5 Common Misconceptions About Chatbots
By Alexandra Clements, Sales Support Specialist, Creative Virtual USA
Any relatively new technology usually comes with many questions. Chatbots are no exception – uncertainty and disinformation about AI virtual agents are abundant, but that doesn’t mean these solutions aren’t valuable.
Here are five misconceptions about chatbots and the real story behind each one:
- Your chatbot solution needs to be extremely comprehensive before launch
Many first-time chatbot users make the mistake of limiting the way they deploy their virtual agents. These users believe that an imperfect solution is unacceptable – their virtual assistant must be able to address almost any question or concern before it goes live.
This approach will delay your ROI and stifle your virtual agent’s ability to reduce your customer service load. Prepare your chatbot for the most common, easily deflectable issues and then allow it to “self-correct” by racking up conversations and improving answers based on that data.
- Your chatbot should be loaded with knowledgebase data and product info
It’s certainly important for your AI virtual assistant to speak intelligently on your company and its offering. Your chatbot needs to have a baseline level of knowledge in order to successfully answer customer questions.
But improving its ability to hold conversations is exponentially more important than loading it up with knowledgebase articles. Configure your chatbot solution based on real conversations with customers – agent chat transcripts, phone logs, etc.
- An AI virtual assistant can function with 100% independence
Despite what you might see in the media, no chatbot or AI solution should be allowed free reign to interpret and understand human interaction on its own. Earlier this year, Microsoft attempted to launch a completely independent Twitter bot named Tay. The results were horrific, and the bot was quickly taken offline.
Tay is just one example of a broader point – your AI chatbot needs to have input from a real person to ensure that it stays on track and doesn’t have an embarrassing malfunction. Human input will also help ensure the AI virtual agent is learning about the most relevant customer service issues, based on previous conversations.
- Chatbots are just another knowledgebase for customers
It’s true that chatbots can be an excellent source of answers on a variety of important subjects relating to your business and its services. But you also have to consider the benefit of an AI virtual assistant as it relates to accessibility. Not only is a chatbot an easy way for customers to learn, it allows them to get answers around the clock, on whichever channel is best for their needs. A customer could send a text message inquiry on Christmas morning, and they would still get an immediate response from a chatbot.
- AI customer service solutions only affect customer service costs
Many companies considering chatbots believe they will only see benefits in the customer service department – less strain on staff, fewer calls and email inquiries, etc. However, a good chat bot solution will also be setup to proactively upsell and cross-sell, which can boost sales and recurring revenue. A properly calibrated chatbot will also improve customer satisfaction, since people will be able to get instant answers from your company whenever they want.
Don’t let misconceptions surrounding chatbots prevent you from enjoying a healthy ROI and an improved level of customer satisfaction in the experience. Creative Virtual’s V-Person™ solution was created to immediately improve customer service performance metrics and make customers feel better about interacting with you. With over 50 Million conversations and 80+% digital containment, Creative Virtual’s V-Person solution is Easy to Access across all channels. It is uniquely Conversational, Intelligent, and always improving the customer journey.
