It’s fair to say that chatbots haven’t been getting the best press recently. Last month Meta launched its new prototype chatbot, but the big reveal didn’t quite go as planned. When asked, the bot dubbed Mark Zuckerberg “creepy.” Going even further, it also said “his company exploits people for money, and he doesn’t care. It needs to stop!”
Now if you’d been looking at stepping up your technology investment and bringing in chatbots as part of your customers’ service, you could be forgiven for having second thoughts. We’re here to tell you just how good chatbots can be for a business and why you should stick with your instinct to innovate.
Customers actually don’t hate them
Don’t believe everything you read. The red tops might tell you that chatbots are black magic but in reality, why would you want to spend hours on the phone when you can log on and get a response in seconds? Chatbots are hands down the best way to set up 24/7 customer support and get your customers the answers to their queries in record time.
What’s more, the human touch is important when things get tricky, but people who might be calling with a sensitive issue might actually find it easier to interact with a chatbot they know will never judge. It also saves the awkward chit chat when you just want to get things done.
They’re a lifesaver for staff
Chatbots are NOT going to replace call centre staff, they’re going to make their lives better.
Chatbots are going to take away the mundane queries, leaving customer service staff free to focus on the complex situations which need their emotional intelligence and product or industry expertise.
Working as a call centre worker is a seriously important job and it’s one that needs real skills. Debt collection, utilities, pensions… Call centre workers deal with crucial situations which will impact on your business as well as your customers’ lives.
Bringing in chatbots lets you focus your human capital where it can make a real difference. What’s more, it’ll keep your staff more motivated and fulfilled, and less likely to leave, because they aren’t dealing with water readings every day.
Depending on the number of queries you have incoming, the number of bots you deploy can be scaled up and down to meet peaks in demand without additional cost, taking the pressure off your staff.
And they’re a market research agency too
Chatbots can provide in-depth insights into customer behaviours from the questions, issues and products they answer questions on, which can guide future strategies.
Chatbots can also help you gather important information to create customer profiles, helping you tailor the information you share and creating a more engaged, satisfied customer.
So, we’d say the odds of your company ending up in the headlines like Meta are, well, virtually non-existent.
If you’d like to know more, please do reach out. We’re always happy to connect.
