5 Tips for using a chatbot if you’re a small business
Technology has done a lot for marketing and in just a few years we’ve reached a level of sophistication not seen before. But, you know what the best thing about this is? At the same time, it’s undoubtedly been normalized.
In this article, we’ll talk about chatbots, which are as complex as they sound, but they’re also easy to implement in any business, regardless of its size.
These automated chats interact with customers based on their questions and the knowledge base they create, thanks to Artificial Intelligence, and are an incredible ally for your e-commerce.
Can I use a chatbot in a small business?
You not only can, you should. It seems like when we read that a software uses algorithms or Artificial Intelligence, our minds go to an expensive solution, one that’s hard to integrate and manage.
We always think of something created for large companies and giant corporations with huge marketing budgets and unlimited resources.
Well, forget about those preconceptions, chatbots are for you. Including one of them in your online store will help you in many ways, like improving your level of customer service, freeing up resources and selling more. In short: a chatbot makes your business more profitable.
5 Tips for SMES when using chatbots
Let’s go directly to the practical part of the matter with 5 tips that you can apply starting today if you have the right tools.
#1 – Make them take care of recurring tasks
We know very well that most questions coming to us from a chat (whether conversational or person-operated) are always the same.
It doesn’t really make sense to have someone from our team answer the same thing over and over again robotically when we can have an actual robot do that.
Best of all, they don’t only answer predefined questions; they learn as they’re used, meaning they get more useful.
#2 – Dont look at it like a substitute for people: Make them work together
It’s true, they are more and more self-sufficient, some users may even “talk” with one of them and not be able to tell the difference between that and a chat operated by a person. But the human touch cannot be underestimated.
No matter how advanced a software is, the number of scenarios and case studies that can happen in an e-commerce are practically infinite.
When looking for the best shopping experience, the smartest thing to do is create a combined strategy so your resources are more productive at all levels.
#3 – Provide solutions when necessary
Both in customer service and in the most commercial aspect of the business, one of the things that undoubtedly makes a difference is being in the right place at the right time.
Again, Artificial Intelligence (this time hand in hand with automation) comes to the rescue to provide your small business with truly advanced resources.
Basically, we’re talking about incorporating triggers to create a predefined list of situations where the user will appreciate a little extra attention.
One example in an e-commerce might be that the purchasing process stops without actually completing the order fully or comparing products. If we’re talking about another type of business where there is no direct online sale, you can also approach the customer automatically with our chat bot on pages like the contact page or our pricing.
What we have to do is present a scenario that provides a solution to a potential need.
#4 –Enhace the interaction
Although we understand digital channels to be an opportunity for the client to be almost 100% self-sufficient, they’re still an added value and the interaction with our brand is a link to them.
The classic offline model where the store staff interact with the customer almost like sales associates with something as seemingly basic as making the client feel heard.
At the same time, it helps us generate a knowledge base about what intrigues, worries or what most interests our target audience. Interaction is a way to grow and improve through understanding our audience.
#5 – They make your website more accesible and reliable
E-commerce and online businesses have long been a reality we live in on a daily basis. Still, not everyone has the same level of training to make online purchases.
A chatbot helps users who may have a lower digital profile, or who simply have more doubts regarding online transactions, be able to complete tasks more confidently and with assistance, which is ideal to get rid of breaks in conversion.
