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Did you know marketing and chatbots go really well together? Service and webcare departments often start their interaction with potential clients when the purchasing process begins. The role of service changes from giving a reactive response to proactively thinking along with the client to help them a step further. This is where chatbots can be of assistance. Chatbots can, for example, help to communicate campaigns on several communication channels, which has a positive effect on sales and marketing and opens up opportunities for marketers. In this blog we will give you three tips about how you can use chatbots as an effective and powerful tool in the customer journey and how bots can help you to boost your marketing strategy.
Tip 1: Integrate marketing goals in the service process
An increasing amount of consumers come into contact with chatbots via service channels. A 2018 trend research from Mindshare has shown that 48% of the consumers would consider getting in touch with an organisation via chatbots. The amount of organisations that use artificial intelligence solutions to provide services is also increasing, according to this analysis from Chatbot Magazine. Moreover, the 2017 Global Human Capital Trends Report indicates that 41% of the managers has implemented artificial intelligence in their service processes.
Next to answering ‘simple’ questions about an order, you can also integrate your marketing and communication goals in your service process. Are you already using chatbots in your organisation? Then involve the bot in your marketing plans. Think about communicating campaigns or promotions to customers, providing price or product information, or directing visitors to other (web)pages. E-commerce businesses and travel organisations are especially advanced in this area and benefit from chatbots in clever ways. Two examples below.
On her own channels KLM refers to BB, the quickest and easiest way to book a ticket:
Based on a few questions HelloFresh gives you suggestions for a tasty supper. Only a few simple questions need to be answered to give the chatbot an insight into your preferences:
Tip 2: Use social media for chatbot conversations
Social media channels are of course an excellent way to reach your target group and to update your followers on the latest news and offers of your brand or product. Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM are ideal for quick chat conversations and Instagram DM is also on the rise. Next to answering service related questions, this medium also offers opportunities for cross- or upselling and creates the possibility to expose consumers to your newest product or service.
The fashion sector has embraced social media as an early adaptor and they know how to reach their target group through this channel. Chatbots offer the ideal solution for giving advice about, amongst others, a new purchase, like in this example from Hennes & Mauritz:
We know that the customer journey can start anywhere these days, whether it is online, in a store or on social media. Chatbots can help you to quickly provide customers with the information they are looking for. Is the chatbot unable to answer the question? Then there’s always an employee who can take over!
Tip 3. Make clear agreements to achieve a successful integration
For a successful integration of your marketing goals in chatbot conversations it is important that marketing and service departments make clear agreements before the chatbot is deployed. Both departments need to agree on the areas in which the chatbot will assist. For what purposes will the chatbot be used? And what information is the virtual assistant allowed to provide and what not? If both parties come to an agreement and create a joint goal, there is a greater chance that this goal will be achieved. It also helps to schedule interim reviews together.
An example of a successful integration in which the goal of the chatbot was discussed beforehand is chatbot “Rocky” from ROC West-Brabant. This chatbot helps pupils to decide on a study programme. Marjon Sundermand (UX designer) tells CustomerFirst:
“Before we started using Rocky we organised brainstorming sessions with students, deans and mentors. The outcome of these gatherings was that the bot would have to be reactive and easy to use, deliver quick results and be available 24/7. In addition, the tone of voice should suit the target audience, such as the parents. In the end we want the chatbot to help us realise a greater conversion rate , or in other words, to attract more students.”
In the example of Rocky the bot specifically focuses on helping prospective students to decide on their study choice. In this chatbot conversation the question is put in such a way that the student is asked to think about more than just a study, namely by visualising his or her dream job. By programming the chatbot to ask a specific question, your answer will contain more relevant advice. This is an extra service that will hopefully increase the amount of applications the school receives.
If marketing, sales and service all keep the corporate objectives in mind, planning and executing the strategy will be much easier. The result: a smooth customer journey where the customer journey is the main priority. Success will be guaranteed!
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