How do people perceive chatbots?
Today, chatbots are one of the main customer support channels in many companies that have decided to implement them in recent years. According to data collected by Drift, chatbots saw a 92% use increase since 2019.
However, it is impossible to argue that many people resist talking to chatbots. Perhaps you have even held a conversation that ended in a fiasco?
Meanwhile, as many as 67% of consumers around the world agree that the quality of customer service is growing (Microsoft). It is difficult not to associate this fact with the increasing automation and the presence of artificial intelligence in interactions with customers.
So what is the real attitude of modern consumers to chatbots? Does it matter for them whether they interact with human or artificial intelligence? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article below.
Chatbots in the eyes of users
67% of consumers around the world have talked with a chatbot in the last 12 months. (Invesp) Most of them (87%) rate this experience as positive or neutral. (Drift)
The growing popularity of chatbots is not surprising. Most of us use various types of chats every day. Messenger has practically replaced texting and other forms of communication. Contemporary customers are therefore simply familiar with such contact channels – and they want to use them also when interacting with companies.
On the other hand, however, you cannot deny that there is, and probably will always be, a group of people who prefer personal contact with a consultant – regardless of the problem.
You need to realize that this opinion often results from bad experiences with chatbots, which in many cases can be explained by errors in the design of such tools. Chatbot based on machine learning learns with each conversation, offering an increasingly higher level of service to its recipients. Therefore, when considering modern technology, we simply cannot speak of a pointless repetition of words or phrases.
The key fact, however, is that 40% of your clients don’t care whether they talk to a bot or a human – as long as they get the help they need.
Why is it worth using chatbots in customer service?
The implementation of a chatbot has many benefits – both for customers and the companies themselves. Thanks to it:
- Customers receive an immediate response to their inquiries.
- If the report is too complicated for the chatbot, it is automatically redirected to the most competent employee.
- Your company provides personalized 24/7 customer service.
All this means that employees pay more attention to more complex cases, and customers receive better and faster service. This results in, of course, growth in the finance field. According to IMB data, companies can save up to 30% thanks to chatbots.
However, you should realize that chatbots are significant, but they are just a part of automated customer service. You can read more about it in the article: Automated customer service – is it only about the chatbots?
Summary
Chatbot is not a perfect tool. However, it will be great at answering repetitive questions from customers or solving non-complicated inquiries. In most cases, users won’t even realize they are talking to the algorithm.
Remember that your customers first and foremost want effective customer service. Chatbot is one of the tools with which you can guarantee it to them – but not the only one.
Find out more about the possibilities of automation with AIBusters!