Should Your Small Business Use eCommerce Chatbots?
Business → Marketing & Advertising
- Author Susan Friesen
- Published February 18, 2019
- Word count 604
The Pros and Cons of Conversational Commerce
Conversation is a core part of the buying process, whether you’re asking the wine clerk what red she recommends or messaging a store owner on Facebook to see if they sell gift cards.
I’m sure you’ve visited a website and had a chat box pop up, asking if you needed help or offering to start a conversation. Chances are, the "person" with whom you’re speaking isn’t human.
A chatbot allows business owners to provide responses and solutions - and even generate leads and sales - 24/7 through automated customer service live chat. According to IBM, up to 80% of routine customer service questions could be answered by a chatbot.
There are two types:
-
Those that rely on rules and can only accept/respond in limited ways.
-
Those that use artificial intelligence to employ sophisticated algorithms to accept/respond.
One of the areas we’ll see this tech more and more in is healthcare. While nothing will replace a professional – especially in an emergency – it’s convenient and fast to ask a bot a simple question about a cold or what medications interact with breastfeeding.
Here’s an example: Florence is a popular online personal health assistant. "She" has become focused on two main features: health tracking and medication reminders. All users have to do is start a chat with her in Facebook Messenger, Kik or Skype and she’ll jump in.
Now, let’s take a look at three pros of conversational commerce:
-
Fast responses, multiple options. You’re able to answer queries ultra-fast and this type of interaction is possible on a wide range of platforms including Facebook Messenger, SMS, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple Business Chat and WeChat.
-
Money, money, money. You don’t need to work late responding to questions and you don’t need to pay employees to respond to every interaction. If you want to sell through your bot people can purchase your product or service anytime, anywhere.
-
You automatically gather data. eCommerce chatbots collect data so you can offer a more personalized experience each time someone communicates with your brand. And, you gain lots of valuable insight on your users’ needs, pain points and buying habits.
Caption: Domino’s uses a wide variety of tools to allow pizza lovers to rapidly order, pay and track their food.
Let’s balance that out with three cons:
-
They can’t replace humans. Especially in the medical and legal fields, there’s a concern that patients may use these technologies instead of seeking professional help. Also, you shouldn’t use conversational commerce as your only form of customer service. Your clients should be able to connect with a live person, at least during your regular business hours.
-
Misunderstandings can happen. The problem is with natural language understanding, which is the ability to determine intent. Bots aren’t as skilled at understanding us as our fellow humans are – at least not yet. Customers will get frustrated with eCommerce chatbots that don’t work well and will take their business to a competitor.
-
They’re not right for every situation. It’s true that many companies can benefit from this ever-changing technology, but don’t try and force it. If your services are too complex to map out in AI chat or require thorough consultations, a chatbot probably won't help lead-qualifying efforts or sales.
Chatbots are far from perfect, and while they’ll certainly advance going forward, you don’t want to alienate customers now. By understanding the pros and cons, you can ensure you’re making the best chat-choice for your business.
Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media. Visit www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca and grab your FREE "Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Website's Profitability - 10 Critical Questions You Must Ask to Get Maximum Results"
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- Marketing Strategies for Mooncake Suppliers: Standing Out in a Crowded Market
- How To Automate Affiliate Marketing?
- Effective Marketing Strategies for Tradies: Boost Your Business in 2024
- The Dos and Don'ts of Creating Engaging Online Content That Keeps Your Readers Coming Back
- Dong Yuhui being accused of being racist against women because refusal to sell women's underwear.
- Creating Buzz in the Hallways: High School Advertising Techniques That Get Results
- How does social media marketing tie into a digital solution service?
- Custom DVI Cables: Everything You Need to Know?
- Diet Plan for Weight Gain
- Navigating the Dynamic Landscape of Hot Trends in SMM Panels
- Unveiling AI Brilliance: Leonardo Laboratories at the Fore of Innovation
- Unlock Your Career Potential: How Our Digital Marketing Institute Can Propel You Forward in Mumbai
- Social Media Marketing: Harness the Power of Online Platforms for Success
- Growing Your Business Online: How Gardeners Can Utilize Digital Marketing
- Measuring and Boosting ROI Across SEO, Email, & Social Media
- Navigating Challenging Business Conditions: The Power of Strategic Marketing
- Unlock Your Style: Fortnite Skins for Sale
- The Ultimate Guide to Color Grading: Techniques and Tools for Beginners
- Here Are Some Effective SEO Strategies For Startup Success
- How to Create an Effective Business Marketing Plan
- Traditional Direct Print Marketing Isn't Dead: Unveiling Its Untapped Potential
- New Age Student Recruitment: How AI is Revolutionizing International Enrollment
- Nobody cares about you (or, your brand)
- Unlocking Connection: Temu's Top Relationship Gifts for Every Occasion
- Sustainable Marketing Tactics for a Greener Future
- 4 Things To Avoid When Running Your First Google Ads Campaign
- Analyzing the Revenue Cycle Management Market: A Comprehensive Market Research Study
- Crafting Farnborough's Premier Business Blog: Essential Strategies for Success
- A Look at the Flexibility of AI in Marketing
- Social Media Marketing