PPB February 2019

by Danielle Renda How Can ChatBots Help Your Business? Accessibility: They’re available 24/7 Processing orders: They’re particularly useful for handing many orders at once Understanding your customer: They can be used to gauge customers’ preferences Low cost: Once chatbots have been built, maintenance fees tend to be low Improving customer service: They can record data and trends to monitor customer behavior Convenience: They can be built in diverse platforms depending on the customers’ needs Time: They save time by addressing customers’ FAQs Source: Medium.com TECH TALK Let’s Chat About Chatbots Companies are using chatbots to improve customer service, cut costs and save time. Self-proclaimed business magnet Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SolarCity, Tesla and SpaceX, is known for his predictions about the burgeoning growth of artificial intelligence (AI). With AI anticipated to continue its rapid expansion, the promotional products industry can benefit from related technologies. One of the more common AI technologies used across all industries is that for chatbots. What is a chatbot? A chatbot is a program that allows computers to engage in natural, human-like conversations with people via an instant messaging system. This program can be tailored to immediately respond to customers’ messages with an automatic response or a custom response, depending on the contents of the message. Before you question the logistics behind this, recall that time you browsed a few websites in search of a winter jacket. It’s likely that on at least one website, a customer service “rep” messaged you asking, “How can we help your shopping experience today?” You may or may not have used the tool, but this friendly rep was actually a chatbot. You might also encounter chatbots when using mobile banking tools or when being asked to provide feedback about a product or experience. It’s a technology that has made ecommerce faster and easier, and it’s one that all major corporations are using, from Marvel, StubHub and Miller Light to CNN, Expedia and Bank of America. How can chatbots help your business? Chatbots can offer a seamless customer service experience. They enable businesses to follow-up with customers after transactions have been completed, while incorporating personality that is unique to the brand. According to Chatbots Magazine , people prefer chatbots over phone calls, and over downloading phone applications that are specific to each business or service (The Amazon App, the UberEats app, Chase Mobile Banking app, etc.), which take up precious storage space. Companies like Disney, Pizza Hut and Whole Foods have demonstrated ways that chatbots can be used to engage customers. Pizza Hut took the “traditional” approach, using a chatbot to take customers’ orders, respond to their inquiries about menu items and share promotional information. Disney took a different approach, designing a chatbot named Officer Judy to promote the release of its 2016 movie Zootopia . Using Facebook Messenger—which is used by more than 100,000 chatbots, according to Chatbots Magazine —Officer Judy chatted with customers for up to 10 minutes, who “helped” her solve cases. Whole Foods, on the other hand, offers a chatbot where customers can use Facebook Messenger to connect with recipes. By simply typing in a single emoji or a set of emojis—like an apple and a donut—the chatbot will respond with recipes that involve these foods, like an apple pastry. One of the most pressing debates about AI and chatbots is the technology could replace human labor, and indeed 58 | FEBRUARY 2019 | THINK