
Chatbots in Customer Service: Enhancing or Impersonalising Brand Interaction?
Key Takeaways
- Chatbots can significantly improve cost-effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
- However, some customers will find them unhelpful and frustrating.
- Brands should ensure their chatbots are humanised and optimally programmed to get the best from them.
Customer service chatbots today
The integration of chatbots into customer service has increased remarkably in the past decade, marking a pivotal chapter in the history of digital customer interactions. While the concept of automated customer service has been around for some time, it’s in recent years that chatbots have truly found their footing.
Today, they are not just a common feature but a central component in the customer service strategies of many businesses, propelled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
Chatbots are no longer a futuristic idea, but a practical tool used by countless companies across numerous different industries. All kinds of businesses are making use of chatbots, from e‑commerce giants to small local brands. This popularity isn’t without good reason – the benefits of chatbots are several.
Offering 24/7 availability, chatbots allow businesses to communicate with customers at any time of day – a crucial competitive advantage. Customers are also more accepting of chatbots, as they’d rather get instant answers to their queries. Though chatbots are a solution to many of our modern-day expectations, they’re not perfect.
One significant issue, central to this blog, is the way in which chatbots fail to be human-like. If businesses are to succeed in their use of chatbots for customer service, the tools will need to mimic human interaction – in their information processing and responses. This human touch is what can elevate a chatbot from a query-answering machine to an engaging, empathic, and effective customer service agent.
This article will equip you with the best practices your business needs to create a successful customer service chatbot. So, let’s dive in and uncover the intricacies of these digital assistants:
Pros and cons of chatbots in customer service
Though they’re still being improved, chatbots have several attractive advantages:
Pros of chatbots in customer service
1. 24/7 availability: chatbots can operate around the clock, assisting customers at any time. This is especially beneficial for businesses with a global customer base across different time zones. Chatbots also respond to customer inquiries instantly, reducing wait times and improving the overall experience for customers.
2. Scalability: chatbots can handle a large volume of queries simultaneously, allowing businesses to manage peak times or sudden surges in customer requests without the need for additional staff. This also makes them very cost efficient as they can handle tasks that would otherwise require human resources.
3. Consistency: chatbots provide the same answers when customer queries are repeated, ensuring uniformity in the information and service provided. This offers a level of consistency not provided by human agents, who can vary in their responses and forget company information.
4. Multilingual: chatbots can be programmed to support multiple languages, making them an invaluable tool for businesses serving an international market.
5. Data collection: chatbots can gather customer data, giving businesses insights into customer needs and preferences. This information can then be used to improve services and website function, among numerous other things.
6. Handling routine queries: by automating responses to common and repetitive questions, chatbots free up human customer service representatives to focus on more complex issues. This may reduce staff costs and improve customer experiences in other areas.
These advantages highlight why chatbots have become an integral part of customer service strategy in many businesses. However, they’re not without their drawbacks. While chatbots offer efficiency and consistency, businesses are still contending with several difficulties:
Cons of chatbots in customer service
1. Limited understanding and empathy: chatbots may struggle with understanding and processing complex, nuanced, or non-standard queries, leading to customer frustration. Similarly, chatbots lack emotional intelligence and empathy, which can be crucial in handling sensitive or emotionally charged customer issues.
2. Scripted responses: chatbots often rely on pre-programmed responses, which can lead to repetitive and sometimes irrelevant replies, failing to address specific customer needs adequately. There’s also the risk that chatbots will misinterpret customer intent and language nuances, leading to incorrect responses and customer dissatisfaction.
3. Technical issues and glitches: like any technology, chatbots can experience downtime, bugs, or glitches, which can disrupt customer service operations.
4. Privacy concerns: handling personal customer data through chatbots raises privacy concerns, requiring strict data protection and security measures.
5. Impersonal interaction: some customers may find interactions with chatbots impersonal and may prefer speaking with a human representative for a more personalised service. These customers may decide to shop elsewhere. Some customers may even be resistant to interacting with chatbots in the first place and avoid online businesses that use them.
6. Limited scope of use: chatbots are often designed for specific tasks and may not be adaptable to different types of queries or industries without significant reprogramming. As a result, setting up a chatbot may be laborious and expensive.
These challenges highlight several important areas for improvement when it comes to the current state of chatbots. Businesses will need to dedicate time and thought to these issues to ensure their chatbots are working effectively and not alienating customers.
How to humanise chatbots
At the root of several of these chatbot challenges is the way in which these tools lack human-like tendencies. So, this section is dedicated to explaining how you can humanise your chatbot.
Firstly, it’s a good idea to employ advanced natural language processing (NLP). This enables chatbots to understand and interpret human language more accurately, allowing for more natural and fluid conversations. In addition, you’ll want to design your chatbot to communicate in a warm and conversational manner. It should be programmed to use colloquial language as this will make interactions feel more personal and less robotic.
Similarly, chatbots can be programmed to recognise emotional cues. This means when customer messages have an emotional tone, chatbots can respond empathically, showing understanding and care in their replies. Where appropriate, it may be a good idea to teach your chatbot how and when to use humour. This can make customer interactions more enjoyable and less formal, though this should be used extremely carefully.
