Chatbots have become significantly more popular in recent times, businesses are discovering their value. The advancements in smartphones and technological developments like artificial intelligence have changed the way we interact with chatbots. From the differences between ELIZA, the first chatbot, and Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant, it’s easy to see how technology has expanded our use and definition of chatbots. But you may be asking yourself, what are chatbots, and why have they become so crucial to our everyday life? Throughout this guide, you’ll find answers to those questions and learn why chatbots have become so significant. 

We’ll follow up this article with more technical insights.

What is a Chatbot?

The short answer to this question is that chatbots are computer programs that simulate and process human conversations, whether written or spoken, giving humans the ability to interact with their digital devices as if they were talking to a real person. Chatbots have various levels of complexity, with some being able to only answer simple queries with a single line response while others are sophisticated enough to be digital assistants that learn and evolve to develop increasing levels of personalization when they gather and process information. 

How do chatbots work?

Chatbots work off of pre-programmed responses, AI, or both. Depending on which mechanism is applied, the chatbot will process a user’s question to give a matching answer. You will find two main types of chatbots, with those types telling us how they communicate. Those chatbots are rule-based chatbots and AI chatbots. 

Rule-based chatbots

Chatbots that use rule-based (also known as command-based, keyword, and transactional) responses can communicate using predefined answers. For example, if a rule-based chatbot is asked, “How can I reset my password?” it will look for familiar keywords, which are ‘reset’ and ‘password’, and use this to give an appropriate predetermined matched answer. But, if this chatbot does not recognize a different spelling or dialect, it will not be able to provide an answer and will ask the user to rephrase the question.

Because of this, rule-based chatbots can not learn from past experiences as they respond based on what they know at the moment. The only way to improve a rule-based chatbot is to equip it with more predefined answers and improve its mechanisms.

While most people would see these limitations as a disadvantage, it’s because of their simplicity that rule-based chatbots are perfect for use in your business as a tool to communicate with potential users or clients. Thus, allowing your company to deliver a predictable automated brand. 

AI Chatbots

AI chatbots use AI software to freely communicate with their users making them better conversationalists than rule-based chatbots since they leverage machine learning, sentiment analysis, and natural language processing (NLP).

Machine learning

By using machine learning, chatbots can identify patterns in user inputs, make decisions, and learn from past conversations and interactions.

Natural language processing

NLP allows chatbots to know how a human communicates and enables them to copy that behavior, and lets them understand the context of a conversation even if a person makes a spelling mistake or uses jargon and slang.

The sentiment analysis

It helps a chatbot to understand users' emotions.

While AI chatbots require predefined responses to get started, they can learn from past conversations that allow them not to be updated manually. They understand multiple languages and can customize their experience with a customer as AI chatbots can read their mood and personalize their experience based on this. 

What will happen to chatbots in 2022?

A Capgemini study of more than 12,000 consumers found that 74% of them use chatbots for various purposes, such as doing product research or making online purchases. Surely this isn't a horrible deal?

Contrary to common assumptions, huge businesses are not the only ones that benefit from AI chatbot technology. Small companies are often short on customer service workers, chatbot platforms can help. Bots may handle up to 80% of basic questions. Some may even resolve customer problems.

With chatbot platforms, you may use them to engage consumers with a welcoming message, organize appointments, or even give discounts or gauge client happiness.

Not to add, certain chatbot systems include web analytics to assist you in better analyzing customer behavior trends. Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot systems are generating a lot of interest. By 2025, 95% of all consumer contacts will be handled by chatbots.

According to Gartner, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a mainstream customer experience investment in several years." 47 percent of companies plan to employ chatbots for customer service, while 40 percent plan to use virtual assistants.

Types of chatbots

From customer service to real estate, chatbots are being actively employed in various fields. Examples of how chatbots are being used nowadays may be seen below.

• Payment methods: Reduce the number of abandoned shopping carts and drop-offs by helping consumers complete their purchases.
• Customer Support: You free up your workers' time to deal with more difficult inquiries by serving as the initial point of contact.
• Assistant in human resources: You may free up time in your HR department for strategy or optimization by automating time-consuming activities.
• Real-estate broker: Helps visitors schedule a showing and displays properties that suit their search parameters.
• E-commerce assistant: Your webshop chatbot may give special discounts to boost sales or function as a digital assistant to provide product advice.
• Lead generation in marketing: The chatbot can automatically schedule conversations or demonstrations with potential customers, and it may exchange contact information for downloads.

Different Chatbot Platforms

So check through the best chatbot platforms and discover what they offer.

The ProProfs Chatbot

ProProfs ChatBot helps your organization simplify customer service, marketing and sales operations. Using this application, you may capture new leads and engage them in a human-like conversation, asking for information and responding to regularly asked questions. Installing and configuring this chatbot tool does not need any programming knowledge.

Main Features

• Use branching logic to create interactions.
• Use drag-and-drop functionality to create chatbot processes.
• Pre-designed chatbot templates to help new users get up and running.
• Use the chatbot to direct conversations to the appropriate department.

ProProfs ChatBot is the ideal solution for companies looking to enhance customer service while also increasing revenue via the chatbot's hot leads.

