Are Chatbots the Future?

There is no doubt that having live online chat software as part of your business dealings can make for speedier customer service. Having improved in quality over the last few years, used in conjunction with a great FAQ section and an easy-to-use website, a chatbot completes the trifecta that comprises great customer service. But are chatbots the future when it comes to dealing with customers? Do customers prefer chatbots or would rather have the human touch? Let's dig in and see if we can answer this question.

The Value of Getting an Answer “Now”

We are all incredibly busy. Great customer experience is not just about the human component but involves having technology geared toward the customers’ needs. Customers expect responses on a platform like social media within 30 minutes. When we are using live online chat software the fact is that there is no time to waste; customers need an instant response.

Therefore, having a chatbot that can provide major insights instantly is so important. But when a customer is looking for an answer “now,” it is something they could have acquired via the FAQ section of a website. While a customer needs an answer now, potentially the customer may feel like they need to deal with a human at the other end of the line.

Can Chatbots Straddle the Balance?

The big benefit of having live online chat software is that companies have a way to build a bridge with a customer instantly. Going on a website and having that friendly pop-up appear in the corner of the screen will do a lot to reach out to a customer, while also making sure the business is able to build a bridge at the same time. But customers are savvy and know chatbots are automated responses. So how do we ensure that chatbots work effectively while still having that all-important human component?

This is where having chatbots programmed with the right tone of voice based on how your brand communicates makes a big difference. Personality is pivotal when it comes to promoting yourself, and chatbots are the first port of call to ensure that any customer using your website is able to get the answers they need. A chatbot in place with the right types of words that reflect your business and your customer service approach will make a massive difference.

Conversational AI has seen major changes in the last few years because the software is catching up at a phenomenal rate. Conversational AI is predicted to have an annual growth rate of 22% from 2020 up to 2025. This combined with improved NLP (natural language processing), and deep learning, chatbots are going to be able to mirror somebody's tone of voice and speak to them in a way that makes the customer feel more at ease.

Are Chatbots a Replacement for Human Interaction?

Customers need reliance on the human factor. Customer service is still at a crossroads because we still have the almost antiquated perception of customer service; that mild-mannered waiter in the restaurant or someone at the cash register. In the digital age, the value of customer service is more important than ever and there needs to be a focus on the human touch, regardless of how digital your business is.

Customers need a variety of options and will choose the one thing that resembles their needs the most at that time. This is why chatbots are very beneficial for people who have no time to waste. They want to be able to get onto a website and have their questions answered quickly. However, there are other customers who are not keen on the digital approach because they are able to see through what is really going on. So where does the answer lay?

A Combination of Factors

Chatbots are not a replacement for that human connection but they still serve an incredibly important purpose. A chatbot in the form of live online chat software is there to build a bridge between business and customer. If the software does not answer the customer’s questions, this is when it needs to go one step further and have the issues dealt with by a real person.

The problem in many customer service centres is that the representatives have the same frame of reference as the software and, sometimes, the customers themselves. However, customers still want that warmth that may come with speaking to a real person. For many people, the biggest bugbear is when a customer is not able to speak to a real person when a problem arises.

Research undertaken by Accenture states that 58% of customers prefer to deal with a person to get an answer, and when problems arise, 73% of people prefer human interaction. Does this mean that chatbots are ill-equipped to deal with customer problems? Not in the slightest.

For any business, a chatbot is there to serve a very important purpose. It is able to collect all of the information available via the website to solve approximately 80% of customer problems. A business should not necessarily rely on a chatbot to do its job for them, but is the digital equivalent of an in-store greeter; they need to be present and correct to provide that warmth and welcome to a website.

Customers can prefer human interaction, but we need to give them the option to choose the method that suits them based on their needs at that moment. Customers prefer speedy answers when a problem arises, but if we use a mixture of live online chat software while also giving customers the option to deal with a human, in the hope that things are processed quicker, it benefits both sides of the equation.

What's the Real Future?

In the realm of customer service, chatbots serve a very important purpose, but we have to remember that for it to be an effective component going forward, it needs to operate in combination with user experience and human interaction. Chatbots make one side of a very effective triangle in customer service.