Chatbots are new technological gadgets to communicate with customers via the web. Real demand is emerging. Nevertheless, one should not rush on them by using them wrongly. Indeed, the chatbot must be the result of a real reflection and not a simple marketing tool. To conceive the whole issue, it is necessary to know what a chatbot is, then to see the conditions of its implementation, and finally to have a perception of the additional work that its creation and its use may require.
But what is a chatbot?
A chatbot is a program that will allow you to automatically provide answers to your users’ questions, or even retrieve data. It will be able to retrieve and integrate them into a database. There are two ways to do this:
- directly: by asking the visitors for information (address, phone number, e-mail,…);
- indirectly: by using data provided on social networks (age, gender, name, …).
The interface is thus created between Man and machine. The latter will have to give the illusion of a sensible, even friendly dialogue. Nevertheless, these dialogues follow a script. Thus, words, even expressions will play the role of “triggers”. This method can go hand in hand with “machine learning”, using linguistic analysis.
Why set up a chatbot?
If you have a high bounce rate, it may mean that your visitors are not finding what they came for. Accompanying them may then be necessary. This accompaniment can then be done by a chatbot. Moreover, if you receive a large number of questions by email or if your FAQ is a very visited page, a chatbot may be necessary.
In some particular cases, it can be interesting to set up one for the realization of registration. Indeed, a chatbot can have a reassuring aspect by removing the doubts and the brakes of the users. But above all, the chatbot must be the fruit of your reflection. It must improve the service you offer to your users!
How to prepare the creation of a chatbot and maintain it?
Only you know your users perfectly. So, you have to think about what it will be used for and if the benefit for you and your community will be interesting enough compared to the cost of the creation (ranging from 1 500 to more than 100 000€). Sometimes it is even better to set up a simple chat. Once you are aware of the benefits and also of the goal you are pursuing, you need to set up a scheme. It should take the form of a funnel to lead to the goal.
Moreover, it will include the different interactions, as much on the human side, as on the robot side (if you need help, don’t hesitate to contact your growth hacking agency). These reflections can take some time but are essential to calibrate the chatbot in an optimal way. Moreover, you will probably not have anticipated all the questions that the user may ask. It is, therefore, necessary to organize a regular watch on new questions. Once identified, you have to integrate them into the chatbot’s scheme by providing the appropriate answer.
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We can help you in all the steps of the creation of a chatbot, whether it is at the level of your reflections or its conception.
