Chatbots can prove to be excellent tools for ensuring an excellent customer experience. Learn about their advantages and disadvantages.
At we-go, we had the opportunity to work with some innovative companies that wanted to develop a project for the strategic management of their knowledge base. The goal that drove the activity was to make internal customer support activities more efficient and, at the same time, develop self-support tools for their customers.
The brand challenge? To deliver a customer experience that is in line with the target audience and positive for customers, so as to ensure immediate satisfaction and trust over time. This is the new era, that of the experience economy.
Chatbots as tools to improve the customer experience
This concept refers to the transition between economic models in which the economy based on goods and services is being superseded by an era in which experiences are the main driver of consumer value.
In the experience economy, consumers seek memorable and engaging experiences that satisfy their emotional and psychological desires.
The era of the experience economy has been enabled by technological innovation, which has made it possible to personalize consumer experiences and deliver interactive and immersive experiences through virtual reality, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and other tools.
In short, it has changed the way companies create and deliver value to their customers. Immersive and memorable experiences have become the new standard for consumers, and companies that can deliver such experiences are able to stand out from the competition and create value for their customers. Industry data tell us that 79% of users buy more after a positive customer support experience, and 7 out of 10 customers believe that poor customer support is worse than offering no support at all.
This new asset requires a change in business mindset, where companies must be able to create engaging and valuable experiences for their customers, rather than just selling products or services. Not only that, the evolution also comes through the adoption of innovative systems for intelligent and automated data storage, consultation and reprocessing.
The innovative tools being used in customer support are chatbots, which are computer programs designed to simulate a human conversation through the use of artificial intelligence. These use machine learning algorithms to improve their ability to understand and respond to user requests. Specifically, the program is able to perform actions from input received from the user, such as requesting information within the chat about contact information, prices, return procedures, etc.
Chatbots can perform more or less complex tasks, such as providing preset information to certain questions or guiding users toward performing complex tasks, without human intervention. Chatbots make use of human language processing (NPL and NPU) technologies and artificial intelligence systems to perform tasks in line with human needs and expectations in a very short time.
For example, shopping assistants can provide chat customers with suggestions on available products relevant to the information requested, so as to potentially expand sales through customer care activities.
Chatbots in user experience: advantages and disadvantages
Chatbots are used in a variety of contexts, including customer service, technical support, e-commerce, and marketing. They can be used to automate certain tasks, reduce staff workload, and improve the user experience.
Amazon and Ikea are just two of the giants that have set out to improve the customer experience through the use of chatbots that can speed up the purchasing process. These programs make it possible to provide automated responses to customers without human intervention at the initial stage, thereby reducing operating costs and offering timely assistance at all times.
ADVANTAGES
Among the most significant advantages are in fact 24/7 availability and immediate response. In fact, chatbots can be programmed to be available at all times, even outside working hours, and assist customers at any time, providing immediate responses. With customer care systems of this type, it is possible to provide automated answers to common questions from potential customers, saving operators time that can be used to focus on more specific aspects and on providing better assistance. Likewise, users receive a real-time response to their information needs from preset FAQs, making their path to purchase faster and more intuitive.
Market data tell us that already 50 percent of decision makers are innovating with self-support tools. This is a positive as customer satisfaction and loyalty are directly proportional to the quality of engagement and support they receive from companies.
On the operators' side, on the other hand, the benefit is to be supported by efficient and intuitive systems. This means being more attentive and informed and increasing their level of expertise, thus transforming them into consultants who deliver better results in terms of listening and action.
DISADVANTAGES
Disadvantages include limitations in understanding requests: chatbots may not be able to understand complex or unstructured customer requests, which could lead to inadequate or frustrating responses. Lack of empathy is also a concern, because the emotional understanding typical of a human operator, computers have not yet learned!
Chatbots are therefore not suitable for performing tasks that require a deep understanding of users' needs, as they would risk providing approximate if not misleading information, such that they would worsen customer care service rather than improve it!
In general, the use of chatbots in the customer experience can be an advantage if they are used appropriately, integrating them synergistically with the overall customer experience and without losing sight of the importance of the human aspect and emotionality in the interaction process.