According to the Artificial Intelligence in Retail study, 47% of retailers use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in some of their processes. The report states that 56% of the use of this technology is in customer service with chatbots. At the same time, the CX Trends 2024 Manager’s Yearbook, developed by Octadesk in partnership with OpinionBox, revealed that only 20% of consumers claim to have had a good experience when interacting with chatbots.
In this scenario, Marcos Schütz, CEO of VendaComChat, a network specialized in Whatsapp automation services, states that what tends to deter consumers from automated assistance is an overly formal or robotic tone; thus, he warns that the secret to not losing the human touch involves conversation strategy and design. According to him, it is essential to make the chatbot’s language seem natural and friendly. ‘Working on the bot’s ‘personality,’ using a language that reflects the company’s values and communication style, helps the customer feel a stronger connection with the brand. Moreover, investing in a more informal, inclusive, and empathetic tone can humanize the customer’s experience,’ explains the executive.
As per Marcos, creating more casual and colloquial service scripts is a challenge for most companies, but it can be solved simply. ‘One of the most effective methods is to automate a warm welcome message at the beginning of the interaction, personalize messages with the customer’s name and specific data from their history, mentioning previous purchases, recommending products related to what they have already purchased, or making suggestions based on registered preferences, as well as scheduling follow-up content after the interaction is completed, making the customer feel valued,’ clarifies.
The CEO of VendaComChat also reveals that to generate a pleasant and effective experience in automated assistance, it is fundamental to make constant adjustments. ‘Reviewing dialogues and adding new service flows based on changes in the product or new customer needs is crucial to keep the interaction up to date and accurate,’ Marcos explains.
According to the Octadesk report in partnership with OpinionBox, 51% of consumers state that for a robot’s service to be good, it needs to connect with a human when necessary. In this aspect, Marcos emphasizes that automation should handle simple tasks such as frequently asked questions, order status, and scheduling, so that when signs of doubt or customer dissatisfaction are perceived, the conversation is automatically transferred to a human attendant. ‘Adjusting where the bot interacts and where the human intervenes should be a recurring practice, ensuring that automation is always aligned with the desired experience. An uncomplicated approach that helps manage customer expectations is at the beginning of the conversation, the chatbot briefly explaining what it can or cannot do. This way, the consumer will know when they can get a direct answer and when they need to speak to a human attendant,’ he comments.
Marcos points out that automation enables speed, agility, and accuracy in customer service, as well as providing detailed metrics such as response time and satisfaction. ‘When well implemented, technology can transform the user’s experience, offering speed, convenience, and personalization. The secret lies in balancing the efficiency of automation with the human touch, so that the consumer feels well served,’ he concludes.
