Published: 05-Oct-2024 |
| My forecast: In 2 years time, most businesses will have, not 1, not 2, but more than 5 chatbots. Each will handle specific issues inside and outside the business. Many chatbots will be quite small and limited in scope. They will also cost very little to implement and run. Others may be quite complex, have lots of logic built into them and have huge knowledge bases. It all depends on the need. What is a Chatbot? A chatbot is a computer program or AI system designed to simulate conversation with human users, typically through text-based or voice-based interactions. It's often used for tasks like answering questions, providing information, or assisting with various online services. Note the key points in this definition: “simulate conversation”, “through text-based or voice-based”. Basically you can communicate to a chatbot by typing or talking. Then, the best feature: “used for tasks like answering questions”, “or providing information”. How can a Chatbot be used in a Business? Think how many times customers ask for information. How many staff ask questions of other staff, other people, of suppliers. Almost every internal telephone call is someone asking a question or providing information. What types of questions? Some examples.
A chatbot could answer many of these questions. You may ask why you would want to use a chatbot when the person who knows the answer is immediately available? The answer is TIME: No, the person who knows the answer is not always available or is possibly busy with other things. Let’s save that person’s time. A chatbot on the other hand IS always available. There is another benefit to the chatbot having the required knowledge: This is a good way to store and disseminate company knowledge. If the one expert in the company were to leave, without leaving detailed notes of his job, the business could potentially encounter many problems including closing down. Even if it is simple type questions that are not crucial to the business, a chatbot, or many chatbots are the way to capture and store and answer questions. Why use a chatbot when all the information has been emailed or has been put in a folder somewhere on a server? The benefit here is you can communicate with a chatbot – ask general questions to get a specific answer whereas if you don’t know the folder name, or when the email was sent, you have to spend time looking for it. The chatbot saves this inconvenience. Why have a chatbot and not a call centre? The two are not mutually exclusive. A chatbot works 24/7, whereas many smaller call centres do not. Call centres tend to cost a lot more, telephone systems, accommodation for staff, staff themselves, training of staff amongst others. It makes sense to keep the call centre for complex questions where the chatbot does not currently have answers. Over timer the chatbot will have answers to maybe 90% of all questions. Maybe some customers like (I suppose) talking to a call centre agent rather than a chatbot. Is a chatbot only for your website? No, definitely not. Most chatbots will not need to be on websites and can be on intranets. Once installed a chatbot is very convenient, easy to use and most of all saves time. Start with your first chatbot now. Call us to build it. |