What is a conversational agent?

chatbot

It is inconceivable today that a company that wants to be competitive does not use automation systems for its management. In this sense, conversational agents (chatbots) are more and more requested. We are talking about software that is configured to simulate a conversation in natural language with humans. In this, we distinguish between conversational agents available on websites. These are the automated chats. In the case of voice messages, the conversational agents set up are called vocalbots. In call centers, they are called callbots. With all these nuances, it is easy to get lost when talking about the notion of conversational agent. Find out more about these tools.

A conversational agent is a computer program

To the question: what is a conversational agent, it is appropriate to answer starting from the etymology of the word. More commonly called chatbot, the conversational agent is above all a computer program. As such, it is a software designed on the basis of precise technologies and a very specific learning system. In this, the chatbot (contraction of “chat” and “bot”) is defined as a chat robot. Its implementation aims at allowing a dialogue between the computer system and the human being. In this, machine learning is used for a more efficient result.

By definition, machine learning is automatic learning. It is an integral part of artificial intelligence and is what allows the bot to provide answers in the presence of pre-recorded elements. The data taken into account to trigger the response of the device is generally configured at the time of its implementation. They will therefore serve as clues for the chatbot’s predictions.

A conversational agent offers a personalized customer experience

Since the chatbot’s operation is based on machine learning, it can respond to requests from humans. That said, each conversational robot has an independent mode of operation. Thus, the interaction between the support and the user is based on an automated conversation. That’s why we usually provide a library of predefined questions/answers to integrate into the bots for their operation. For both text and voice notes, an analysis is done beforehand, taking into account the keywords, to provide a personalized response to the user.

The conversational agent is an aid to customer service

Without a doubt, customer service is the department of the company that is usually the most requested. With too much demand, the efficiency of this service can suffer. In addition, more people will need to be hired to address customer concerns in real time. To alleviate these human and financial resource constraints, chatbots are increasingly popular.

customer service

Thanks to the conversational robot, customer support receives help in accomplishing its tasks. It will then only deal with issues that really need human intervention. For other concerns, it is the chatbot that takes care of it. Customers will then receive practical and educational information about the company as soon as possible.

A conversational agent is a communication tool

The communication of company promotions used to be based, among other things, on e-mail marketing. It is the sending of emails to potential customers and prospects. This technique is now somewhat outdated. The simple reason is that customers usually don’t take the time to read these advertising messages even if they are subscribed to the site’s newsletter.

As an alternative to this classical method of communication, the chatbot is nowadays very popular. Companies take advantage of this close communication with the customer to subtly present their promotional offers. Here, the communication is much more direct and personalized. As a result, the artificial intelligence analyzes the customer’s intentions based on their search history. It is on this basis that proposals will be made in relation to your product/service offers. Clearly, a conversational agent is also a powerful tool to use for Inbound Marketing in business.

The themes addressed can be varied. They start from the rates of your services, to the schedules and to the set of services offered. Many users appreciate the responsiveness of this type of support. Indeed, the answers provided are pre-programmed and therefore served quickly for recurring requests. This will quickly increase the conversion rate.

A conversational agent to limit waiting time on the phone

There is usually nothing more frustrating for a customer than to be put on hold on the phone for a long time. The latter will have a bad experience and it will be a counter advertisement for your brand. However, it is not possible for the staff to answer all the phone calls at the same time. Thus, the implementation of chatbots or more precisely vocalbots can already allow to lift this constraint.

phone

With such a device, you can anticipate call peaks and you reduce the waiting time of your customers. The processing of requests will then be more efficient, without human intervention.

A conversational agent is suitable for several industries

All sectors of activity today need to ensure their visibility online. This is what will allow you to gain a larger share of the market. To help you do this, the use of chatbots is recommended. In particular, for B to B customer relationship management, such a system is very appropriate. Moreover, statistics have proven that customer satisfaction is significantly improved with such a tool.

If you are in the industry, construction, hotel or health sector, a conversational agent will be useful for your business. It can be integrated into your WordPress website or your social network pages. We can mention for example, Facebook through Messenger and WhatsApp.

Setting up a Botnation conversational agent is not a difficult task. Better yet, you can even use a test version of the tool for free before subscribing. If you are a beginner in coding or you don’t know anything about it, use the Botnation plugin for your chatbot. This plug-in will allow you to install this software and use it for your own purposes.

Amandine Carpentier

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