Chatbots on the rise in eCommerce

Posted on September 10, 2018

More businesses are using these “conversational agents” to understand customer preferences and create an individualized shopping experience

Chatbots, which are computer programs that simulate conversations with human users, are on the rise in eCommerce. In fact, according to a report by Gartner, a global research firm, 85% of all customer service interactions will be managed without human interaction by the year 2020.

PricewaterhouseCoopers reported last year that 42% of consumers (including 53% of millennials) and 72% of business executives use digital assistants. And according to eMarketer, approximately 35.6 million Americans used a voice-activated assistant device at least once a month in 2017 – a 128.9% increase over the prior year.

Chatbots, which are available 24/7, use AI to understand customer preferences and create an individualized shopping experience. As more consumers shop online through apps, email, and social media, chatbots can provide a common link for reaching businesses and completing purchases in a more direct, timely manner. They can also adapt and solve complex business problems, offering quick solutions and communicating more like a “friend” than a business representative.

It’s all part of the rise of “conversational commerce,” which gives consumers a way to get customer support, read reviews, get recommendations and make a purchase, all from within messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WeChat, through their online store, or through voice technology like Amazon Echo. Shoppers can buy products and receive order confirmations and shipping and delivery notifications without leaving a messaging app – eliminating steps from the process and saving valuable time.

In addition, chatbots can be used to collect important data from shoppers to make better recommendations and personalize product pages, which tends to build customer loyalty. They also remind customers if they’ve left items in their shopping cart, which can encourage more sales. Plus, chatbots can save a company money on repetitive tasks. While the technology is not meant to meant to completely replace human customer service staff, they can significantly reduce the hours required to provide quick and easy options for today’s tech-savvy shopper.

KORCOMPTENZ can help you utilize chatbots in a manner that’s right for your organization as the technology becomes more of a staple over the next three to five years, and a more significant part of your eCommerce strategy. Contact us for a consultation today.