Chatbots are a useful technology for businesses, especially smaller, resource-strapped companies, TNW reports. By investing in chatbots, decision makers can save employees’ time by automating redundant conversations, save money, and better service their customers’ needs.
Even better, TNW says that “simple yet impactful chatbots are possible to build without prior coding knowledge,” which is good news for not-so-tech-savvy decision makers. Simpler solutions can be up and running in a matter of hours, especially if the following steps are taken:
- Learn what your chatbot can do, and build your plan around it
Decision makers can have a chatbot built by a team of designers or technologists, such as ones found at Flow.ai, without knowing a single segment of coding. Some teams are able to utilize software to build apps to fulfill specific purposes. For example, Flow.ai can adapt conversations into real-time, using a technique called natural language processing, TNW says.
Decision makers should also keep in mind that designer teams can often customize how their chatbots interact with customers. This is especially useful after decision makers have determined the use cause and channel for the chatbots, finished flow design, and integrated other services the business needs.
- Bros before bots
Even though a chatbot can converse and translate the flow of a conversation with customers, they will never replace human empathy. As a result, TNW advises decision makers to consider chatbots as a means to smooth humans’ workflows: “Chatbots aren’t people, so avoid using them as people-replacements. Instead, think of chatbots as a tool that enables lives to become better.”
- Security is still the golden rule
While chatbots are meant to make decision makers’ lives easier at work, they can also cause nightmares if security isn’t considered. TNW recommends that decision makers keep in mind that because chatbots are new digital communication mediums, that means they can bring new vulnerabilities to businesses. This even includes the design team that decision makers may have hired to build the chatbots in the first place: “Anyone who’s responsible for building a chatbot needs to take steps in the planning to prevent a potential security breach. Every conversation opens up a new channel for a bad actor,” TNW says.
As a result, TNW recommends that decision makers understand where to take precautions. “The key is to focus on why customers are engaging in chatbot conversations so that you can implement security protocols, unique to your company, as preventative measures.”
Once these steps are taken, the chances of successful chatbot implementations increase, as does customers’ satisfaction, and the ROI of decision makers’ investment.
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