Chatbots are used by businesses to increase Brand Awareness, Brand Reach and Brand Credibility.
Many brands and businesses are embracing the idea of automating and scaling using technology. One such phenomenon which is taking business and brands by storm is Chatbots. How can businesses create a relationship-based approach and automation without being spooky? By building intelligent systems, apps and bots. When automation is approached with consideration and care your business can create an experience which your users will welcome. Your business can save money and time with the empowered workforce.
In this process, designers and developers play an essential role in defining how each conversation will be carried out and the behaviours users can expect when interacting with bots.
However, despite the best intentions some chatbots fail to deliver the user experience that is seamless, delightful and efficient as we envisioned the bot to do.
I am approached by many clients to make sure their chatbots will work, so here is a list of seven mistakes to avoid in the first place and how to fix them.
1. Chatbots aren’t Intelligence yet unless it is programmed to be intelligent
Many social media make sure it doesn’t get there after the Microsoft debacle on TWITTER. So, the response given by the bot depends on specific rules or keywords identified in the user’s input, so, the designer or programmer must anticipate all potential user inputs and their particular outputs. Make your chatbots as intelligent as possible so that when interacted or engaged it gives intelligent answers for simple questions.
2. Let us get real; some bots are not useful
If your robot is not helping solve a problem or create engagement, then it is useless. Sorry, to be blunt that is what is going to happen. It is like any business, if your business is not solving a problem then it is mute to have a company at all. The bot must facilitate a process either buy a product, subscribe to a service or receive extraordinary customer care then hand it to human to solve some complicated problems. When the bots are made useful, then it makes your workforce empowered and efficient.
3. Make it transparent that people are speaking with a bot
How much ever many businesses say that they are transparent, unfortunately, many dark secrets are lingering in their closets. They bring the same whenever they try to build software, app or bots. So, some bots do lack transparency when you develop your bot to make sure that the user is chatting with a bot instead of a human. Setting up the right expectation upfront is crucial. Then make your bot so intelligent they forget that they are talking with bot because it is solving their problems. If your users need human interaction, then they can have any time.
4. Make Chatbot Conversational
The Bots have no discernment, so when setting up your Chatbot, it is essential to conduct the conversation in a way that makes sense, within an established context and simple. That means, the process of answering questions or queries are well-thought upfront and sequence are set up the way you want your user understands without calling your team for simple answers. It will ruin the purpose of the bot and your staff’s morale if they are firefighting the bot which needs to be intelligent. It is what has been happening with the corporate systems.
5. Make sure Chatbots are integrated seamlessly
The chatbots do not easily integrate with the external systems; to keep the cost down and keep it simple, please don’t try to recreate the functionality from scratch, for example, creating a bot to book appointments. If your chatbot cannot communicate with your existing appointment and scheduling system, then it will create more work and will lack consistency for the user. It will create a negative experience.
6. Make your Chatbot simple.
We all know KISS principle, do not overcomplicate the processes. Do not add too many resources. Your time is well spent in providing solutions that will solve a problem for your user, may the user be better served, buy the product with ease, get all the doubts answered before signing for your service, communicate with you with one-click.
7. Always, give options to your users to interact with your team and unsubscribe
Whenever they think your bot is not providing them with answers and not serving them. The technology is not foolproof, it fails, and users still want to be able to speak with human beings to help them solve their problems. Always offer the option of human interaction.
Your brand’s or business’s primary goal is to solve the problems your audience have, and they need to be treated as human in the flesh and have feelings and emotions. When you automate your process with this in mind, you are always winning.
