Let’s Chat About the Bots
If you are on Facebook, chances are you are using Facebook Messenger. And chances are you too have encountered a chatbot over the past few years.
So what exactly is a chatbot?
It is a computer program which can simulate a conversation with a human, especially over the Internet. Chatbots can be given distinct personalities, can look up relevant information and deliver it to you. My KayBot tells you it is my virtual assistant, and then it either provides you with some information options, offers you a document for download or let’s you contact me right away by phone. Cool, huh?
Chatbots for business
A few years ago, online marketing was all about apps or infographics, but a new player has come into the spotlight: the chatbot. Chatbots have been around for awhile, but businesses have only recently begun to exploit the opportunities they provide. You can find chatbots in use everywhere from customer service and sales to marketing and internal management. And a growing number of companies are using chatbots in exciting ways, like Legos, Lyft, Sephora, Pizza Hut, to name a few. You can order food, schedule a ride, and get suggestions or recommendations on a variety of products.
So why does a business need chatbots?
Good question! Chatbots can help eliminate routine tasks and simultaneous processing of multiple requests from online customers. Chatbots can also be used to increase upsell opportunities by increasing the connection between your customers and brand. And online users like using chatbots — the conversations are immediate and concise. The real credit for bringing chatbots further into the spotlight goes to Facebook Messenger, due to the fact that Facebook made it possible to integrate chatbots with Messenger.
What can chatbots do?
► Improve customer service
► Personal communication
► Streamline the shopping process
► Improve a response rate
► Automate repetitive tasks
Fortunately for companies, people are becoming increasingly comfortable interacting with machines and AI enabled bots, making a win-win situation that will likely increase the prevalence of chatbots in the digital space.
Ready to get started using chatbots? Facebook Messenger chatbots are all the rage right now. I offer chatbot services to help get you started. Contact me via Facebook for more information about my other social media marketing services.