Chatbots are currently on everyone’s lips. But how can chatbots improve customer service? Our trainee Ramtin will address this question in September.
Human or machine, who am I actually writing with? This is a question one often asks oneself these days when contacting customer service. As early as 2021, 65 percent of all companies in the private customer segment used chatbots for communication with their customers (click here for the study). The average satisfaction of customers was and is…. let’s say “in need of improvement”. Because there is still a certain apprehension anchored in many of us when it comes to communicating with “machines”. And, at least according to the theory of our editorial team, even if a human’s answer had not been more helpful or faster, we still rate it better than that of a chatbot.
In fact, chatbots offer a multitude of possibilities for companies and their customers alike. Let’s look at some factors:
Time: Those who need help don’t want to wait long. The waiting times in support hotlines or their accessibility are sometimes miserable. In our fast-moving times, hardly anyone has the time to listen to hours of endless loops of hair-raising hold music. A chatbot is available 24/7.
Responsibility: Who doesn’t know it? Even after being transferred three times, the person in charge has not yet been found and the search begins again. Chatbots can significantly shorten and facilitate the search for the right contact persons. And the customer only has to describe the request once.
Staff shortage: One reason for the long waiting times in support is often the ubiquitous staff shortage. Understandably, it is in the interest of companies not to employ existing staff with comparatively simple and constantly recurring issues. A classic: password reset.
Quality: Chatbots don’t know bad moods or stress. They will always answer with consistent friendliness. Even if the customer behaves inappropriately.
Cost savings: 20 employees in the hotline or would you prefer a chatbot? The use of chatbots can make sense from a purely economic point of view. And saved personnel costs also benefit the customers.
Assistance: Chatbots can be extremely helpful not only in external communication, but also internally. For example, when it comes to quickly finding information and solutions or providing formulation aids.
It can be assumed that the response behavior of chatbots will continue to improve in the coming years and that acceptance among the population will increase.
