WHAT IS A CHATBOT
Chatbots are all the rage today. They are revolutionizing the way businesses interact online with their clients. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated natural language processing, modern chatbots offer a deeper level of engagement and interaction than ever before. A lot of things people would normally do with forms can now be done better with chatbots, especially if the form has conditional logic (if-this-then-that). They won’t make forms obsolete but they are much more interactive and can be programmed to answer different questions depending on what the user is asking or saying. Bots are extremely more powerful than even the most advanced forms. And, the bot can even transition you over to a live person if necessary and if one is available. It’s more like a real conversation, even though people know they are interacting with a bot. It’s still engaging and a more personal experience. People feel like they are talking to a human being because chatbots, when done correctly, create an interactive experience. The chatbot actually looks like it is thinking and typing and talking. People think you are there with them even though you are not.
WHAT CAN CHATBOTS DO?
In addition to issuing pre-programmed answers that you have mapped out, chatbots can process opt-ins, schedule appointments, display links to articles, and automatically redirect to a specific page on your site. They are phenomenal at getting rid of routine tasks and simultaneous processing of multiple requests from users. Chatbots can save time and efforts by automating customer support. They can answer simple, or even complex, questions and inquiries about your products or services. This can cut down customer support inquiries significantly, resulting in the need for fewer customer support reps. The rate at which chatbots are being used in support is astounding. Gartner forecasts that by 2020, over 85% of customer interactions will be handled without a human. Chatbots can help sales and marketing by guiding website visitors through an interactive, engaging online sales funnel. This is extremely powerful! Unlike sales and support employees, chatbots work 24/7. They don’t get sick or take vacations. They only need to be trained once. They don’t forget what you told them to do. They are dependable and consistent… everything you want in an employee. They aren’t perfect but they sure can make a difference on your site and in your business.<script><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> var shouldShowHide = 0;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> //chatbot button hide/show<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> function hideShowChat(){<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> if (shouldShowHide === 0){<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById("botbutton").className = "quriobotWidgetButton show hoverModeOn showPopup";<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById('quriobotPopupButton').click()<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> shouldShowHide = 1;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> } else {<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById("botbutton").className = "quriobotWidgetButton hoverModeOn show";<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById("quriobotWidgetContainer").className = "quriobotWidgetContainer";<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> shouldShowHide = 0;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> }<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> }<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> //chat opens change should open<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById("quriobotPopupButton").addEventListener("click", chatOpened);<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> function chatOpened(){<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> shouldShowHide = 1;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> }<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> //chat closed change should open<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById("close").addEventListener("click", chatClosed);<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> document.getElementById("close--button").addEventListener("click", chatClosed);<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> function chatClosed(){<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> shouldShowHide = 0;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> }<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> </script>
<button onclick="hideShowChat()" id="showHideChatButton" style="<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->padding-top:8px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->padding-bottom:8px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->padding-left:36px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->padding-right:36px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->color: #ffffff!important;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->border-color: #25e4a2;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->font-size: 18px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->font-weight: 600!important;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->background-color: #25e4a2;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->font-style: normal;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->text-transform: uppercase;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->text-decoration: none;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->letter-spacing: 1px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->border-radius: 50px;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->display: inline-block;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->border: 2px solid;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->line-height: 1.7em !important;">chat with our bot</button>
CHATBOT ENGAGEMENT
A chatbot is an automated system of communication with users. With chatbots, engagement and open rates are currently insane compared to email marketing. Open rates for emails are typically 5-10%, but with chatbots it’s not uncommon to have a 50% open rate. And click through rates are extremely high with bots as well. Bots are like email when it was in it’s infancy, new and exciting. We expect chatbots to dominate user acquisition within a few years, replacing most optin forms, email forms, newsletter subscription forms, etc. By jumping on this trend now, in the early stages, you can get an edge on your competition.
The 2 TYPES OF CHATBOTS
There are website based chatbots and social chatbots that can be integrated with Facebook Messenger. With a social chatbot such as MobileMonkey or ManyChat, visitors can connect and start chatting with the bot direclty on your website and the conversation can continue in Facebook Messenger either in the browser, or on your phone in the mobile messenger app. If you already do a lot of interaction in Facebook, then it’s anatural progression to add a Messenger bot on your website. It is super convenient for customers because social is where they are at. Also, a facebook bot can know the name of your visitor and can address them personally by their first name. Imagine someone coming to your website and having your bot say “Hi Karen, I’m Milo. What can I do for you today?” How cool is that? Website chatbots provide all interaction on your website. Some can transition to conversation to a live person. Website chatbots can also continue the conversation via email if a live person is not available or appropriate. Currently, the big 3 website chatbots are Qurio, Intercom, and Drift. If you would like to see Qurio in action, look in the bottom right corner of this website and say hi to Milo, our Level 10 chatbot. He’s super friendly ๐ Try using both kinds of bots to increase engagement and give customers a more personal experience when they visit your site.CONCLUSION
The chatbot market is growing exponentially. It’s no wonder. We think chatbots are the way of the future for user acquisition and engagement. They can significantly increase the interaction and engagement your visitors have on your website. Many business owners are just beginning to understand the benefits of chatbots, which is why now is the perfect time to jump on this new technology while it can make you stand out from the crowd, and before people get numb to them. Here are the most common ways we think chatbots can help businesses:Improve customer service
Streamline the shopping experience
Personalize communication
Automate repetitive tasks
Invest in a chatbot for your business and be at the forefront of innovation.
Request a free discovery session and we’ll determine the best solution for your business.