How Chatbots Can Help Your Business

A basic chatbot does what it says on the tin: it’s a computer programme that chats. Some are simple, others that simulate human conversation are more complex. We will be looking at their past and present, as well as exploring the new world of marketing opportunities they open up.

A Brief History of Bots

ELIZA, one of the earliest chatbots, was written by Joseph Weizenbaum in the 1960s. An exercise in natural language processing, the programme was designed to learn language from its users. The script ELIZA ran on was meant to parody the conversation between a psychotherapist and her patient but much to Weizenbaum’s surprise, many users got emotionally caught up in those conversations. These conversations resulted in many experts claiming machines would soon be indistinguishable from humans. Weizenbaum himself later rejected the notion machines could replace human intellect – if anything, the computer scientist was disturbed by humans confiding with ELIZA. To him artificial intelligence was to be a tool, not a confidant. But, whatever his intentions, his advancements did spark a movement. The next significant moment was in 2000 when Robert Hoffer rolled out SmarterChild. Available on AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger, it was a conversation buddy for millions of IM users. The company did try adding features that would benefit the users, such as providing relevant information like weather reports and football fixtures, but the technological limitations of the time soon killed the bot. We would now consider both ELIZA and SmarterChild as personality driven AIs. Plenty of companies are still experimenting with personality driven AIs in the hope of creating the perfect algorithm, but others have travelled down a different route.

The Intelligent Assistants of Today

This brings us to the likes of Siri and Google Now: the intelligent personal assistants. Sure, for a while social media was filled with screenshots of Siri’s finest one liners, but its success is built on utility, not personality. It’s exactly what Weizenbaum would’ve wanted: a means, not an end. Today’s intelligent assistants only give directions to our nearest cinema when we ask. The bots of the future will have the ability to predict what the users want.

The Future of Bots for Brands

Facebook, Kik, Line and many other messaging platforms have opened doors for companies to experiment with chatbots. They all provide their own tools and instructions to get you started. Just pick the platform you want build on. There are opportunities to explore new ways of distributing content and engaging with your followers, so publishers like Washington Post, NBC and CNN have all jumped on the chance to build their own bots. These guys may have impressive resources, but the way Facebook and others have built their platforms makes chatbots accessible even for smaller companies.

So how can you utilise chatbots?

Content Distribution

Whether you want to send traffic to your website or to generate brand awareness, content matters. Chatbots give you the chance to show customers the right kind of content. NBC and CNN bots ask fans what news they are interested in, and then provide them with relevant stories.

Customer Service

Chatbots are a brilliant customer service tool – they are scalable and real-time. Customers get their answers when they want them and messages don't slip through the net.

Engagement and Entertainment

Washington Post is going down a more playful route with Kik’s younger audience. Users can message the publisher’s bot to play topical games and trivia. The publisher then provides options for games and once the user picks a topic.

Data Collection

When chatbots are having one-on-one conversations with customers, the insights that come from these personal interactions are invaluable: users are quite literally spelling out what they want. Building upon this knowledge makes it easier to tailor content, ultimately providing a truly personalised experience. With enough information, brands can answer questions before they’re even asked.

Everyone wants to be heard. Chatbots are your chance to speak directly with people interested in your brand. It's a way to provide value, and build lasting relationships.