When social media began to play a serious role in customer service a few years back, some wondered if this was just a passing trend. Given the popularity of these platforms among young consumers, companies could not be sure if this capricious crowd would stick to their digital habits—and if older consumers would follow suit. Nowadays, social media is a must for customers of all generations, thanks in part to ever-popular chatbots. According to Business Insider, 67% of consumers worldwide used chatbots for customer service in the past year. But not all chatbots are created equal—here are five ways to turn these digital helpers into customer service superstars.
Successful customer service agents have great personalities that delight customers. So why shouldn’t your chatbots be the same? Give them qualities that match your brand’s image and style. For example, giving chatbots names can help personalize each interaction and make customers feel as though they are communicating with a real person. Most importantly, give chatbots a tone that fits your brand. Do you aim to be fun when speaking to customers? Do your customers expect a more formal approach? Make your chatbots as awesome as your (human) customer service staff.
Some customers might enjoy having amusing conversations with chatbots. Realistically, most just want to find accurate answers as quickly as possible. Think of your chatbots as problem solvers. What are the most frequent reasons customers contact your brand for service? Once these issues are known, train chatbots to find solutions. Simple chatbots may be adept at answering straightforward questions, whereas more sophisticated chatbots may be trained to grow smarter as they communicate and handle complex requests. In any case, make sure they cut the small talk and get straight to the heart of the customer’s problem.
As cool as they can be, chatbots just become a nuisance if they can’t save customers time. To make these assistants true service superheroes, help them deliver proactive service. After introducing themselves, chatbots may make recommendations based on customer preferences. In addition, they may offer additional assistance that saves time in the future. For example, if a customer requests the boarding time for a flight, a chatbot may offer additional airport information and baggage check-in options.
Chatbots generally cannot handle conversations the way humans can. However, with some careful planning, your brand can make them effective little chatterboxes. When designing their scripts, ensure that they ask specific questions. The answers to these questions may include yes or no responses and who/what/when/where information. Also, make sure they confirm customers’ responses. Customers shouldn’t wonder if a chatbot understands their questions, and keeping a good conversation flow is essential to building their trust.
As with any other channel, apps that use chatbots should be analyzed regularly for possible improvements. Take a close look at transcripts to determine what is working well and what needs improvement. Are customers pleased with the chatbots’ tone? Are answers accurate? Are interactions quick or taking far too long? Determine if certain phrases are especially appealing to customers and helping them get the answers they need. Chatbots have the potential to make or break your customer service success. Without strategic planning, they can cause frustration. But with a dedicated approach to making them smart and savvy, you can win over your customers with their intelligence and charm.