Chatbots have grown a lot since the early days, when they could only handle basic queries. These software applications have single-handedly resolved a major complication for startups and conglomerates alike: customer support.

Customer service is a crucial aspect of any business. Over 70% of customers say it is the first thing they consider when purchasing. They won’t hesitate to switch brands if they suspect it is lacking. One thing is for certain: businesses are growing competitive when it comes to Customer Experience (CX), and chatbots have a pivotal role to play.

A chatbot is programmed to answer questions and solve problems without the need for human intervention. Modern, AI-powered versions aren't script-based, and they're often confused for virtual assistants due to their ability to interact intelligently with users.

How Chatbot App Development Is Helping Business Growth

Bots help streamline businesses and provide a superior customer experience in the following ways:

Increasing Availability

Customers often need help with their online shopping, and they need it fast. However, they're willing to use a chatbot if it means they get immediate, round-the-clock assistance. In other words, businesses must be capable of providing 24x7 customer service if they hope to be successful.

A chatbot can answer queries 24x7. Businesses can take advantage of its constant availability and not have to worry about hiring additional customer support personnel. Customers, on the other hand, get answers to their queries or search results without excessive effort.

Engaging Customers with Better Service

Small businesses can use chatbot development services (https://www.appschopper.com/chatbot-app-development-services) for unlimited opportunities in customer engagement. They eliminate wait times and, in most cases, solve customers' problems in a single interaction. Moreover, they can make their customers feel valued and appreciated by answering them promptly.

Better customer service improves brand loyalty because satisfied clients are more likely to become repeat customers.

Fulfilling Growing Customer Needs

Customer service has developed over the years, with message-based customer-business interactions rising significantly worldwide. Customers now expect businesses to provide chat support on their preferred channels. They get frustrated when calling is the only option available to them.

Chatbots can represent the brand on any channel, providing personalized experiences to existing customers. They are configured to solve queries, or connect them to a live representative on the customer's request.

Boosting Conversion Rates

Customers are more likely to answer questions in a conversation than to fill out forms. A chatbot successfully engages existing and potential customers by asking about their requirements and collecting information about their interests.

Bots can increase conversion rates by having more such conversations and understanding where they stand in the buying process. They can then provide the relevant content or suggest suitable products to nurture the prospect throughout their journey. Sealing the deal becomes simpler for human sales representatives once the chatbot passes prospects to the customer resource management system.

Simplifying Self-Service

Providing customers with self-help tools is becoming increasingly important to businesses. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. They'll lower the pressure on their team while giving customers what they want. A substantial percentage of them don't feel the need to complete sales transactions without assistance. In fact, many get frustrated when self-service is unavailable.

Customers can make their own reservations, schedule appointments, and open their own accounts using chatbots these days. The chatbot promotes self-service by walking users through each step, typically by answering questions. Customers save time this way since they don't have to wait for human sales personnel to help. Intelligent, automated solutions like these enable businesses to keep customers happy while controlling costs, particularly during labor shortages.

Lowering Customer Service Expenses

Integrating chatbots into your customer service experience doesn't just improve engagement. As a matter of fact, chatbots are likely to save businesses 2.5 billion hours and $8 billion in the near future.

It helps businesses cut back on costs associated with hiring and training a human team. Chatbots can easily take care of simple issues and let customers use self-service whenever they need it. Meanwhile, human representatives are freed up to focus on serving customers with more complex needs and growing your company.

Popular Chatbot Examples to Consider

H&M's Kik Chatbot: The fashion retailer built its chatbot on the Kik messaging platform. The bot is designed with the purpose of conversing with customers to help them:

• Discover fashion items

• Learn styling tips

• Make purchases

Marriott Hotel: The hospitality industry is benefiting immensely from chatbot development services, given their tight focus on customer service. Marriott is an excellent example of effective chatbot implementation. Its bot is essentially an in-phone concierge that provides basic hotel services to guests quickly.

Pizza Hut Bots: Pizza Hut uses bots on Twitter and Facebook to help customers with the following:

• Order from popular items

• Repeat previous orders

• Support carryout from nearby restaurant

• Detect location automatically for delivery

Summing Up

While they can't mimic human representatives (yet), chatbots are surely proving indispensable for small businesses worldwide. The technology has grown quite diverse, from smart eCommerce chatbots to hotel service agents that work 24x7 without charging a cent.

Investing in a chatbot is necessary for a business for all these reasons. Expect to reap additional benefits as this technology evolves if you have adopted the right bot strategy. 

Author Bio

The blog is written by Richard Roundy, who has expertise in app development. He is a senior app developer at AppsChopper, who likes to share his knowledge with the audience. Furthermore, he is passionate about his work and stays updated with all the ongoing market trends.