FAQs
Put simply; they are computer programs that allow the automation of specific tasks through having a conversation with people through an interface such as Facebook Messenger. The technology that is supporting chatbots is evolving at a fast pace and is driven by AI (artificial intelligence). AI allows more advanced chatbots to use user requests for continually improving their knowledge base, leading to increasingly more intelligent and human-like responses.
Bots have been repeatedly described as the future since they have come to lead the way in some areas of digital marketing, and swiftly making their way to being highly sought after digital assistants for businesses of all sizes — not just companies. Many of us already have our own personal digital assistant – ever had a conversation with Siri or Alexa?
One prerequisite for the rise in the popularity of chatbots is the high level of sophistication reached by AI, whereby bots can engage in increasingly human-like conversations. Back in 2011, Gartner predicted that over 85% of all B2C interactions would be handled with no human-to-human contact by 2020. More recent industry research has supported this estimation, forecasting that by 2022, chatbots will be able to deal with 90% of all customer inquiries, cutting costs for businesses by circa $8 billion.
Chatbots are based on artificial intelligence, and they communicate with users through distribution channels such as email clients, SMS services and messaging apps, using both speech and text. They are typically built by third-party companies that allow businesses to position their chatbot across a given platform.
Currently, we can divide chatbots roughly into two distinctive categories:
- Less sophisticated chatbots that are based on either a simple A+B=C model that is based on if/then logic, or a straightforward offering of selections from which the user can choose. These are mainly rules-based bots that can assist users with simple, pre-programmed actions, such as password resets or presenting users with current deals and offers.
- NLP (Natural Language Processing) bots: bots which sound more human-like and are not strictly script based in their responses. Such bots can contextualise user requests. These are more complex chatbots that use artificial intelligence to imitate human conversation – they “learn by doing,” in other words, they can improve in their similarity to a human agent thanks to machine learning.
No doubt that the level of service provided to customers can make or break a business. Call centres, and more recently, social media channels like Facebook and Twitter have created a new shift, whereby people can contact businesses with their issues or queries at any time of the day.
Most people experience fairly long waiting times to get their questions answered, and here is where chatbots can add value – by offering access to assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No doubt, a bot will not be able to provide real human interaction in all cases, however, it can serve as a useful middle-step that can prepare customer service representatives to provide higher quality service due to improved understanding of customers’ issues, having gained prior information from the details provided in the conversation with the bot.
Messages are used as the medium for performing countless tasks, such as helping consumers complete their purchases online, scheduling meetings and webinars, and so forth. According to Business Insider, an increasing number of major brands, including eBay, Starbucks and LinkedIn are already taking advantage of the fast-developing bot technology to support various functions within their businesses. Equally, major players such as Microsoft, Google and Facebook have been, and continue investing heavily in the advancement of chatbot technologies.
Chatbots are not just there for big businesses with an already established customer base. Companies of all sizes accustom chatbots to perform a wide variety of tasks. The question you should ask, is whether your potential customers have questions and inquiries that tend to crop up repeatedly? If this is the case, then creating a chatbot that could solve less-complex tasks and respond to frequently asked questions could be a great time-saver.
Since Facebook Messenger is one of the most used messaging apps worldwide, people regularly message businesses on their Facebook page to learn more about their offers and services. Moreover, Facebook Messenger bots can also be successfully used for building brand awareness and providing your audience with more information about the business. All can be done, for instance, by creating a custom welcome message, and including some essential information about your business.