Chatbots offer many benefits beyond their 24/7 availability. To compile the best list of benefits of chatbots, we reviewed all reports and surveys from chatbot vendors, agencies, and consultancies. Our article answers all your questions about chatbots if you’re new to chatbots.
Advantages to Customers
1. 24-hour availability
Studies show that over half of customers expect businesses to be accessible 24/7. Chatbots can solve this problem better than waiting for the next operator to arrive. Chatbots provide continuous communication between the customer and seller by offering a 24-hour response.
This benefit depends on how efficient the bots work. Even if bots are available 24/7, they can’t answer simple customer questions and therefore are not adding value. This is where the main problem lies. Chatbots must be able to understand and solve customer problems. In the end, it is possible to create backlash if bots are not available 24/7 due to security or maintenance issues.
2. Instant answers
Operators can only focus on one customer at a time and answer one question. Chatbots can answer many questions simultaneously. Instant responses are possible thanks to the speed of the internet, cloud, and other software mechanisms.
Also read: How Can AI chatbots Help Reduce Churn in the SaaS Sector?
3. Consistent answers
A customer cannot be certain that the other customer service representatives will provide consistent, similar responses when they speak to them. A customer might feel tempted to call again if a customer service representative is not helpful.
4. Recorded answers
A customer can talk to a customer support rep but she does not get a record of the conversation. Most people prefer not to record conversations. A customer can however take a screenshot of the conversation whenever she wants to, to help her remember it or challenge the answer given by the bot.
5. Multi language
Chatbots have the advantage of being able to support multiple languages, which is particularly useful for international brands. Chatbots can ask users which language they prefer to start a conversation or use input phrases to detect their language preference.
6. Endless patience
Although customer service reps and customers can lose their patience from time to time, this is something that bots are still unable to do. One of the human-related failings is the impatience between the customer and representative when solving a problem. To ensure that customers are satisfied, the representative should be patient. Chatbots have the ability to show patience that no human can. A human-sourced consumer service issue can then be solved immediately.
7. Instant transactions
Bots can almost instantly perform actions such as changing or querying records, which can greatly improve customer satisfaction.
8. Programmability
Bots can automate tasks like arranging meetings and providing advanced search functionality, as they are found on digital platforms. Chatbots can be used to shop, but they also have other uses. Chatbots will make it easy to perform repetitive tasks like arranging meetings or researching a topic.
9. Personalization
Chatbots and customer service specialists are unlikely to look like your hairdresser. They will not keep track of your personal or romantic life. Instead, they will act as a psychologist for those who are having difficulty opening up. Chatbots are able to deliver more personal experiences than customer service representatives who have to know the context and take the time to prepare for each call.
Chatbots can look at the history of interactions with companies to provide a customized experience. This is a relatively new area of chatbot technology, but it will become a key part of future chatbots. For more information on personalizing a company’s website, or the top personalization vendors, please read our research.
Advantages to Companies
10. Cost savings
Companies can manage their customer service department by deploying more capable bots that can handle more complicated queries. Chatbots require some investment. This cost is usually lower than the costs of infrastructure and consumer service salaries. The extra costs associated with chatbots, except for the investment costs, are very low.
These can include topics like improving chatbot security or ensuring it is secure. It isn’t optimistic to believe that costs will drop in the long term. Juniper Research stated that chatbots can save the Banking Industry $209 million in 2019, and $7.3 billion globally by 2023.
Also read: 6 Types of Chatbots: Which is Right for Your Business?
11. Sales increase
Bots can provide users with recommendations that can help them make informed decisions about their purchases. Because bots are available 24/7 and offer fast responses, they can increase sales. Long wait times are a problem for customers who don’t like waiting. Chatbots, according to business leaders, have boosted sales by 67%.
12. Increased customer interaction
Bots are a new channel for reaching customers. Bots can be used to increase customer engagement by providing timely tips and other offers. Chatbots allow customers to communicate with them in real-time. They can also help evaluate different options. A case study shows that Zurich Insurance UK had 765 interactions with customers within six weeks using the chatbot Zara.
13. Reaching new customers
Kik and Facebook Messenger are some of the most-used apps. Participating on these platforms can help companies reach new customers. According to a survey, Telus International found that 38 percent of millennials respond to social media at least once a week. The number of feedback received has increased over the past 12 months, it was found. Chatbots can be a great way for customers to contact you. Facebook has more than 300 thousand chatbots.
14. Gaining a deeper understanding of customers
Customers rarely speak to your business. Chatbots are able to provide actionable and detailed data to your company regarding your customers’ most pressing problems. This will allow you and your team to improve your products. Chatbots are a great way to increase the number of customers who give data.
This will make it more likely that you sell. Chatbots can be a great tool for companies to understand customer expectations. Based on chatbot-customer interaction data, it is possible to plan customer-specific goals. Chatbots allow the organization to draw inferences from data to provide feedback and plan improvements.
Leave a comment