Have you heard of the new trend sweeping the Digital Marketing world? It is chatbots. Chatbots are computer programs which can have real conversation. They are programmed to detect both written and spoken text and can react accordingly. Scientists have used artificial intelligence to make our world more convenient. Chatbots don’t only provide real-time answers but can be programmed to learn from customer feedback and collect data. Chatbots can save up to 30% in customer support costs. They help to reduce operational costs, save time and manpower. Chatbots can be used on many platforms; not just Facebook, so their effect can be even wider.
So, how can chatbots support your digital marketing strategy?
1. Prompt respond: The most known attribute of Chatbots is its ability to communicate with customers. According to Gartner, by 2020, customers may manage up to 85% of their interactions with a company without ever even speaking to a human. Chatbots offer
a quick and efficient response to queries without hassle. Using AI to communicate with customers can help boost productivity and provide prompt replies. This can help resolve customer issues faster and makes it possible to answer multiple queries at once. 90% of
all Facebook messages to brand go unanswered, with Chatbots companies can answer 100% for all queries.
2. Chatbots can go beyond customer service: Chatbots are able to detect and collect data from each interaction made, this can help provide a proper database for any current or future marketing strategy. The information provided can be collected faster through a chatbot than through traditional means like a contact form. Incorporating Chatbots in the marketing strategy can be helpful to generate a more personalised plan. They can help qualify leads which can be challenging, by programing chatbots to ask qualifying questions and all the answers can be forwarded to the sales team who can create new personalised ads, better suited to the demographic.
3. Increase retention rate for your business: The speed and promptness of Chatbots can improve customer satisfaction and engagement which can help limit churn rates. According to InsightSquared a reduction of 5 % in the customer churn rate, increases
profit margin between 25 and 125 %. Customers love personalised experiences; especially while conducting their online shopping. Personalised interaction can drive customer acquisition and satisfaction.
4. Make the sales process easier: Customers always look for ways to make their sales process faster; whether with quicker transaction or better recommendations. Users who prefer dealing with a bot rather than human expect a faster sales process; they want product details, discounts, and recommendation. This personalized approach can allow users to feel as if they are dealing with a personal shopper, it will give them chance to be as detailed or vague with their queries and bots can still provide the information they want.
5. Trendsetter: Chatbots can provide an advantage for businesses to be at the forefront of technology. 45% of millennials enjoy the speed of efficient communication that chatbots provide while the percentage is even higher in baby boomers (aged 55+); who like the
round-the-clock service that chatbots provide. These numbers mean that chatbots can open the door to a big demographic and give businesses the edge they need to succeed in the growing technological world.
The downside: Chatbots can boost your business plan but it has to be done correctly. Some customers who demand a more human communication may find it frustrating to speak to a programmed bot, since some bots can be limited with their answers so companies need to keep the human element available. If needed the bot can be redirected to human for further inquiries. It may also be frustrating for customers who do not wish to use formal language with the bot; which might not understand slang words or even sarcasm. So it can be both costly and challenging to program the bot to understand all and every words used by customers. It is important for companies to
determine whether Chatbots will be beneficial for their business because of the high cost. In the end, whether you choose utilise a chatbot system in your marketing and data collection strategy, it is essential to know the cost and risk of this option.
