As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced and conversational, the aversion to “talking to a machine” is steadily diminishing. In fact, 73% of consumers now expect websites to incorporate AI chatbot programs as a self-service option.

Whether you’re already leveraging chatbots and seeking to maximize their value, or you’re new to these tools and looking for ideas on where to begin, we’ve got you covered.

Explore practical ways to utilize AI chatbot applications to boost customer service and enhance employee efficiency.

Key Points:

• Strategically decide when to use proactive chatbots that initiate conversations and reactive ones that respond to user interactions.
• Key chatbot applications include customer support, reservations, surveys, and lead qualification.
• AI chatbots can also function as virtual assistants, enhancing employee productivity.

Proactive vs. Reactive: Choosing the Right AI Chatbot Strategy for Your Business

Proactive chatbots initiate interactions with users without any prompting, often popping up to offer assistance or share reminders.

On the other hand, reactive chatbots respond to user actions or requests. When a person seeks help from your team, the chatbot attempts to address the issue before escalating it to a human agent.

Deciding Which One To Use

Just as you wouldn’t want to be overly pushy in person, avoid having proactive chatbots pop up too frequently, disrupting the user experience. Place proactive chatbots in locations where they are likely to be necessary or welcomed by users.

For example, an AI chatbot could appear shortly after a visitor lands on your homepage, asking them what they’re looking for and directing them to the appropriate sections of your site.

On a blog post, the user’s primary intent is usually to read the content, so a chatbot appearing at the start could be intrusive. Instead, place a proactive chatbot at the end of the post to serve as a call to action, encouraging further engagement or conversions.

Reactive chatbots are generally suitable as an initial response to user requests. If the user prefers to interact with a human, they can request it specifically from the system.

Key AI Chatbot Application Use Cases

There are countless ways to utilize AI chatbots, but these examples are a great starting point.

1. Customer Support and Experience

Customer support is often the first application for an AI chatbot. The main goal is to ensure customers feel promptly attended to whenever an issue arises.

The chatbot can begin by answering common questions or directing users to helpful resources such as videos or articles. For more complex issues, it can escalate the matter to a human agent or create a support ticket for a quick callback.

Additionally, chatbots can facilitate basic account management in a secure environment. With natural language processing, customers can easily handle tasks like payments and transfers using simple conversational inputs.

2. Tailored Discounts and Special Offers

When a customer browses your site, they might also be checking out your competitors for the best deal. If the person is a returning customer, the chatbot can analyze their browsing and purchase history, along with other interactions, to determine if they qualify for a special discount.

This personalized approach is often more effective than generic, time-limited promotions or coupons that appear when users are about to leave.

3. Lead Qualification and Customer Surveys

For significant purchases that involve a longer sales cycle and multiple interactions, AI chatbots can effectively engage prospects in the early stages of the buyer’s journey. Users are often more willing to respond to chatbot queries than to emails or phone calls, leading to higher conversion rates.

Additionally, chatbots can gather valuable insights through quick polls or surveys, helping you understand customer preferences and improving your marketing and sales strategies.

4. Personalized Product Recommendations

When a customer repeatedly searches your site for similar items without making a purchase, the chatbot can step in with personalized product recommendations. This approach is often more helpful and engaging than a generic abandoned cart notification.

5. Simplifying Reservations

Even with a well-designed website, some users may find it challenging to navigate the reservation process. An AI chatbot can serve as the perfect virtual assistant, guiding users step-by-step to make reservations effortlessly.

6. Secure and Confidential Interactions

Some customers prefer not to discuss sensitive information with a human agent. Your AI chatbot can handle inquiries and provide account details while adhering to strict privacy and data protection regulations, ensuring secure and confidential interactions.

7. Timely Notifications and Updates

Keeping customers informed with relevant news updates can add significant value, especially in the B2B market. If you’re in an industry where timely information is crucial, such as finance, a proactive chatbot can share important bulletins and reminders with your clients.

8. Streamlining Hiring, Training, and Work Tasks

AI chatbots aren’t just for customer service; they’re valuable tools for your employees too. In human resources, chatbots can interact with and qualify prospective hires, making the recruitment process more efficient.

Additionally, employees can use AI assistants to handle repetitive tasks, answer questions, translate information, summarize text, and manage various other assignments, boosting overall productivity.

9. Reducing Costs

By automating customer interactions and routine tasks, AI chatbots can reduce the need for a large support team, leading to significant cost savings. This makes them a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.

10. Improving Data Collection and Analysis

Chatbots can gather valuable data on customer preferences, behavior, and feedback. This information can be analyzed to gain actionable insights, helping you make informed business decisions.

Integrate Your AI Chatbot with a World-Class Contact Center

Whatever AI chatbot application you choose, it should be part of a robust contact center solution. For a cloud-based service that enables smarter customer engagement, reach out to us at Towner Communications to learn about our world-class software.