Automation has always been part of the contact center world – and it is getting even bigger with the addition of chatbots. While they are in a basic stage now, as is with all things related to AI, chatbots are getting better the more we use them. Machine learning is different than human learning – it’s only as good as the data we feed it. Chatbots lack natural cognition to challenge inputs such as 2+2 = 5. But over time, patterns are established that make chatbots “intelligent” – smart enough to take on more and more complicated tasks.
Why are Chatbots An Option?
Here are 6 features that make chatbots an attractive option to bring more automation to your business.
Cost-effective: In order for something like chatbots to even be considered in your business, they need to be economical. AI cost curves are aiming downward as broader AI applications flourish. Development costs for chatbots have decreased to the point that it is easy and affordable for businesses to build their own. Once these chatbots are in use, they are essentially free labor.
24/7: Contact centers are a round-the-clock operation and chatbots are able to provide 24/7 assistance. Having live agents at all times of the day and night is simply too costly. Chatbots are able to make self-service a more engaging and reliable channel. Think about it… what if chatbots were programmed to handle the scheduling and meeting needs of office employees during off hours? The employees would be able to get a quicker start on their day resulting in more efficiency all around.
Swift: The processing power and speed of chatbots is greater than that of a human. Chatbots are able to perform data driven tasks in the blink of an eye – and that is something that everyone wants these days. The processing speed is vital when dealing with an unhappy customer or anyone with a time crunch for making decisions. In addition to swiftness, a chatbot’s ability to process large scale data doesn’t even compare to that of a human. Essential, complex issues requiring extensive analytics can be resolved in less time.
Flexible: Chatbots are completely customizable to any set of needs. The sky is the limit. The more specific the chatbot is, the greater its business value. However, the basics need to be understood and several pilots might need to be tried before one really works for you.
Approachable: Today no one really associates an IVR with the word “friendly” since it is obvious that you are interacting with a machine. But chatbots are different. They are built to be intelligent, even human like. Their job is to establish enough trust to get you to engage on a deeper level and in doing so, they can learn beyond that of a traditional IVR. Chatbots are the next best thing to interacting with a human and developers are building them as such.
Personable: Being relatable and even enjoyable, chatbots are at their best when they behave with personality. As natural language processing improves, a chatbot’s vocabulary becomes conversational. They mimic the way humans speak. With that comes a higher trust factor allowing for a deeper engagement. The chatbot will then be learning your preferences and needs. Gradually, chatbots will be able to handle more difficult interactions in the contact center.
Five years from now, chatbots will have advanced as far from the chatbot of today as Siri has from her original release on the iPhone 4s in 2010. There’s no better time to start using them than now. Contact Waterfield today and let us help.
