Chatbots: what they are and what they are for
Who among us has never experienced some kind of issue that led them to contact a company by phone? If you’re among the few who have never had to endure long and frustrating waits on the phone, hoping that your problem is indeed solvable, you’re lucky! For everyone else, advances in technology and Artificial Intelligence have allowed us to get a quick and functional solution: chatbots!
What are they?
A chatbot is an artificial intelligence software that simulates a conversation with the real user typing in the chat. The software processes the user’s request and provides a coherent response.
You’ve probably already dealt with a chatbot: a concrete example is those chats that open on websites once you land on a page and ask if you need help. The responses in that chat are not from real people but, indeed, chatbots.
Types of Chatbots
Several main types of chatbots can be distinguished, with differences lying in how they process requests and how they return responses:
- Support Chatbots: these are software programmed to provide answers on specific topics and can engage in conversations with users;
- Skills Chatbots: unlike support bots, they lack specific skills but are programmed to perform quick actions; for example, those used in home automation;
- Conversation Chatbots: they have knowledge in various fields, can process user requests, and interact with them, like Siri or Alexa.
Why Use Them for Your Website?
Chatbots can be very useful for your website for various reasons:
- They help make customer interactions easier and faster;
- Reduce costs of customer service and improve efficiency;
- Provide continuous assistance, 24/7;
- Can help engage customers more by providing personalized support.