Another way of humanising your chatbot is to program customisation. Chatbots should use the customer’s name and tailor responses based on customer preferences and history. This can give extra context that delivers customers a more relevant and understanding service.
Customers may also be more receptive to chatbots that use emojis, GIFs, and images when it’s appropriate. When executed appropriately, this can mimic human texting behaviour and make your chatbot more likeable.
Though chatbots can be excellent, there are always instances when a human is needed. Ensure your chatbot can identify when a customer needs to speak with a human agent – this way, your customers will get the best service possible. Make sure the transition from bot to person is smooth and doesn’t disrupt the conversation.
Chatbot technology is improving rapidly. To ensure your chatbot is as humanised as possible, make sure you regularly update its script. Machine learning algorithms enable your bot to learn from each interaction and customer feedback, which will improve its ability to
communicate in a human-like manner overtime. In addition, it’s ideal that you stay updated with current trends and improvements that you can implement to develop your bot.
Top tips for getting the best from customer service chatbots
Humanising your chatbot will provide a more comfortable and satisfying experience for your customers. While it tackles several of the challenges chatbots face, there are other areas to improve. Consider the following top tips to improve your use of the tool:
1. Give your chatbot a clear purpose
Defining the chatbot’s purpose and scope will ensure it’s programmed effectively. Start by identifying the primary needs of your customer base – are they seeking quick answers to common questions, technical support, or assistance with transactions? The chatbot’s design and capabilities should align with these needs.
A chatbot intended for handling FAQs will differ significantly from one designed for troubleshooting technical issues. It’s equally important to set realistic expectations about what the chatbot can and cannot do. Overpromising its capabilities can lead to customer frustration because the service will drop in quality.
2. Design your chatbot optimally
The success of a chatbot heavily relies on its user experience (UX) design. An optimally designed chatbot should offer an intuitive interface that customers find easy and pleasant to navigate. This involves a clear, uncluttered layout with straightforward prompts guiding the user through the interaction. Customers should be able to restart conversations easily, if they have to.
The chatbot should provide clear options for customers to be redirected to relevant pages, information, or to a human agent if their query goes beyond the chatbot’s scope. These integrations ensure that users don’t feel trapped within the chatbot interaction, but rather supported and efficiently guided towards resolution.
3. Consider your audience
When programming your chatbot, it’s crucial to consider the demographics, preferences, and expectations of your target audience. The tone of your chatbot should resonate with the users it’s intended to serve.
For a younger, more tech-savvy audience, a casual tone, sprinkled with appropriate humour and the use of GIFs, might be engaging and relatable. However, this approach may not suit a more formal or professional audience, where a straightforward, business-like tone would be more appropriate.
4. Be transparent
Transparency is crucial when integrating chatbots into customer service. It’s important to inform customers from the outset that they are interacting with an AI-powered chatbot. This honesty helps set realistic expectations about the type of assistance the chatbot can provide.
It’s equally vital to empower customers with the option to speak to a human agent at any point in their interaction. Make it clear and easy for users to request a transition from chatbot to human service, ensuring they feel their needs are your priority. This level of transparency and control significantly enhances customer trust and satisfaction with the service.
5. Teach your chatbot
To maintain relevance and provide value, it’s essential to continuously educate your chatbot. A chatbot’s knowledge base should evolve by incorporating new information and learning from interactions. This continuous learning process not only improves the chatbot’s ability to respond accurately but also helps in refining its understanding of customer queries over time.
Implement feedback loops and analytics to capture insights from customer interactions, using them to train your chatbot in areas where it may have faltered. By regularly updating its knowledge base and learning from real-world use, your chatbot becomes increasingly sophisticated, offering more helpful, precise, and contextually aware assistance.
6. Protect customer privacy
Customer privacy should be an utmost concern when using chatbots. It’s imperative to design your chatbot with robust security measures to safeguard sensitive customer data. Be transparent about data collection practices and obtain consent where necessary, adhering to data protection regulations.
Customers should be assured that their conversations are confidential and that their personal information is handled with care. Regularly review and update your privacy policies to reflect the latest standards and practices, reinforcing customer trust. By prioritising privacy, you not only comply with legal requirements but also foster a secure environment that respects and protects customer interests.
7. Monitor your chatbot
Effective chatbot management involves diligent monitoring and analysis. Regularly review interactions between your chatbot and customers to pinpoint areas needing improvement. Integrate a robust feedback mechanism, allowing users to rate their experience, which provides direct insights into the chatbot’s performance from the customer’s perspective.
Additionally, it’s crucial that you track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as resolution rate, customer satisfaction scores, and response times. These metrics are vital in assessing whether the chatbot meets its objectives. By continuously monitoring these aspects, you can refine your chatbot’s functionality, ensuring that it consistently evolves and aligns with customer expectations and business goals.
Final thoughts
As we’ve explored, the key to maximising the potential of chatbots lies in thoughtful integration and continuous refinement. While businesses must ensure their efficacy, they should also strive for humanisation.
Chatbots are a constantly evolving part of customer service. So, we can anticipate them to continually improve as we move forward. This is an exciting time for online businesses, as they can expect to see better chatbots and therefore even greater cost effectiveness and customer satisfaction.