The advantages and disadvantages of a chatbot for a company

Are you interested in chatbots for your business? Wondering what the benefits of chatbots are? Continuous technological innovation and the desire to optimize performance are all reasons for integrating a conversational robot into a company. The efficiency and advantages of these computer programs are attracting more and more companies. However, some companies remain doubtful because of the drawbacks of this solution. So what should we remember about the advantages and limitations of using a chatbot in a company? Answer in this article.

➜ Register for Free and launch your Chatbot Easily!

Summary

The advantages of the chatbot

The chatbot (or conversational agent) is one of the innovations that have emerged thanks to artificial intelligence. The ever-growing popularity of chatbots is due to the many strengths of this tool. Its advantages are legion and make its users happy. Here are the positive points of using a chatbot in a company.

A positive impact on customer relations

Used wisely, a chatbot greatly improves customer relations, and can boost customer engagement. The handling of a customer request by a chatbot is instantaneous and immediate. This speed of processing is highly appreciated by customers and reinforces their commitment.

Whether you are looking for information about a company’s products or services, the chatbot is able to provide you with answers adapted to your requests. This programmed bot is beneficial to improve the relationship and communication with customers.

The chatbot also has the advantage of being very available, as it responds accurately and at the moment customers request it, 24/7. This is especially true in cases of emergency or when the customer is looking for a quick response to a given concern. With this programmed bot, the user experience is further enhanced.

A responsive chatbot can also have the advantage of guiding customers through the website and helping them when needed. Just like a consultant in a store, they will feel accompanied. The customer will therefore have an easier time accessing the company’s services.

These various points allow customers to have a better experience and reinforce their positive opinion of the company.

Automation of basic, repetitive and time-consuming tasks

In all companies, the constant performance of repetitive tasks can have a negative effect on the performance of employees and on the company’s budget. Chatbots are then positioned as excellent assistants. Indeed, it is possible to automate, with the help of chatbots, the simple and recurrent requests and actions performed by human beings.

This will allow the staff of the department concerned to breathe and focus on other more complex tasks. This benefits the company’s profitability. Moreover, with time and technological advances, the range of tasks that can be performed by a chatbot is expanding considerably.

The company therefore saves time and money. The ability of this programmed bot to imitate the human being in the accomplishment of certain actions remains undoubtedly one of its greatest advantages.

Collecting data on customers and their habits

Thanks to chatbots, collecting information about customer habits is easier. Simply configure the chatbot to record data about search terms, buying habits and customer engagement. Information on their satisfaction can also be retrieved.

Gathering this kind of accurate information helps to improve the user experience. They will also allow the company to better understand the real needs of customers to ensure their satisfaction.

Permanent availability

A chatbot also has a major advantage: permanent availability, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As long as this programmed bot has sufficient power, a stable connection and an operational server, it can work continuously. At any time of the day or night, weekends or vacations, this conversational agent can handle customer requests.

A chatbot doesn’t take lunch breaks, sick days, or salary at the end of the month. It is therefore an important tool in a company’s budget policy.

The possible limits of the chatbot

As powerful as they are, chatbots also have their limits. Depending on the type of business and the way a chatbot is used, these negative points may or may not be negligible.

Lack of flexibility

A chatbot, despite all the advances it could benefit from, does not have the empathy and know-how of a human being. Depending on the specificities of the situation, humans can adapt solutions and use their experience and intelligence. On the other hand, the chatbot can quickly be overwhelmed by a situation it doesn’t understand or a case it has never had to face.

Moreover, in the exchanges, the human being brings a certain warmth that contrasts with the cold side of chatbots. The cold side, which is not very popular with customers. Some chatbots are thus configured to make jokes from time to time, be polite and use emojis.

A tool that may not be suitable for all companies?

It is often said that from small to large companies, a chatbot is always an asset. This is true, but there are cases where this conversational agent is clearly not suitable. For example, in the case of a consulting firm or a company offering highly scalable services. The chatbot will be able to give answers to defined questions, but will not be able to improvise and know the continuous evolution of the proposed services.

The risk of errors or bugs

A spelling mistake, a misunderstood question, a sarcastic tone… These are some of the details of a request that can confuse a chatbot. In addition, he or she may lose the thread of a discussion and go off topic. Moreover, being a computer program by nature, the risk of bugs is possible.

However, chatbots are evolving. Today’s conversational robots can operate with powerful artificial intelligence. By mixing machine learning and NLP, chatbots can respond to a wide range of interactions. It can therefore be said that an efficient chatbot like the ones from Botnation bring many more advantages than disadvantages to a company. So what are you waiting for to try our free chatbot?