will be able to make the most of messaging platforms for a more direct interaction with customers, can handle urgent requests easily, and will be available for any and all requests no matter the time. If you are interested in finding out more about chatbots or messaging applications, speak to NetMechanic today for our offerings.
