Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced significantly in the last few years.
And chatbots, in particular, are among the most valuable products in this recent evolution of AI.
Considering the above, chatbots can help small businesses reduce the number of customer service agents and the time required to answer customer queries.
Accordingly, many brands are investing significantly by employing them to improve the customer experience.
Yet, the benefits of chatbots go beyond offering immediate responses to users.
They can also perform business tasks, such as collecting customer information, scheduling meetings, and reducing overhead costs.
Hence, the primary reason the chatbot market is expanding so quickly.
With the above in mind, this post will discuss six ways savvy brands are now incorporating chatbots into their daily business operations.
Let's begin.
Provide Superior Customer Service
Implementing chatbots to assist with customer service is an excellent option for businesses that don't want their customers to have to:
- Wait for a customer service agent's response — "Please hold while we connect you to an available customer representative," which can prove frustrating.
- Search for answers in the FAQs — customers don't frequently have the time to scroll through dozens of listed FAQs.
Streamline the Shopping Experience
Chatbots can facilitate the shopping experience by enabling customers to inform the chatbot of their desired items, which the chatbot then relays to the sales department.
For example, customers don't have to repeatedly say, "I need the same product but with metal buttons."
Additionally, the chatbot can recall customer preferences and use that information to deliver a fantastic experience when they return to make future purchases.
Personalized Communication
Chatbots can answer specific customer questions, eliminating the need to display lengthy lists of unnecessary information.
Remember, the more attention a customer receives, the greater their desire to purchase.
And, by all means, this is where chatbots come in handy.
Notably, using them to deliver personalized messages and assistance to customers will ultimately boost your conversion rate.
Automate Redundant Tasks
Most customers are looking for answers to common and related questions, such as,
"When do you open?"
"Where are you located?"
"Do you offer free shipping?"
"What's your return policy?"
Fortunately, by leveraging chatbots, you can avoid having to answer the same questions repeatedly.
Correspondingly, this will also reduce your employees' workload.
Chatbots as a Personal Assistant
Running a small business is daunting.
Nonetheless, you can utilize chatbots as personal assistants to simplify your tasks.
For instance, you can create bots that send customers suggestions and tips related to what they're looking for.
For example, customers can get travel or fashion recommendations from chatbots.
Similarly, you can make it easy for them to order what you're offering using chatbots.
For example, MasterCard built a chatbot for Messenger.
Notably, this bot streamlines consumer banking by notifying customers of their monthly spending and displaying their transactions in real-time.
Additionally, MasterCard's bots make it easier for merchants to conduct transactions directly from Messenger.
Also, with bots, consumers can order food directly from outfits like Subway, FreshDirect, and The Cheesecake Factory.
Showcase New Offers
Chatbots provide a convenient way to announce and showcase your latest products or services to targeted users.
That is to say, you can choose which notifications to send and to whom.
By all means, this will make your customers feel valued and special.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, incorporating chatbots into small business operations can significantly enhance consumer engagement and streamline processes.
Moreover, as AI technology continues to advance, it will become increasingly vital to helping small businesses meet the needs of their customers.
Accordingly, embracing AI is not just a trend but a smart strategy for any forward-thinking brand.
Hope this helps,
Erik
We implement creative, results-based digital and hybrid marketing strategies for local business clients.
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