The digital paradigms have quickly shifted from SEO being ahead of the marketing game, to Social Media abruptly taking over. For the upcoming years, chat bots, and its inevitable advantage as a quick and effective communication channel will likely earn the top spot among the essential tools to boost up businesses’ ROI.
Though, as we slowly head towards the beginning of a new decade (maybe faster than we realise, if we take the marketing world as our benchmark), there is one other topic that seems to run through every digital marketer’s head, and represents the latest wave of digital trends, where fast consuming is of the highest priority, and that is, chat bots.
So, what is a chat bot?
A chat bot is a script-based or AI-based automated computer online program designed to simulate a text-based conversation through the use of natural language.
Think of it as your own personal assistant, one that will not only be capable of precisely keeping track of your customer’s interests and purchase history, but will also adapt to their ever-changing needs and quickly respond in a human-like manner. And since this consultant is not charging overtime, you’ll be sure to be getting your money’s worth with this investment.
Now, we’ve come a long way since Eliza, the first actual bot, was developed in MIT back in 1966, and even though it was initially just set out to show the differences between human and machine interactions, it actually laid the foundations for what, more than five decades later, is becoming an essential part of communication between customers and businesses.
Do I need a chatbot?
Of course, and If it’s not obvious by now, let me break down some a few of the advantages of having one.
Keeping up with they hype, and the conversions
Social Media accounts for more than half of a customer’s interaction and engagement with a specific brand. After all, the World Data Lab, predicts that soon the spending power of Millenials will out-top gen x’s. With Facebook constantly reducing news feed’s organic post visibility, and the majority of messenger’s users being on a mobile device, It seems only logical then, to integrate a Messenger chat bot as a part of your marketing strategy, especially considering Facebook’s constant efforts to reduce organic post visibilityFurthermore, with Instagram’s checkout feature launch, Centennials’ go-to app, it wouldn’t surprise us to see attention shift towards Facebook’s younger brother.
Access and deliver information faster
Whether it’s reducing customer wait time, accessing previously stored purchase and behavioral data from them, offering real-time product recommendations or even previously abandoned cart products by internally synchronizing with your marketing automation software, a chat bot will provide you with an effective channel of communication. Also, the average customer is not looking to engage in a long conversation, so getting straight to the point will work to your advantage.
Saving human resources.
Since there’s no need for a live consultant, employers can, instead focus on other tasks, as an overall effort to improve productivity. Additionally, you’ll be cutting down on expenses and you’ll be able to guarantee customer support 24/7 in a multi-lingual environment. (SALES’s manage can manage up to 20 different languages, good luck finding a consultant with those skills).
Chatting and Branding
Customers are increasingly on board with the idea of an informal first approach to brands, especially if it’s through social media, and by offering them a quick-communication channel that meets their necessities you’re making use of a powerful tool to make a great first (and consecutive) impression for your business.
Build a larger database:
Let’s face it, a machine is less likely to say the wrong thing (Unless of course it’s Microsoft’s Tay.ai) and by adequately addressing the customers’ concerns and inquiries, you’ll also likely be scoring another contact through a lead generation form, ready to launch on the conversation window at any given point during the conversation.
To sum up
Chat bots are the result of the the powerful engines of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning working together to provide with a solution that is proving to be a game changer among businesses of all sizes and is able to adapt to the needs of every industry by offering effective and real-time solutions to your potential and current customers.
If you’re serious about your conversion rates and wish to jump on board to an industry of 1.4 trillion dollars of potential value in the upcoming years, according to McKinsey, make sure to drop by salesmanago.com and discover more about our AI powered marketing tools and check out our Live bot.
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