More and more companies are looking for an AI chatbot development service to supplement their business activities. It is said that 53% of service organizations will be using chatbots in the nearest future (source: SmallBizGenius). This shouldn’t be a surprise. A conversational AI can save money and time while improving the customer experience. Data on Startup Bonsai suggests that they can save businesses 8 billion USD by 2022!
Most significant benefits of building a chatbot for your business
- 24/7 assistance and immediate feedback to the customer. And a better customer experience means more loyal customers.
- Lead generation and qualification can be automated with a chatbot and AI algorithm. It makes the process more efficient and relieves your employees.
- An algorithm can handle tedious and time-consuming tasks. This can improve your employees’ efficiency and means you need less staff and can therefore reduce operating costs.
- Chatbots are dependable and rarely require maintenance. They give consistent feedback and are endlessly patient.
- With the right AI chatbot development service, you can configure it to acquire and analyze data about your customers and leads effortlessly.
Why you need an AI chatbot
Customer service is a vital part of your business. It can remedy a poor consumer experience and increase customer retention. Additionally, a well-designed consumer service model is a great way to receive feedback to improve your business.
Keep in mind that a customer retention strategy is usually more efficient and less expensive than acquiring new ones. Research conducted by Bain & Company states that a 5% increase in customer retention produces more than a 25% increase in profit.
Typically, you would either hire staff to take care of customer service or outsource it to a call center. Both of these methods mean all interactions are handled by people. People who aren’t available 24/7 and can only answer a fixed amount of requests at any given time. People who make mistakes and are oftentimes expensive to employ.
This is where an AI chatbot development service can prove to be an excellent investment. Using a conversational AI, you can offer continuous support to your customers. Software has infinite patience and doesn’t require it from the client – the answers it gives are instant.
But chatbots aren’t limited only to customer service. The same mechanism useful in customer support is great for generating and qualifying leads. A good algorithm can also gather detailed information about your customer base, which you can use for making improvements.
Here’s how your chatbot can look!
Success stories
But are chatbots really that useful? Let’s look at two case studies. In 2012 Amtrak, the train operator that serves 30 million passengers a year, introduced a conversational AI called Julie to their website. As a result, they reportedly saved a million dollars a year on customer service (800% return on investment). And bookings increased by 25%! If you’d like to read more on the topic, check out this article by Overthink Group.
Chatbots are useful in smaller companies too. For example, when Anymail finder was just a two-person startup, they found themselves answering the same repetitive questions multiple times. And with just two people running the business, this seriously impacted their ability to perform other essential tasks.
The virtual helper they implemented proved to be a blessing, enabling them to smoothly manage customer service with the efficiency of an entire department. In 2017 they said that the chatbot played a crucial role in producing more than 60% of their revenue. You can read more about it in this article published on the Upscope blog.
AI chatbots vs. human interaction
If you’re thinking about using an AI chatbot development service, one of the main concerns you may have is if people will want to use the product. Some reports suggest that 43% of people will still choose an actual person over a chatbot. However, most of them won’t mind a hybrid model in which they connect to a human through a virtual assistant. And after all, chatbots are meant to supplement your staff, not replace them.
The virtual helper can answer basic questions and solve simple problems while your skilled employees take on the more complicated cases. This way, your staff works more efficiently. Moreover, they won’t have to respond to repetitive and banal questions, so their motivation should keep a steady, high level.
Why should your chatbot have an avatar?
Once you choose a good AI chatbot development service and start building your AI assistant, it’s wise to consider giving them an avatar. A visual representation of your chatbot will give the experience a more personal and genuine feel. It also has a chance of attracting people who are hesitant to use conversational AI.
The avatar can be anything you imagine – a person, animal, robot or mythical creature. It’s good to adjust it to your audience. For example, if your primary customers are into technology, you can create a futuristic robot to represent your virtual assistant. What’s more, an avatar can be an embodiment of your brand, almost like a mascot. This, in turn, can be used to a great extent as an effective marketing tool.
Choose an AI chatbot development service tailored to your needs
Ready to raise your game and get ahead of your competitors? Increase your work efficiency, enhance your customer experience and build a company of the future. When searching for an AI chatbot development service, look for a provider with experience and a good work ethic. Pick a skillful and accomplished team for the best results.
At 4Experience, we genuinely care about our clients and their success is our top priority. We’re a team of skilled professionals with years of experience in programming, AI & machine learning, 3D graphic design and many more. We will build your chatbot from scratch and give it a likable and appealing 3D avatar.
Do you still have some questions or concerns? Not sure how your chatbot should work or look? Click here to learn more about the opportunities and schedule a free 60-minute consultation.
