Where you should install a chatbot

Time to install a chatbot?

As chatbots continue to grow in popularity our understanding of their applications will follow.

And with benefits including cost reductions and an improved customer experience, it’s no wonder there has been an explosion of companies looking to install a chatbot.

The next thing to be considered alongside what chatbots can do is where can they be used?

If thinking about a chatbot, where should you deploy it so you get maximum impact and ROI?

Here are some of the most common environments where chatbots reside and have positive impacts.

3 Key channels to install a chatbot

1. Messaging apps

Messaging apps are the number one place chatbots are being developed, and for good reason.

Customers are beginning to spend more and more of their time in these apps so it makes sense to leverage the opportunity.

A solution developed for Messaging apps will also have mobile and desktop reach catering to two key areas.

Messaging apps bring in app convenience in that you can switch from talking to your friend, order a pizza, book your next holiday then go back to chatting to your friend simply and easily.

They do away with the hassle of downloading multiple apps along with providing an interface we are already comfortable and familiar with.

Other benefits of messaging apps include their multimedia interfaces which can lead to faster issue resolution as sharing of information is more effective.

Research also shows 70% of people leave notifications on for their messaging apps giving businesses opportunities to go outbound for important updates.

Globally and locally the leading messenger app is Facebook Messenger (top three in Australia are Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp and Snapchat).

It has the largest reach worldwide with over 1 billion users along with the most support making it an easy choice.

Additionally, the platform is continually being updated bringing new functionality which businesses can leverage to improve customer experience.

If thinking about launching chatbots, Messenger should be high on your short list of preferred deployment platforms.

2. Your website

Your website is another place where chatbots can be deployed for effective results.

There are two ways this can be done.

If you already use live chat by a provider, chatbots can be developed to plug in and become an effective first line reducing actual queries your agents resolve (as long as the provider allows this).

They would resolve simple queries, deflect contacts where possible and then seamlessly hand over the more complex queries to agents to resolve.

Chatbots can also be embedded into your website where desired to answer, for example, FAQ’s.

They could also be used to gather information via a series of questions to be passed on to an agent e.g. sales leads for the sales team.

In these applications where the chatbot is unable to resolve a query, a ticket could be created then sent to a team for contact at the desired point.

3. Your company App

The next place chatbots can be developed where it would be effective for customer service is in your company app.

Apps built to cater for customer needs have become increasingly robust in recent years aiming to become a hub for the customer.

There are options to get assistance via live chat in some apps.

Chatbots can also plug into your app and assist customers to resolve their queries and/or guide them to accomplish certain key functions.

Where there is a live chat option the chatbot could again seamlessly pass on complex issues to the team answering the chats.

Further heavy investment in apps may be worthwhile but should be carefully considered as recent research shows that many consumers are facing app fatigue.

In all cases, chatbots can collect customer profiles (Messenger has a slight head start with some information already made available) which allows businesses to personalise their interactions for customer benefit.

The collection of information means chatbots complement and aid omnichannel solutions.

They can link your personal information with your contact history across all deployed touch points resulting in a consistent message and experience.

This ultimately results in a positive experience and helps further build the emotional connection between businesses and customers.