Chatbot

A chatbot is a robot or tool that uses algorithms and artificial intelligence to interact through natural language conversations with customers.

Some chatbots use pre-programmed responses; others, more advanced, offer dynamic and personalized responses. 

The chatbot learns and adapts over time, improving its responses by taking into account the feedback received.

Source: Freepik

 

Five 2023 trends that are driving the immersive experience

Customers demand immersive experiences, i.e. natural and fluid interactions with companies.

“From chatbots that simulate real human beings to conversational experiences where customers can start an interaction on one channel and then easily switch to another, immersive CX boils down to a simple idea: people want to be seen and heard, to be treated not as a transaction or a ticket, but as the highly valuable customers they are.” – Source: Zendesk Cx Trends de 2023

The 2023 Zendesk Cx Trends survey revealed five trends that point to the new era of experiences and are driving the immersive experience.

1) AI experiences are becoming more evolved and seamless

Of consumers who frequently interact with the support:

Figure 1: Trend 1 – AI experiences are becoming more evolved and seamlesss – Zendesk Cx Trends de 2023

 

2) Empowering consumers with conversational experiences

On customer expectations for conversational service:

Figure 2: Trend 2 – Empowering consumers with conversational experiences – Zendesk Cx Trends de 2023

 

3) Customers want more personalization

59% want companies to use the data collected about them to create personalized experiences.
62% say that personalized recommendations are better than generic ones, and 60% think that personalized recommendations are valuable.

4) Well-being and consumer sentiment are redefining the customer experience

66% of consumers who interact with support said that a bad interaction with a company can ruin their day.
60% of consumers base their purchasing decisions on the level of service they expect to receive.

5) CX teams are breaking down silos

Only 22% of business leaders say that their teams share data well.
That’s a problem. There must be real integration between customer service, sales and marketing, as this promises great returns: greater efficiency, better customer experiences and more revenue.

“Breaking down silos and encouraging the free flow of information between teams plays a key role in immersive CX.”

Why you should use a chatbot

The use of chatbots brings benefits not only in customer service, but also in marketing campaigns.

Automates customer service

The chatbot answers frequently asked questions, common doubts and requests, automates repetitive and routine tasks, handling a large volume of interactions simultaneously.

Reduces operating costs

By implementing a chatbot in your customer service, you no longer need a large team of professionals to do this. Not to mention that 24/7 availability allows for immediate and uninterrupted customer service.

Personalizes and improves the experience

The information collected by the chatbot enables assertive communication: personalized recommendations, relevant offers and an approach in line with customer preferences, increasing conversions and sales.

Improves quality of service and involvement

By providing immediate, precise and personalized responses, the chatbot improves the quality of service by increasing customer satisfaction, involvement and interest.

Generates qualified leads

The chatbot helps to capture qualified leads by collecting contact information such as name and email address during interactions so that relevant content and offers from campaigns or marketing actions can then be sent, providing a good experience for the customer journey.

Source: Freepik

 

Collects information, analyzes large volumes of data and provides insights

Needs, desires, questions, complaints, frequently asked questions, problems, and pains, as well as behavioral trends are valuable information obtained from your customers’ interaction with the chatbot.
All of this can be useful for the brand’s business, when creating content on the various communication channels, such as the website, blog, social networks, etc.
Customers’ preferences, interests, and purchasing behavior can be used to better segment marketing campaigns, personalize messages, and offer more relevant products or services.
It also makes it possible to draw up a more specific customer profile to improve your products and services and even create and launch complementary products.
It also helps to anticipate problems based on data analysis.
Extra tip: sending surveys to your audience via chatbot is a good practice for collecting important data for the buying journey.

Directs customers according to demand

The chatbot assesses the customer’s needs in an initial call, and if necessary, directs them to the most appropriate department in the company, such as technical support or sales.

It greatly speeds up service through voice recognition and AI in interactions

AI can be used to create virtual assistants and chatbots that interact with customers through voice recognition and neural language processing.

Reorganize your priorities

Based on the information collected by the chatbot, you can adjust your strategies to meet customer needs: better manage stock and reduce out-of-stocks, implement improvements in customer service and experience, etc.

Boost conversions

The chatbot guides users and helps them make decisions by providing additional information, product recommendations, and even exclusive discounts.

Keep your business relevant

Keeping up with trends in the digital world is a must for anyone who wants to survive, and remain relevant in the market.
Using a chatbot speeds up customer service and can even be another sales channel by enabling customers to make purchases through this tool.

Challenges of AI in customer experience

While there are numerous advantages of AI in the customer experience, there are also important challenges to take into account.

Data accuracy

It is essential that the data is accurate in order to offer personalized and effective solutions.

Humanized service

Customers still value human contact in some situations.

Regulations and ethics

Companies must comply with privacy and data protection laws and also establish ethical practices regarding the use of AI in customer interaction.

How to implement a chatbot

The first step to implementing a chatbot in your business is to define the end goal and on which platform (website, instant messaging applications, social networks, etc.), and what functions it should have.
Once this is done, choose the platform (Drift, Chatfuel, Manychat, among others) to create and test your chatbot.
Next, effectively put yourself in your customer’s shoes to create a conversation with questions and answers of all the possible scenarios or situations of this interaction.
Then make all the settings and test in real time, correcting any errors.
That’s it! Your chatbot is ready to be launched and must be constantly monitored and optimized according to interactions and feedback.

Examples of chatbots

Website

The chatbot on the website provides instant support via a little box usually in the bottom right-hand corner to interact in real time with the customer, answering questions and queries, making bookings and reservations, helping with navigation and offering product recommendations.

E-mails

In email marketing campaigns, the chatbot personalizes the user experience as it provides more information about the product or service and answers questions, increasing engagement and the chances of conversion.

Social networks

On social networks, chatbots are useful for replying to comments, private messages or starting conversations with the aim of offering promotions or relevant information.

Events

At events, the chatbot can be integrated with interactive totems to offer visitors information about the products and the program, and answer questions.

Online ads

The chatbot in online ads allows the user to virtually try out the product and receive personalized recommendations, increasing engagement and the chance of conversion.

Examples of chatbots by sector in different countries

Finance

• Fidelity: market updates and stock quotes.
  NerdWallet: bot that learns more about you and your needs as you use the card.

Food

• Whole Foods: allows users to search for recipes and find store locations.
• Taco Bell: TacoBot helps people easily order lunch.
• Domino’s: to receive pizza on time, anywhere and at any time.
• Burger King: bot with offers from the restaurant chain.
• Pizza Hut: shows nearby locations and menu and payment options.

Travel

• KLM: sends flight information, check-in, tickets.
• Expedia: allows you to view hotel options.
• Uber: integrates Uber into Facebook Messenger without opening the app.
• Lyft: allows you to request a ride and notify your friends.
• Skyscanner: simplifies flight searches on Messenger, Skype and Amazon Echo.
• TripAdvisor: guides travelers.
• Visabot: provides visa information for immigrants.

News

• CNN: sends personalized news or specific stories.
• NBC: on the Breaking News button, users follow more than 90,000 topics.
• WSJ: users view markets and financial news.

Health

• HealthTap: bot answers health-related questions.
• Boston Children’s Hospital: provides parents with health information for their children.
• MedWhat: medical assistant answers questions for doctors and patients.

Sports

• TheScore: perfect bot for sports fans.7
• NBA: allows basketball fans to chat on Messenger.
• Toni: provides information for fans of European soccer leagues.
• NFL: Sports Illustrated’s NFL bot.

Retail and E-commerce

• 1-800-Flowers: allows users to send flowers and gifts.
• eBay: ShopBot, an intelligent personal shopping assistant.

Fashion and beauty

• Victoria Secret PINK: allows teenagers to find the perfect bra.
• H&M: offers clothing inspiration for teenagers.
• Sephora: shares make-up videos, tutorials and tips.
• Burberry: high-end fashion bot shares new collections.
• TMY.GRL: personal fashion stylist for Tommy Hilfiger.
• Statsbot: personal analysis assistant.

Public utility services

• Hewlett-Packard: allows users to access their photo galleries.
• The Weather Channel: shares daily forecasts.
• Poncho: a weather forecaster.
• Nadia: can read human emotions, facial expressions and perceive their tone.
• Lara: dating advisor.

Real state

• Apartment Ocean: real estate chatbot that builds relationships with clients.
• Homehawkai: real estate chatbot.

Greater focus on personalized and interactive experiences

This is what has been highlighted in the digital marketing trends for 2023.
We are living in a new era of customer service in the digital world, where interaction is expected to be increasingly immediate, efficient, and personalized.
The chatbot is the most accessible solution for fast, efficient, and automated communication, which meets this demand.