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Business owners who don’t take advantage of chatbots or are otherwise unfamiliar with chatbots and their e-commerce utilities often wonder whether using this sort of tool would benefit their company. In most cases, the short answer is yes, but for individuals who are unfamiliar with chatbots, it might be challenging to have concerns addressed or even know where to begin.
To put it simply, chatbots are software programs that can easily cover a variety of functions previously initiated by human workers. Chatbots can answer questions, interact with audiences on a personal level, field customer service needs, and help shoppers choose and purchase products that best suit their needs.
Recently, chatbots have been taking the e-commerce world by storm, and fortunately, it’s easier than ever to find and utilize a chatbot that will seamlessly improve an e-commerce company’s productivity and revenue.
Benefits of Chatbots in E-Commerce
The benefits of using chatbots in e-commerce businesses are numerous. For one, employers do not have to invest in onboarding or paying a selection of new employees to handle tasks that a single bot can perform. This alone can save small businesses thousands of dollars each pay period, not to mention improving customer relations and company reputation.
On top of helping a company save money and direct working talent where it fits best, a chatbot can help companies increase engagement values with their customers by providing 24-hour chatbot support. This is because chatbot technology has improved significantly when it comes to natural language processing (NLP), and the bots are far more able to understand the context of human speech.
Because one good thing leads to another, improved customer interaction and engagement capabilities can lead to increased sales thanks to the personalized approach chatbots take when interacting with customers.
Chatbots can also remind customers about upcoming deals and promotions, and being that chatbot open rates are up to five times more effective than email open rates, customers are more likely to not only view promotional information but interact with it as well. Additionally, with the help of chatbots, customers can shop for various products and be assisted throughout the checkout process which ensures an increase in sales.
Businesses Using Chatbots in E-Commerce
Chatbots are not a brand-new feature when it comes to assisting with e-commerce sites and customer inquiries. Many companies are already taking advantage of the many benefits of chatbot technology.
Take the pre-measured food delivery service HelloFresh, for example. The company’s chatbot, Freddy, has become a helpful and celebrated part of the HelloFresh experience. The company has given its chatbot a face and personality, then assigned it to help reduce customer wait times by allowing the bot to assist with various customer inquiries and needs.
The LEGO company has also started utilizing a chatbot on the company’s website to assist shoppers with finding the right LEGO set for family members or friends. LEGO’s chatbot, Ralph, is designed to ask shoppers a series of questions and make gift recommendations based on the answers provided. The bot then narrows down choices until a customer decides on a set, and following this, Ralph sends the customer a link with the set already listed in their online shopping cart.
Chatbot Tools for E-Commerce
Due to the way chatbots have benefited businesses recently, there is an array of different chatbot tools available for businesses to take advantage of. Though chatbots typically provide a similar list of features in general, small businesses need to research their own e-commerce needs before deciding on one of the net’s natural language processing bots.
Many different companies offer chatbot technology, so it’s in a small company’s best interest to research chatbot features, pricing, and capabilities before making a decision on which bot is the best fit. Consider starting with the following popular e-commerce bots:
- ManyChat
- Imperson
- Botsify
- Bold360
- ChatterOn
- ActiveChat
- Verloop
- Drift
When the right features are utilized in a chatbot, the result can be exponentially positive for online e-commerce businesses. This is especially true for small businesses that may not have the funds needed to expand easily or hire additional employees. Because workloads tend to increase before profits do, chatbots can be invaluable when it comes to maintaining business practices, increasing brand visibility, and improving customer relations.
If you’re interested in taking advantage of the benefits of ManyChat integration and Chat Marketing in general, schedule a discovery call to consult with one of our three experts. Through collaboration, we can help you get your aims and boost your sales.
