Getting Started: How to Integrate AI Into Your Business

AI (or artificial intelligence) is changing how companies operate, but not in the sci-fi, sentient robots way that Hollywood has portrayed. The integration of AI is already delivering tangible results for many businesses.

Automation and optimization of tasks save companies time and money while improving customer and employee experience. Deloitte estimates that with strong AI adoption, time savings could be upwards of 27% within seven years.

Figuring out how to integrate AI into your business can be an intimidating proposition. There’s so much to learn, and it can seem like there are many risks involved.

So, how do you know where to get started?

Conversational AI, put to work by chatbots, is one of the easiest, low-risk ways to integrate AI into your business. Most companies that conduct business online are using chatbots now, and research shows that by the end of 2020, 80% of entrepreneurs will use them. Chatbots are revolutionizing the way businesses deliver customer service, build relationships with customers, and drive revenue goals.

You can experiment with chatbots in low-risk ways. They deliver a surprising amount of valuable data for your company, and chances are it fits within your innovation budget.

Chatbots are the perfect place to start integrating AI into your business. Here’s why:

• Chatbots scale quickly as your business grows and as your AI requirements develop.
• Chatbots are low risk because you have complete control from the very beginning. You decide exactly how they help your customers and when and where they require human oversight. They can handle low-risk issues at first while efficiently shifting challenging questions to staff members.
• You can start small and even deploy a chatbot internally before you launch it to customers. Chatbots can be then adjusted if you identify problems or opportunities from test group interactions.
• Chatbots easily integrates with your existing tech stack, systems, and organizational architecture. You can plan ahead, and there won’t be any unexpected additional software costs to do with implementation.
• Chatbots can be developed to supplement and work with your operational standards, customer service standards, and logistical standards. Compliance can be met within an organization.

Chatbots help you take advantage of AI for real business outcomes. You can gather critical customer data to improve customer experience in ways that you may not have considered. Chatbots can also help nurture leads and build trust with potential and current customers. But to harness all of these benefits, you need to have a plan and the guidance of an expert. Working with a chatbot consultant will give you the best bang for your innovation buck when introducing AI to your business.

How Do I Get Started with a Chatbot Consultant?

The process starts with a conversation. In week one, the consultant will discuss the value of chatbots and determine the feasibility of integrating conversational AI into your business. You’ll help the consultant understand your industry, where your comfort level is with AI, and what your expectations are. From there, the best chatbot consultant for your industry will be assigned, and you’ll move to the next phase of your project.

In the second phase, you’ll come up with a shortlist of possible use cases and desired results and then team up with the consultant to select the best use case. The consultant will work with you to develop KPIs for success and will start to discuss the vendor landscape.

The ChatC Group has developed an agile process that can be customized to work for every chatbot project. It’s fast and clearly defined, so you know exactly what’s going to happen next. No matter who you procure as your chatbot supplier, ensure they’re working with agile methods. It’ll save you money and time in the long run.

You can avoid time-consuming outdated procedures and meetings because discussions focus on solutions instead of specs. A solution-focused project also means there’s much more opportunity for collaborative partnerships, which foster better working relationships. Agile projects are more fluid and flexible, meaning they can pivot based on feedback. The ability to adjust on the fly means your project has a lower risk of failure, is less likely to incur cost overruns and will deliver a better product.

What Are the Benefits of a Chatbot Consultant?

Working with a chatbot consultant that takes an agile project management approach means you work with people who are already experts, instead of trying to get your in-house innovation team up to speed. They are likely already busy with projects and their precious time would be better utilized providing context to the chatbot consultant and development team.

An agile chatbot consultant also means a faster process, from start to finish. With a traditional consulting approach, your AI integration project could take up to six months. With an agile approach, consultants start implementing your AI systems within four weeks and are ready to launch a minimum viable product to your customers in less than three months.

If you are interested in adding AI to your business but are understandably cautious about the investment and the risks involved, get in touch. A chatbot consultant can help you identify and mitigate risk to deliver the benefits of AI for your business.

Originally published at https://chatc.ai.