Understanding Your Users- The Ultimate Logic Behind Building your Chatbot!
Today’s technological advancements have enabled the round-the-clock availability of information and help on-demand to people via chatbots. Chatbots are software programs that can converse with human beings. This software is powered by rules and sometimes AI (Artificial intelligence). They help users find information about brands, services, products, etc. and assist with buying online.
Studies say that AI chatbots (Artificial Intelligence chatbots) enhance conversion rates. This is because they simplify the users’ web page search and scroll processes and give them an instant answer. This saves a lot of time and brings in quicker conversions. Another reason how chatbots improve conversion rates is by being personal and interacting with your users like a salesperson.
Chatbots work by understanding your users. This blog tells you more about how chatbots work, how they improve conversions, how they understand their users, and finally, the basics of building your chatbot.
How Do Chatbots Work?
The chatbot technology functions with the help of natural language processing (NLP). Even if the term NLP may be new to you, the technology is not. For, it is the same technology used in voice recognition systems used by Google Now virtual assistant. Some other common virtual assistants using this technology are Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri.
When a user types in a text message, the chatbot reads and processes it. This process is referred to as “parsing.” After this, it attempts to comprehend and interpret the user’s message by employing a complex series of algorithms. It then chooses an appropriate response from a selection of responses and relays it to the user.
Some chatbots offer an exceptional conversational experience, making it difficult to figure out whether it is a Chabot or a real person you are conversing with. Others are much easier to identify. Look at the case given above; if it hadn’t been mentioned who is stating what, it would have been extremely difficult to know whether the conversation was between two humans or a human and a chatbot.
How do chatbots improve conversions?
Humans usually don’t open up freely when talking to a real person online. This is mainly due to stigma, which is completely removed when a bot takes a human’s place on the other side. So, they are more likely to be free when they know that they interact with a chatbot. This is especially true in the case of sensitive stuff like mental health tools.
Further, many people prefer talking with chatbots due to several reasons, says a study. The prime factors that motivate people to use chatbots include-
- Productivity:
Chatbots provide quick and effective assistance or access to information. Since there is no waiting time, and since many browsing and searching procedures are eliminated, productivity is extremely improved.
In the above-given example, you can see how the chatbot assists the user in availing of different financial services. This makes the process easy and time-saving for the user.
2. Social and Relational Factors
Entertainment
Chatbots can be funny too. They can entertain users when they are bored and be useful with their funny tips. This can relax them.
Curiosity
People like to explore the abilities of chatbots or try something new with them. This is because of the curiosity evoked by the relative newness of the chatbot technology.
So, it is the productivity, Social and Relational Factors, entertainment, and curiosity factors that make people interested in chatbots. The ultimate reason behind chatbots increasing conversions is their ability to understand users.Here is detailed information in this regard.
How do chatbots understand their users?
What makes chatbots useful is their understanding of their user’s needs. Users want to get assistance or information as quickly as possible with as little friction as possible. And chatbots deliver this. Unlike apps or websites, they eliminate the signup or sign in processes. And if they gain access to your social profile, they can instantly personalize information.
Based on their complexity, chatbots are classified into two sub-classes: simple chatbots and Smart or Advanced chatbots. The Simple chatbots work based on certain pre-set commands, while the Smart chatbots are intuitive and powered by AI.
Simple chatbots
Simple chatbots work by following certain pre-written keywords. Each command is written by the developer using regular expressions or other types of string analysis. In situations where the chatbot doesn’t comprehend what the user is stating, it replies with a statement like “Sorry, I don’t get you.” Below given are a few examples of simple chatbots-
- Food chatbots: These chatbots help you find what to eat and where to eat. These are becoming more and more popular among restaurants appearing in local search results. These can suggest a recipe to cook for your meal, a restaurant to dine at, or the ingredients you’ll need to make the dish of your choice.
- Weather chatbots: These chatbots give you a quick weather report whenever you ask those for it. People use these to know what kind of weather can be expected in a particular location on that day to make well-informed decisions like carrying an umbrella along, avoiding attending an event held there, etc.
- News chatbots: These chatbots let you know the details of any interesting happening. CNN’s chatbot is one of the best news chatbots out there. You can type in messages like “Politics” or “Medicine” to get the recent stories and info in the concerned field.
Smart chatbots
Smart or advanced chatbots rely on AI to interact with users. So, unlike simple chatbots that present readymade responses, these chatbots respond with adequate recommendations on the topic. Further, it keeps track of all the words stated by the users for processing later. However, artificial intelligence cannot generate amazing user experiences unless a lot of work goes in.
Here are a few examples of common AI chatbots.
Friend chatbots
Despite the increasing conveniences of today, people all over the world experience shallow relationships. This has led them to look for befriending technology, and this is where friend chatbots play their role. Microsoft’s Xiaoice chatbot is used by more than 20 million people in China for a friendly chat.
- Appointment scheduling chatbots: These AI chatbots help appointment-heavy industries like dental offices, clinics, salons, etc., schedule their appointments with clients. These bots can also collect feedback/reviews and run “refer a friend” promotions.
- Life Advice chatbots: As described earlier, people are free to open up with chatbots. Hence they turn to life advice chatbots to tell them their problems, and it, in turn, helps them think of solutions to those.
- Meditate chatbots: These AI chatbots walk users through meditation exercises to help them stay calm. It thus aids users to stay mindful throughout the day, alleviating stress and conflict.
- Finance chatbots: People interested in finance in general use these chatbots. These help them to find answers to their finance-related queries securely and conversationally.
The Basics of Building your Chatbot
With chatbots getting popular with each popular day, their potential usage in various fields is continually growing. Every business, ranging from banking to rehabilitation facilities, can benefit from using a chatbot. For, its potential customers are searching online to find the right product or service in the niche.
Launching a chatbot that can answer those customer queries that keep them from converting can increase conversions. For, if your user has already gained value from your chatbot, your salesperson can build on that positive interaction when he comes forward to discuss the sale.
When building your bot, make sure that it can converse with a touch of personality. This can make the conversation more fun and boost user engagement. Incorporate user-friendly language to render the chat more human-like.
Further, back it up with data and results. This will help the AI chatbot to look into previous conversations with users to learn and derive insights. Besides, since you’ll never predict everything your users want, empower users to give feedback directly through the bot. And offer human intervention where your bot cannot handle it further.
Chatbots, though relatively new technology, can be employed by almost any business or brand. These have immense potential in increasing your conversions. For, people like to interact with these than with a real salesperson. The ultimate logic behind its working is getting to understand your users well. So, take advantage of being ahead of the curve and start building your chatbot today!
Author Bio
Shivani is a content writer at NotifyVisitors. She writes SEO articles, blogs, and guest posts for businesses to improve website ranking on SERP. Shivani follows a balanced approach for the quality of content and its marketing. She loves to do creativity, although she had an English major in her graduation.
