You have an eCommerce store. You are pretty much on point with everything, except customer service. The truth is getting customer service right can be a challenge for many businesses. It requires the hiring of a full-time team. They should be on call 24/7 to respond to customer queries. This is especially critical if you have customers from all over the world.
The difference in time zones means customers could be awake while you are asleep. Statistics show that 91% of customers will leave a brand if they are unhappy. The business owner will not even get to know about it because they will not complain.
56% stop transacting with companies because of a poor customer experience. 47% switched brands due to the same reasons. The business loses 4 out of 10 recommendations due to poor customer service.
Forward-looking, tech-savvy companies employ the use of chatbots. Customers get prompt feedback to queries at whatever time.
The company also realizes savings that would go into paying salaries or putting up infrastructure for human employees. And, automation ensures higher efficiency in processes.
Our article explores the benefits of using chatbots in your marketing strategy. Let’s dive into it.
Resource optimization with chatbots
Many eCommerce platforms allow for the integration of chatbot technology. Using a Shopify chatbot, for instance, can help increase revenue by up to 40%. Customers get faster service which leads to a pleasant experience on the site.
The e-commerce owner gets tons of functionalities. Having a chatbot app in the cart allows customers to add items directly. The bots can track order status with ease. And, they will recommend products based on past purchasing behavior.
Incorporation of such technologies saves money and time. And, it leads us to the second point on website conversion.
The best shopping bots can increase conversions
As an e-commerce owner, you want anyone who visits your platform to buy something. Sometimes, people will leave without purchasing anything for various reasons. It could be a lack of sufficient information. Some of the processes may also be a bit confusing. The best free chatbots can guide the customer along the buyer’s journey.
Questions and answers bots will provide prompt responses to any customer queries. And, the technologies are available day and night. That means customers have a way to engage and interact even if everyone is out of the office.
Better leads generation with chatbots
A significant part of marketing is to generate leads for the business. The best chatbots apps can help with this task. A live chatbot can initiate conversations with customers. AI technologies make chatbots ‘smarter’ over time. The bot learns behavior and will adjust communication depending on the customer it is dealing with.
The interaction can help the marketing team collect data and generate workable insights. Such help with decision-making on the next course of action. These include message targeting and improved product offering. And, it all happens without the marketing team investing in hours of research.
The interactive nature of chatbots takes away the tediousness of filling in lengthy forms. The customer feels more at ease sharing the information. The level of personalization can provide the nudge the online visitor needs to purchase a product.
The bots can also identify those who may have an interest but are not quite ready to convert. The marketing team can then better utilize their time following up on the warm leads.
Chatbots help with conversational marketing
Conversational marketing is becoming quite popular. The approach is customer and dialogue-centric. Real-time conversations result in better engagement. AI chatbots can help with such interactions because they mimic human customer care agents. In some instances, the customer will not even know they are talking to machines.
The marketing team can acquire valuable data, generate leads and convert leads. Engaging with customers can lead to higher conversions. Up to 45% of businesses implement conversational marketing. 82% of customers place great importance on immediate feedback to marketing or sales-related questions.
Chatbots can help with business growth
As we have stated above, people will leave if they’re not happy with the customer experience. Sometimes you are doing all you can to meet expectations. But, there are times the teams may fall short. It can happen during peak seasons when the site experiences a lot of traffic.
Some customers may have to wait a long time before anyone can respond. The business may have to get more resources on board during such times.
The impact on the bottom line can be significant. And, the stress of working in such times can push a harried sales agent into not satisfying clients.
An automated Shopify store, for example, can manage such scenarios with ease. The chatbots can handle multiple queries at once. A human agent can only deal with one ticket at a time. And, you don’t have to invest in more chatbots to handle peak traffic. All you need to do is program the software, depending on what you need it to handle.
Final thoughts
We have explored some benefits of chatbots to your marketing strategy. These include higher conversions, lead generation, conversational marketing, and business scalability. The stumbling block for some people may be the cost implication of such technologies. But, think about it long term, instead of focusing on the initial cost.
Calculate how much you spend on human labor every single year. Now, imagine how much business you lose because of unhappy customers. Next, think about the benefits of higher efficiency in your processes. And, factor in the higher conversions you achieve with chatbots. You understand where we are going right? The tons of savings in time and money are huge.
But, we are bearers of good news. You can, for instance, visit Shopify app stores and install a free Shopify bot. You can also run a search query on how to make a chatbot. There are tons of resources that will guide you through the process.
Don’t let the chatbot gravy train leave the station without you on board. The marketing team must incorporate bot technology in their marketing strategy. That is the only way to remain competitive, in the tech-driven world. Watch your website conversions soar with chatbot technology.