Are the Bots Taking Over?

A Look at the Pro’s and Con’s of AI Chatbots for Customer Service

The first time I saw I, Robot as a kid, I was convinced that robots and androids would one day take over the world. And seventeen years later, it’s safe to say in a way, they have. As humans have evolved, so has our technology, and the use of artificial intelligence has woven itself into our every day lives. From Siri to Alexa, we all know some sort of AI assistant.

But AI is also replacing the need for human involvement in almost every business. Marketer’s have even found ways to utilize AI in the form of Chatbots for customer service on their websites — a facet of business that is normally routed in human interaction.

So why are marketers switching from human beings to Chatbots to help with our problems? Well there are many benefits of AI Chatbots. But of course with this also comes many drawbacks.

Today we are going to take a look at the main pro’s and con’s of AI Chatbots in customer service (and see if there’s any way to stop the oncoming robot apocalypse along the way.)

The robot antagonist in “I, Robot”

The Pro’s

1. Chatbots have an instantaneous response rate and can find all the relevant answers to a consumer’s question.
2. Chatbots will have consistent responses for all consumers and this eliminates human error.
3. Chatbots are less expensive and more efficient for companies because they are in use 24/7 and don’t require typical employee benefits.
4. Chatbots can be used for many purposes besides customer service, such as advertising, ordering, SEO, and on the spot data collection.
5. Chatbots can easily facilitate a consumer’s requests and push them through the sales funnel.

The Con’s

1. Chatbots rely on code. If the code is faulty, your Chatbot will be as well, and the consumer wont be able to get the answers they are looking for.
2. Along with having consistent responses, Chatbots have limited responses. So if a consumer isn’t able to get the answers they need, the conversation could lead to more frustration.
3. More complex Chatbot’s could lead to higher costs for a business overtime.
4. If a Chatbot’s code has any wholes, hackers and spam may be able to enter and mess with the bot’s functions — effectively ruining the efficiency of the bot.
5. Chatbots lack the personal touch that is so valued in customer service. An AI bot can’t connect with a consumer in the same way a human can.

Finding a Balance

I do think there needs to be some sort of balance here. Whether we like it or not, AI is going to continue to be a part of our lives. Some Chatbots are so realistic, it’s nearly impossible to them apart from a human being. But at the end of the day, it’s not nearly as fulfilling to talk to a robot as it is to talk to a human being. We crave connection, plain and simple. No matter how intelligent these bots get, they will still be artificial (enter the premises of I,Robot and Ex Machina).

Sure, these are fictional films and our technology isn’t nearly advanced enough to incur a robot apocalypse any time soon, but it’s important to take a look at how we can utilize AI to our benefit without losing that human touch along the way.

And many businesses have succeeded in this task already — Bank of America’s Erica and Hello Fresh’s Freddy are two great examples of how brands can personalize and simplify the AI Chatbot experience.

Going forward, businesses and marketers must be smart about the use of AI and Chatbots, and make sure it works for their individual goals and objectives. As long as this is achieved, and the balance between bot and human remains strong, we probably won’t need to worry about any apocalyptic takeover.

Sources:

Barker, Shane, ‘Pros and Cons of AI Chatbots: All You Must Know’, 2021 <https://www.moengage.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-ai-chatbots/>

Heyden, Karine, ‘AI: Chatbots Versus Human Customer Service’, 2020 <https://www.digitalistmag.com/customer-experience/2020/05/06/ai-chatbots-versus-human-customer-service-06203645/>