Similar to the purchasing behavior of consumers, marketers aren’t immune to chasing after must-have fads and trends. Chatbot technologies – a shiny object du jour within the industry – make a case for this. Thurs far, though, clamoring for chatbots has been driven more by vague notions of transforming customer service and driving loyalty through experiences, rather than by detailed, rational, and more concrete opportunities that map to clearer
Similar to the purchasing behavior of consumers, marketers aren’t immune to chasing after must-have fads and trends. Chatbot technologies – a shiny object du jour within the industry – make a case for this. Thurs far, though, clamoring for chatbots has been driven more by vague notions of transforming customer service and driving loyalty through experiences, rather than by detailed, rational, and more concrete opportunities that map to clearer business value.
However, those opportunities do exist. Setting aside use cases that focus (arguably more mundanely) on customer support for a moment, there are several specific ways in which chatbots can be tasked with appealing to new customers and making marketing efforts measurably more effective.
To that end, here are five strategies that some brand marketers (and agencies) ought to consider exploring:
Chatbots can (with a healthy emphasis on “can”) be just plain fun to interact with. When smartly developed, they have the potential to breathe new life into the customer experience playbook. For example, to help promote the movie Zootopia, Disney released the “Officer Judy Hopps” bot on Facebook. Those curious could converse with the heroic rabbit, and work alongside her to help solve cases. The engagement strategy worked: users averaged nearly ten minutes with the bot, many came back for multiple chat sessions, and millions of messages were exchanged.
With chatbots still in their relative infancy as a brand tool, they offer a unique and memorable initial interaction strategy, serving as a capable brand ambassador. Going a step further, marketers and agencies should also investigate how they can use chatbots to increase ad performance, organic reach, and deliver marketing automation. For instance, Facebook allows News Feed ads to deliver traffic right to a brand’s chatbot, setting the stage for all kinds of creative implementations that reach new customers.
At the same time, it’s important to expect – and plan for – snark when developing your brand’s chatbot personality and responses. Digitally savvy users who gravitate towards chatbots are often motivated to test how human a chatbot can be by communicating in a snarky or sarcastic manner. Brands that plan for this by crafting witty comebacks and a degree of cheeky fun will ensure greater adoption of the chatbot experience.
Too often, automated emails from brands are rightfully discarded as spam, especially when overly familiar phrasing (“20% off!”) is included in the subject line. Chatbots can really help revitalize proactive brand communications by acting as an interactive companion and readily available assistant for customers. In this role, chatbots deliver value as a personalized tool that’s actually fun to use – one that functions much more like a friend to go shopping with, rather than simply an advertisement with a friendly tone.
For example, shoe retailer DSW leverages chatbots both to follow up with consumers post-purchase and to offer a “gift concierge” that knowledgeably guides customers, helping them choose gifts by discussing the preferences of the intended recipient. As brands continue to become more proactive with their customer communications as a whole – and especially so on social media – chatbots should be a welcome fit for this type of outreach.
The rise of texting-based therapy apps and VR-based treatments for PTSD confirms that, for some, screens provide a safer avenue for opening up than face-to-face or voice-to-voice communication, especially for highly sensitive topics. For businesses that address sensitive topics, chatbots may be a better forum than discussion boards and online communities. They can help customers feel heard and give them personalized guidance on next steps.
There are obviously many data points customers require to help guide their purchasing options and make informed selections, even before selecting a particular brand or retailer. Chatbots give businesses a way to deliver this information in a comfortable, conversational manner. Customers can have all their questions answered without the pressure or obligation that make some individuals wary of interacting with a live salesperson. When those questions are addressed and a rapport has been established between the customer and the brand, the chatbot can offer to introduce a human brand representative to take the sale the rest of the way.
Chatbots are also a great way for businesses to scale their unique expertise, providing customers with curated recommendations – whether in fashion, food, medicine or beyond.
Customer surveys have traditionally consisted of a static series of questions. Once again, enter the chatbot. The potential application here is marrying the methodological consistency required of these surveys while actively adapting to customers’ responses, with the goal of deriving deeper and more valuable insights. As practices around chatbot-delivered surveys develop and improve, brands will be better able to customize the collection of this customer data, ultimately serving to improve products, customer service, and customer outreach.
Lastly, be sure not to over-rely on chatbots. Just because a new technology is available doesn’t mean that consumers prefer it to a human experience. While chatbots are ideal for entertainment, quick answers, simplifying processes, and providing an outlet for sensitive concerns whenever conversations could bring up frustrations, it’s best for brands to think about providing immediate access to a human for support.
Before investing in chatbot technology, brand marketers and agencies should carefully consider what specific functionality it will introduce, and what practices it will replace.
