Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and machine learning are pervading all industries. These technologies are making business processes more smooth and efficient. The same technologies, especially AI, are transforming the way customer service is delivered.
Now more than ever, customers expect a prompt response to their queries and solutions to their problems. Chatbots, thus, are taking place of BPO professionals.
What is a chatbot?
A chatbot is a simple AI program that responds to customer queries like a human customer service agent. The interaction between a chatbot and a customer happens via a text-based interface.
Chatbots are faster and more efficient than human agents. Not to mention, they are available 24/7, while customer service agents can’t be available for that long. Thus, the use of chatbots for customer service has increased significantly over the past few years and their applications continue to grow.
According to Chatbot magazine, banks are expected to automate up to 90% of their customer interactions by 2023. The industry is witnessing the increasing use of chatbots to help customers.
Here are some prominent examples of chatbot use in the industry —
- Apple – With the aim to preserve the company’s reputation as a progressive tech company, has invested in artificial intelligence (AI) platform Voysis with the eye to use natural language interfaces to pioneer a new kind of customer experience. Similarly, the company has invested in a VR company to support augmented reality (AR) glasses in 2023.
- Shell – The oil giant uses a chatbot to answer questions pertaining to oils and lubes. In addition to that, the chatbot offers information related to various Shell products, services, and careers.
- Microsoft— The tech giant uses a chatbot for its finance department to help employees get answers to some frequently asked questions. The chatbot is based on Microsoft proprietary framework. The company has ventured further in artificial intelligence with the AR Holo Lens project.
What’s more –customer service rendered through chat costs nearly 50% less than phone-based Further, chat communication is faster than any other mode of communication including email and phone calls.
Does this mean the BPO industry will be eradicated?
Chatbots are becoming more popular. However, many companies are also looking at options that combine human interaction with the speed of an AI program. Combining live chat and chatbots will yield greater benefits.
Live chat + chatbots
Using live chat agents can talk directly to customers without a phone.
According to a research by J.D. Power, 46% of customers prefer live chat over other mode of communication. The research further found that 38% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company if they offer live chat support. This makes live chat a good medium for companies to employ for customer service.
The following are some examples of how companies are taking advantage of live chat.
- SnapEngage: The company launches a chat invitation as soon as a customer encounters a 404 page. This is based on the belief that visitors are 70% more likely to leave a website if they encounter a 404 page. The chat invites visitors to discuss rather allowing them to leave the website.
- Betway – This online casino uses a customer service live chat on its website to engage users and answer questions to their queries, rather have their customers wait in phone queues and move away from the website.
- Canyon Bicycles – This global U.S-based company uses live chat to provide multilingual customer service support. One customer service representative manages multiple live chats, overcoming logistical problems of providing multi-language support.
Chatbots presents an opportunity for companies to automate their customer service completely and reduce their dependence on BPO. Combining, live chat and chatbots, may help companies deliver better customer service.
