Are chatbots the future of customer service?
In the year 1950, mathematician Alan Turing posed an interesting question: "Can machines think?" To find out the solution to this, the mathematician chalked out a hypothetical test. The test required an interrogator to be able to distinguish between a computer and another human. Apply the same logic when you converse with a chatbot.
When a customer is seeking a resolution to his or her grievance, monosyllabic replies will hardly help. A chatbot must be pre-trained to accurately respond to the customer's queries.
The facility of a chatbot helps rule out the concept of holding the phone for hours together or waiting in long queues to file a complaint. In this case, you have someone at your disposal 24x7.
An efficient chatbot will be able to determine if you are a first-time user or a new one by referring to your history with the product or service. This makes for easy and seamless chats.
Ideally, a chatbot should be able to understand when to transfer the communication to a live/human agent, most likely in the case of an unexpected situation. Chatbots and live agents make for a dream team if paired wisely.
That chatbots are always available is known. However, matters are usually resolved quicker in the case of a bot. In the case of a human agent, there are chances the issue could be stretched over days or weeks. What's worse, you may realise that each time you are chatting or talking to a different person who may not have the same information that the previous one had.
When quick service is coupled with immediate availability, the result is a stress-free experience. No consumer wants to bear the brunt of an inefficient service provider.
