Tip Tuesday’s Ask an Expert: “What is a Chat Bot and Could One Help My Business?”
What is a Chat Bot?
Chatbots are becoming more and more prevalent as you shop, research, and “tour” the internet. Whether you need help with a product or service, or you have just a few questions about a problem, chatbots have become a solution to many businesses’ customer service pains. But for those of us not yet privy to the world of chatbots…what are they? And could one help my business?
Chatbots can be anything from robust to very simplified. However, at their most basic level, they are a computer program that automates answers to commonly asked questions spoken or typed in a natural language format. They can easily reference data to answer questions like…
- “Where’s my package?”
- “What colors does this come in?”
- “How can I place an order?”
Chatbots can also escalate to a live agent or question queue. Most importantly, they can help address frequently asked questions and offload work, freeing up your valuable employees to focus on more impactful projects. Many people like chatbots because they can interact with users in a conversation-like format. Businesses like chatbots because they can often resolve issues without ever needing to involve a live agent.
Chatbots can learn and even change which both excites and frightens us as this form of AI continues to evolve. Some have even claimed they are sentient.
Should I Utilize a Chatbot For My Business?
So, could this technology be good for your business? That depends. We always recommend a cost/benefit analysis before spending in any new area and in order to decide on a new service you have to also consider your pain points. Some good questions to ask include: Are you spending a lot of time answering questions from customers? What type of questions are you getting?
Many pain points can be addressed with small improvements to your website or a few social media posts. You will even notice how successful companies address questions in easy-to-use FAQ sections of their websites. There are lots of ways to look at solving issues with customer service and investing in a chatbot is just one of them. For help deciding on your next business investment, schedule a consulting call with Desert Creative Group.
Don’t Miss Out on Tip Tuesday!
For more marketing and business-related tips, sign up for our weekly #tiptuesday email newsletter here:
