The Power of AI Chatbots in Sales and Marketing
There's something about the digital age that's both exhilarating and demanding. As a female entrepreneur, I've always been inspired by the dynamic shifts in technology particularly given that I started on a typewriter and faxing and at ended up in the world of artificial intelligence. It's a privilege to see the ebb and flow of trends firsthand, and trust me, the current trend is all about what is possible. It’s scaring the b-Jesus out of almost everyone – even Elon Musk!
In the old days, customers were okay with patiently waiting for a call back or flipping through a magazine while waiting in line. Fast forward to today, they crave instantaneous answers in real time that is intuitive to their needs. Indeed, we have created monsters of which I am one. With so much knowledge at their fingertips, customers now have higher expectations for businesses and should you not live up this expectation, there are a gazillion companies willing to take their business off your hands. Globalisation has had catastrophic results that I think more than a few people have wished would be turned back somewhat.
I’ve been building an AI chatbot or more than 6 years. These are not the robotic, monotone voices of the past but voices of your choice, created solely for your enjoyment. Today's chatbots, backed by powerful Large Language Models (LLMs) and cutting-edge generative AI capabilities, are revolutionising digital interactions and satisfying customers demands. They work diligently working 24/7, ensuring your customers feel heard and valued, while at the same time capturing valuable data so you can up the next customer experience.
For any business, especially those with a digital presence, chatbots offer an opportunity to:
- Engage on All Fronts: Chatbots can bridge the gap across various platforms, be it web chat, emails, social messaging or even good old SMS text or WhatsApp. It's like having a personal assistant for each of your customers.
- Optimise Without the Tech Headache: The beauty of modern chatbots lies in their user-friendly designs. Marketing teams can set them up and tweak their conversational flows without diving deep into the world of coding.
- Analytics That Matter: It's not just about answering questions. AI chatbots offer a deep dive into customer interactions. This data goldmine can then be used to refine and personalise future conversations, ensuring that every interaction counts.
Real-world Impact: From Camping to Clubbing
Let's look at two real-life examples
- Camping World's Digital Transformation: Like many businesses, Camping World faced the challenges brought on by the pandemic. With an overwhelming surge in website traffic and limited live agent availability, they needed a solution. Their AI-driven chatbot, Arvee, took charge, handling queries and tracking leads even after working hours. The result? A 40% increase in customer engagement and a 33% boost in overall efficiency.
- Deltic Group's Social Media Boost: For a nightlife giant like Deltic Group, social media is everything. With a flood of messages coming in late at night, they needed a way to ensure their customers received timely responses. Implementing a chatbot that directed customers to the right venues and prompted them about bookings made all the difference. The ability to immediately address inquiries meant converting potential attendees into actual guests.
Shaping the Future with AI
Incorporating AI chatbots, like the Robotic Marketer, into a marketing strategy isn't just a trend—it's a necessity. As entrepreneurs, we constantly look for ways to stay ahead of the curve and as marketers we need to make sure we are on top of our game and that is only possible with the use of AI. Embracing AI ensures rapid responses, personalised experiences, and ultimately, a satisfied customer base.
At Marketing Eye, we do a lot of work in contact centres and are seeing the use of AI chatbots doing the work of many contact centre agents. It’s a blessing in most cases because agents have for too long had to deal with customer complaints that were just out of their control. This way, the burden is lessened.
We also greatly appreciate our little robot colleagues doing the night shift, rather than ignoring customers until the next day – we use to be the case.
What are you using Chatbots for and where do you see room to improve?
Marketers: Just Take The Reigns On AI And Own It
Stop bitching. That’s all I have to say.
It’s not cheating unless you use word for word in published content – so stop saying it is. And please, for the life of me, stop saying that AI isn’t that good. It is. Period.
I’ve been in marketing for thirty years (as I keep harping on telling everyone who will listen). I say that because I was always the person who refused to change and adapt, until I realised through Facebook’s massive success that I won’t have a job if I don’t suck it up.
And so I did, so much so, that I became “that person” who invented the future.
I was writing about the future of marketing, before it happened and on many occasions my predictions were right.
But enough about me.
This is about you – marketers, marketing communications experts, public relations professionals
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