What is a Chatbot?
You may have seen an automated AI support system that appears while surfing any website. It is called a Chatbot. They provide valuable information about the website and solve customers’ queries.
However, they did not solve it themselves, but your query is transferred to the backend team as a ticket, and the support team provides you with a resolution.
But, for general purposes, you can ask questions, and it will respond to you quickly. Like how to get started, reschedule a flight, the product’s price, contact information, Email subscription, and much more.
Chatbots have become quite popular because they are AI and machine-learning-based. It is quick, correct, and available 24/7, saving the owner time to answer everyone.
It’s easy to use; you only have to ask your queries by typing, and it will respond within an eye blink.
What is the primary use of chatbots?
While Chatbot is not only present on the internet, it can also be found on any app. Many modern apps are using them for support. The most common uses of chatbots are:
1. Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
It is a trendy place where chatbots are mainly used and provide FAQ answers related to any website, service, business, or app. It saves time for users who can interact with Chatbots without browsing the FAQ section.
2. Chatbot for Sales
Now, E-commerce businesses are integrating Chatbot features into their website. It guides the users and provides information about products, new offers & deals, Prices, Customer service contacts, recommendations, etc.
This impacts the customers, making them easy to use, which drives more returning customers. Hence, it causes more conversion and sales.
3. Support
Customer support is a very crucial part where a representative solves our problem. Many businesses and services provide customer support so customers do not face issues while getting service.
It builds trust in the business and attracts more customers. People generally ignore services where they do not find good support or a bad review about the license.
To maintain trust, companies spend billions of dollars on customer service. They don’t want to lose customers, so they try to provide quality service.
Now, You can find many services that use Chatbot for support because it responds fast to AI and understands the customer’s problem.
If they fail to provide relevant support, they raise a request that an actual human customer support team investigate to solve the issue. This way, it saves time for both customers and the support team.
Many websites, apps, and E-commerce provide Chatbots for support and invest lots of money in their development and accuracy.
4. Chatbot for Marketing
Gone are the days when only humans take command of marketing. Now, it’s the time of innovation, so Chatbot is handling internet marketing and researching for the best results.
From customer inquiries to surveys, everything is being taken care of by Chatbots. You may have received emails for market research or feedback these Chatbots take.
They ask how users think about any product or what can be improved. The Chatbot then submits these surveys to their server or website, making it easy for marketers to develop products and services.
Chatbots are changing the marketing style, and it brings growth for marketers. They found it quick, reliable, cost-effective, and multi-purpose.
5. Apps
Apps are everywhere. Most businesses build apps and websites to give customers a unique service experience. Apps are mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, quick, and lightweight.
You will find apps for every big business in the world. People love interacting with apps and most useful apps rather than browsing sites.
So, it opens a door for Chatbots to provide their service. In-app, you can see chatbot programs that guide you in the navigation and support.
For example, you can find Chatbot on Flight Apps where you can ask the Chatbot for booking, rescheduling, canceling the flight ticket, or getting the status of your ticket.
So you don’t have to navigate different menus and perform other tasks. It provides customers with a good experience through which Chatbots become popular.
Key Takeaways
- Definition and Functionality: A chatbot is a computer program simulating human conversations to solve customer queries. They can assist customers in lodging service requests, sending emails, or connecting to human agents.
- Technological Evolution: Chatbots have evolved from simple programs using keywords and pattern matching to modern systems utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Understanding (NLU), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to provide human-like responses.
- Business Applications: Chatbots are primarily used to enhance customer experience by cost-effectively offering 24/7 customer support. They are also used for knowledge sharing and routine tasks within businesses.
- Future Directions: The potential of chatbots is yet to be fully realized. Future research in chatbot technology will focus on user experience, design, frameworks, collaboration, chatbot democratization, ethics, and privacy.
Which websites have the best chatbots?
Many programs and services, like messaging services, use chatbots for their users. It quickly provides a reply to the users. Facebook uses Chatbots for its Messenger platform.
You may have seen these in your Facebook Messenger app. This is the marketing strategy of Facebook, which brings customers to the service.
They are like ads we see everywhere on the internet but have additional features like replying to users’ queries.
This builds trust for the particular service or company and generates more leads. Facebook has many chat services where advertisers post ads to reach more people.
Best Chatbot service providers
1. Manychat
This is a popular Chatbot program that works with Facebook and lots of users worldwide. It has free and premium membership and an easy interface with a drag-and-drop editor where you can insert posts, images, videos, links, subscription forms, and many more features.
It helps you generate more customers for your service and gives you some days of the trial to learn to use it before purchasing.
2. Botsify
It works with both Facebook Messenger and your site. It is easy to implement and has a lot of features. Its paid plan starts at just $10 per month.
3. MobileMonkey
It is also a popular Chatbot program that you can use in Facebook Messenger or even integrate Paypal and Stripe to accept payments. It has a 30-day trial period.
4. ChitChatChimp
It is a Chatbot service provider that provides multiple functionalities like e-commerce bots, Training bots, Research and Feedback, Customer support bots, and Sales and marketing bots.
FAQ
What is a chatbot for business?
A chatbot for business is a computer program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct customer conversations via text or voice input.
These chatbots can be installed on any business website, mobile app, or social media page, providing instant responses to customer queries.
How does a chatbot AI work?
A chatbot AI uses machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to interpret inputs and understand the intent behind a request.
It is trained on large data sets to recognize patterns and understand natural language, allowing it to handle complex queries and generate more accurate results.
How can a chatbot improve customer service?
Chatbots can significantly enhance customer service by providing immediate responses and offering consistent support 24/7, 365 days a year.
For businesses, chatbots can help reduce customer service costs by up to 30% and alleviate high support volume, saving on customer service agents’ workloads.
What are some free chatbot websites?
Here are the top 10 free chatbot websites:
Conclusion
As we can see, Chatbots are so popular these days, and every organization, website, and business is using them to provide customers with a good experience. The future of Chatbots is bright, and we will see it change the marketing strategy and deliver good results.
AI and Machine Learning are innovative subjects that make internet technology more practical, and Chatbot is an excellent example.
More Resources:
What is ChatGPT and How to Use it?
Google Bard: Google’s AI Chatbot Explained
Vijay Kumar is a digital marketing expert and founder of TechZant.
He is passionate about helping businesses grow their online presence through SEO and data-driven strategies.
