Companies are always gripped by a new, cutting-edge technology that promises to revolutionize the way they conduct business. This could be the promise of better customer service, more sales, growth and so on.
But the latest technology that has captured our attention — automated bots in messaging apps like Facebook — is poised to do all of the above.
A messenger bot is a piece of software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to communicate with customers. Simply put, these bots understand what is being asked and can then formulate a response in a very human way.
As you will see, automated bots have the potential to completely revolutionize the face of customer service, marketing and sales as we know it — and for the better. Automation is very much the way of the future.
Facebook Messenger Bots And Customer Service
What makes Facebook Messenger bots different from other trends is the fact that the technology has the capacity to transform not only the way businesses market themselves but also the way they conduct customer service.
Businesses know that they have to go where their customers are. Traditionally, that space has been people’s inboxes. Today, however, that place is Facebook Messenger. In fact, 73% of people prefer live chat based on overall satisfaction, more than both phone or email.
Facebook Messenger currently has 1.2 billion active users every single month.
When it comes to customer service, it’s important to recognize that consumer behavior is changing. We can see this with Google’s emphasis on voice search. Simply put, people want information delivered in the fastest way possible. The most powerful aspect of automated bots is that they provide a direct line of communication between the problem and the solution. People don’t have to be put on hold.
Automated bots provide real-time answers and do so in a conversational way. The latter is particularly important because today’s customers want a blend of the human touch of the past and yet options for self-service at the same time.
Automated bots offer exactly what today’s consumers are looking for. These automated bots can be humanized — you can give them a name and an avatar to provide a more human-like experience — while still being able to answer questions in an instant.
We are currently working to implement this within our own Facebook page. What we anticipate being particularly powerful is the fact that it will allow us to have conversations with customers on a platform they are familiar with, instead of them having to come to our support page for help.
Many businesses, across all different types of industries, are also using chatbots as a customer service line. Marriott International’s chatbot, for example, allows members to change hotel reservations or learn how to redeem points directly from Facebook Messenger, therein allowing the company to scale without the need for additional agents.
And office supply store Staples created a Facebook-friendly bot to help provide customized updates for users, including providing order confirmation updates and notifications on shipping.
Facebook Messenger Bots And Sales/Marketing
By extension, Facebook chatbots also have the potential to revolutionize sales. From start to finish, and even beyond the actual transaction itself, chatbots support the entire sales process to convert more people into paying customers.
Makeup company Sephora uses its chatbot in Facebook Messenger to help customers book appointments and use the company’s Virtual Artist bot to help find particular lipstick colors in the company’s inventory to help expedite purchases.
But the chatbot doesn’t just streamline the buying experience.
When it comes to marketing, chatbots can track purchase history, which marketers can then use to make more timely offers. If a customer has a history of buying a particular item on their birthday every year, a bot can reach out to the customer in advance of their birthday with a deal that’s customized to their exact preferences and tastes.
Pizza Hut, for example, doesn’t just allow you to order a pizza straight from Messenger; it will also remind you of your favorite pizzas and mention any current deals.
Remember, too, that all of this takes place in Facebook Messenger, a much more personal means of communication. This means that businesses have the unique ability to connect with customers in a more intimate space, where the conversation is less sales-like and more comfortable.
Automation Is The Future
By 2020, it is predicted that 85% of customer-business relationships will be conducted without human interaction.
Automation is here to stay.
In the context of Facebook Messenger bots, the technology minimizes the need for human output, allowing your team to spend their time on more high-value tasks. At the same time, however, chatbots are programmed to stay true to your brand, which means they offer customers the ability to connect with brands in a very human, personal way while still allowing your business to grow through automation.
The Takeaway
Facebook Messenger bots are going to revolutionize the way businesses conduct customer service, sales, and marketing.
Above all, these bots provide a direct line of communication between the customer and their problem, giving customers exactly what they want: self-service and a personal, human touch.
At the same time, the bots can collect data so that businesses can reach out to customers with timely offers that customers actually want to receive — and all while saving time and money in the process.
Source. Article by Arash Asli via www.forbes.com
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