Chatbots are computer programs capable of conversing like humans. Chatbots have become a go-to in multiple present-day businesses. Chatbots are the top choice for online customer service in several industries, including banking, e-commerce, media, and healthcare.
The reason why chatbots are becoming a favorite is that they are simple to use. Chatbots have evolved to the point that they are indistinguishable from human communication.
Chatbots also provide 24-hour customer service and quality delivery. This kind of service is vital for customer relations and providing information when needed. Chatbots also have other numerous advantages. This has led to the development of several frameworks used to develop chatbots.
For chatbots to be so good at what they do, they have to meet some standards. So, if you are thinking about creating your chatbot or buying one for your business, here are some features you should look out for:
1. Ability to Learn
Imagine if you had a conversation with somebody who forgot everything you told them every 2 minutes. It would be frustrating, right? A chatbot should have the ability to store the conversational information you give it. The data is saved and used by the chatbot to offer relevant and personal support to clients.
The chatbot should create a profile of the customers’ details and provide information based on that profile. Customers’ postal addresses, email addresses, and preferences should all be written down. If the user ever needs to change their details, the option should be available.
Chatbots record any trouble they ran into while in operation and report them to the developer. The owner can then update the chatbot to handle the query in the future.
2. Processing Dialogue
A chatbot’s main task is conversing with humans. This means that the bot should have the ability to engage in conversations like a human. Each chatbot should have a robust natural language processing engine. The natural language processing engine handles how the chatbot understands the text.
Since chatbots can handle both verbal and written communication, it is good to note that both require specific engines for each function. For example, a chatbot that supports verbal communication needs a speech recognition engine.
A critical feature in Shopify chatbots that has revolutionized the building of chatbots is their ability to sound human. This feature may entail slight delays before replies, a touch of humor, and even the ability to prompt conversations. With this human ability, the chatbots successfully guide a brand’s audience to their merchandise.
The chatbot can start conversations with users when they comment on posts. After starting a conversation, they can give more information about products and even offer rewards.
3. Rapid Deployment
After finding a chatbot for whatever task you require assistance with, the chatbot must be deployable without affecting the system in place. The chatbot should integrate seamlessly with your existing software and activate with little to no hiccups.
Before rolling out your chatbot to interact with your potential customers, you should conduct tests to ensure it works as it should.
4. Framework Simplicity
Simplicity is a big concern when it comes to technology. When developing a chatbot, the UX/UI designer should consider the usability of the end product. The chatbot should be easy to use. This means that even a child should be able to complete a transaction.
The design should also take into account human habits and tendencies. For example, messages should be short and precise rather than long paragraphs.
5. Accessibility
The chatbot should have accessibility controls in place to cater to all kinds of people. It should cater to the visually impaired by having an option to read the text aloud.
Chatbots for worldwide businesses should have varied language options for the various countries they deal with. The communication used should also be simple and procedural. This will ensure that the communication is understandable for people of all levels of education.
6. Multi-Platform Use
Most businesses operate on several platforms ranging from the various available social media to dedicated websites and applications. It is expensive to have unique chatbots for every platform. Chatbots should be multi-platform to provide uniformity across the various platforms.
For all of your social media pages, there is a one-size-fits-all solution. This is not only cost-effective but also necessary for record-keeping and analysis.
7. Provide Analytic Tools
When it comes to business, it is all about the numbers. The business numbers in demand entail details such as:
- Products in demand
- Number of customers being served
- The number of orders awaiting shipment
Chatbots handle a certain percentage of the overall traffic that a business operates. This means they should be noted as a source of interaction with the clients.
Therefore, a chatbot involved must have a means of delivering reports to the owner. The analytical data should include metrics such as:
- The number of users engaged on social media pages
- The revenue generated
- The complex problems encountered
- The active transactions
The analytical report generated by the chatbot should be accurate and detailed yet brief.
8. Data Privacy Policies
One of the biggest concerns in recent years for most people has been the collection of private data. Companies such as Facebook and Google have been in the limelight when it comes to data privacy. This shows how important privacy is to people.
The user ought to receive a prompt declaring that data about their interactions with the chatbot is being gathered. They should also receive an explanation as to why the data is being collected.
With all that said, the data privacy policy should include a way to opt-out of data collection. This will cater to users that may be uncomfortable with the data collection. Users should be notified about the impact of their option to stop data collection.
Finally, the user should not be intimidated upon receiving the privacy policy.
Conclusion
Chatbots are here to stay. They are growing more complex, thereby improving their usefulness. Many organizations are embracing the technology and more will follow suit. It might even improve till chatbots will have the capability to run entire organizations. Such a feature will save organizations a lot of money in salaries.
The features above are a few of the vital things you should look for in a bot. With the advancement in artificial intelligence research, chatbot technology is set to develop even more. The developments will increase both the functionality and the applications of chatbots.