How chatbot conversations improve user experiences

A few months ago, Google’s AI assistant made a big splash with scheduling a hair appointment on the phone. As a human-centered service designer, I was interested in the interaction between computer and human. Was it friendly? How did it feel? How long did it take?

I wondered how chatbots might change our online experiences and how these conversations can open up whole new area of opportunity This blog summarizes a few insights about this exciting space.

I tried the Drift chatbot. The conversation with the chatbot felt natural and friendly. After I complimented the bot, a Drift salesperson seamlessly joined the conversation.

Who’s using chatbots? Millennial and Gen Xers.

5 Cool things to know about chatbots

• Conversational — engage people with natural conversations. People want to talk and feel they are connecting. The chatbot content design can reinforce your brand voice.
• Quick and easy — provide fast answers anytime, anywhere. Chatbots are 24/7. Directs customers to the right place even when you’ve closed your doors for the day.
• Contextual help — share information based on screen view, relationships, account status or IP address (and that is the tip of the iceberg).
• Qualify sales — offer help to prospective customers earlier in the process and learn about what they need. You just hired your powerhouse salesperson.
• Save time — automate mundane tasks such as calendaring. Free up time for your valuable resources to tackle more complex tasks.

Courtesy of Drift.com

This is the tip of the iceberg on what chatbots can do. If you want to learn more, here’s a free report issued by industry leaders such as Survey Monkey and Salesforce — 2018 Chatbots Report.

As businesses, designers, product teams try to keep up with the dynamic growth in technology, I’m excited to see how chatbots will play a bigger role in the design of services.

Thanks for reading.

If you are an organization redefining your service strategy, online experience or product, feel free to reach out for a free 30 minute consult.