The use of artificial intelligence elements in the field of e-commerce and services is, if not the main one, then one of the main trends in modern e-marketing. Among them, the most popular are programmable modules that allow interaction with users in real-time. They are known as "chatbots" and are algorithms implemented within messengers (FB, Telegram, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Slack, etc.)
Why and who needs chatbots?
Bots allow you to minimize the costs associated with daily and similar interactions with a large number of users. As in other areas of business and production, automation of the workflow is advisable if the tasks and goals of this process can be described and specified.
However, it would be wrong to consider chatbots exclusively in a narrow sense - as robots that answer only a limited range of questions. Modern algorithms are able to interact with the user in more complex cases. For example, they can understand and answer questions about the same thing, but formulated differently: "Where can I get the product?", "Where is the nearest pickup point?", "What is the store address?", etc. Thus, chatbots are useful even where the dialogue with the client can be variable and non-linear.
In cases where the user formulates a request in a form that is incomprehensible to the robot, as well as when its algorithms do not allow giving a useful and unambiguous answer, the program has the ability to switch the interlocutor to a real person. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the load on operators by 3 times, cutting off typical questions, which account for up to 70%, in automatic mode.
In what areas can they be used?
Chat bots can be implemented almost everywhere. Here are some of the most popular areas:
- online retail (including consulting primary users, tracking order status, advertising mailings to customers);
- in recruiting agencies (conducting interviews);
- registration in an electronic queue (for a doctor's appointment, for submitting/receiving documents, etc.);
- in public catering (reserving tables and placing an order in a restaurant);
- everywhere where there is technical customer support (solving operational issues, including those related to payment, connection/disconnection services, tariff changes, etc.).
Despite the fact that chatbots can be implemented in any e-commerce segment, they will be most in demand in the near future in mass retail.
What benefits does the user receive?
It is obvious that the functions that chatbots have taken on can be implemented (and are successfully implemented) in a more familiar form - through a web interface or installed applications. Why are these standard methods of interaction with users being abandoned?
- People are tired of the lifeless web interface.
- Mobile device users are reluctant to install new applications because they save smartphone resources.
- Users have become lazy and do not want to click for a long time, to understand the menu and the new interface.
Chat bots are devoid of all these disadvantages. Main advantages:
- dialogue is the main form of communication;
- unified interface (question input field and correspondence history);
- the ability to answer using the proposed buttons (without typing);
- No need to search for anything and read unnecessary information (ask a question - get an answer).
A modern user does not want to scroll through endless pages on a site. This is especially true for those who access the Internet from mobile devices, which are limited in the amount of information displayed on the screen. The user wants to get an answer or make a purchase quickly and with minimal time. Here are just a few figures that would confirm the validity of this thesis for mass retail:
- 2/3 of buyers "merge" in the process of "browsing" the catalog - someone does not know exactly what they need, another - does not find a suitable one, the third - is simply distracted and does not return;
- The chatbot algorithm allows you to find the right product 70% faster;
- The robot simulates human communication, asks questions ("What color jeans do you offer?", "Are you looking for a desktop or laptop?", "What size shoes do you wear?"), which sets the buyer up to continue the dialogue and increases the likelihood of making a purchase.
As a result, both the user and the seller remain satisfied. The former gets less tired of searching for products. The second one gets an increase in conversion and purchases.
Theoretically, a complete rejection of call center operators in many areas of mass e-commerce is already real today. However, most companies work according to the “chatbot for starters” scheme: if the user’s request cannot be resolved automatically, then the help of a real operator is indispensable. We should not forget that chatbots are a good alternative to standard e-mail marketing for promoting goods and services among loyal customers, and for informing about the arrival of new goods, promotions, and sales.