Starting at $10/user/month, you can add the chatbot functionality to your current ProProfs Chat package.

There are two paid options: Essentials and Premium. You may add the chatbot service to any of these subscriptions. A yearly subscription to the basics plan would be around $10 a month per user. On the other hand, the premium subscription would set you back around $15 per month per user.

Botsify

It's ideal for constructing a smart chatbot for usage in business or educational environments.

Creating chatbots using Botsify doesn't need any coding knowledge. You may use smart chatbots for teaching, customer support, sales, or human resources (HR). The tool includes chatbot training, bot learning, storytelling, and conversational forms.

Main Features

• A conversation takes shape
• Story Tree
• Connect to your website, Facebook, Amazon, Slack, and other services.
• Chatbots for teaching and learning

Botsify is an excellent tool for the average person to create complex AI chatbots. However, if you get the hang of it, you may use the technology to build strong chatbots.

There are two pricing options: Self Serviced and Fully Managed.

This subscription is $50 a month and comes with 10 chatbots, 30,000 unique visitors, limitless content, and media blocks. The Full Managed plan includes Chatbot customization and reporting, which costs $300 per month. A 14-day free trial of the program is also available.

MobileMonkey

Connecting with consumers through Facebook Messenger, SMS, and WebChat is ideal.

MobileMonkey uses chatbots with advanced automation and integration to help you stay in touch with your audience in real-time. Anyone can use the software to build powerful chatbots, even if they have no prior coding experience.

Main Features

• Facebook Messenger, Zapier, SMS, and WebChat integration
• API for MobileMonkey.
• Drip marketing programs
• SMS-based applications
• Scheduled sends

MobileMonkey makes it simple to build chatbots. Use the product to develop programmed bots to interact with consumers. Customers laud the app's user-friendly interface for its simplicity and ease of use.

There are four pricing options for MobileMonkey. Unlimited contact leads, Facebook pages, and website installations are included in the free version. Drip campaigns, browser notifications, chatbot form builders, custom characteristics, and lead magnets are just some of the extras that come with it.

It costs $6.75 a month to upgrade to the PRO version, adding features like SMS tools, scheduled alerts, Zapier compatibility, API compatibility, and Facebook Ads integration.

Watson Assistant - IBM

IBM has also been named a chatbot leader in the Gartner 2022 quadrant, perhaps the most well-known vendor. Using IBM's Watson Assistant, a virtual agent, Watson can manage subject shifts, propose alternatives, and recognize when a human should be involved in the conversation.

In the context of a certain sector, Watson Assistant may search for answers in your knowledge base, ask consumers for clarification, send them to a human representative, and even provide you with training ideas to improve your conversational skills.

These platforms can be used to operate Watson Assistant on your business. There is also a visual dialog editor, so you don't need any coding skills to create chatbots.

Chatbot services in Belgium and the Netherlands

Watermelon.co

You don't need to know how to code to use Watermelon to build your chatbot. Watermelon's drag-and-drop interface is easy to use. Building a digital coworker is simple with Watermelon's user-friendly chatbot management platform. The procedures involve adding knowledge, enabling the chatbot to enhance its expertise via AI learning, assessing its efficacy, and publishing and updating material depending on consumer queries. Using a single dashboard, you can keep track of your incoming communications from various sources.

Watermelon gives you the ability to contact your clients around the clock through your website(s), social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and messaging applications like iMessage, Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram (to name just a few).

Most suitable for

With Watermelon, you'll be able to provide excellent customer service while increasing your revenue. Each of these sectors, as well as municipalities, may benefit from the use of the chatbot.

Costs

Pricing for Watermelon begins at €199.00 per month, dependent on usage. There isn't a free version of this product. It does not have a free trial period for Watermelon.

Trengo.com

Customers can communicate across all channels with one view, thanks to Trengo's customer communication platform. Send and receive messages from various sources, including email, voicemail, SMS, websites, social media, and other messaging apps, all from a single interface. Automate interactions with bots, use advanced collaboration capabilities, and track customer satisfaction across all channels. Make it simple for customers to communicate.

Most suitable for

SMBs rely on Trengo as their go-to omnichannel customer communication tool of choice. Multi-sectoral experience, including e-commerce, automobiles, and tourism.

Costs

A month's subscription to Trengo costs €15.00 for each user. There isn't a free version of this product. Trengo gives you a free trial of their service.

Ask-Waldo

Founded in 2020, in Lubbeek, Belgium, the company is the provider of a cutting-edge knowledge management platform. It encourages workers to collaborate and share information to improve their productivity. Every step of the process is continually analyzed to profile, link, and display in-house knowledge.

Conclusion

The use of Conversational AI in the workplace will continue to surge as digital disruption sweeps through almost every industry.

Slack, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Google Assistant may all be used in conjunction with conversational AI systems. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play an ever-increasing role in marketing and our daily lives. Not just to better target your audience but also to ensure that your audience can discover you amongst the collected data.

Every day, we generate more and more data. According to some estimates, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated each day. So it's no surprise that information-gathering tools like chatbots are becoming more popular. As AI advances in natural language processing, making interactions more human-like, relevant, and accurate, chatbots have become a supplementary tool for organizations and corporations.

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