For those of you who do not know, a chatbot is a program that replicates a conversation with real people. Its main purpose is to allow businesses to communicate with customers using various messenger apps. A chatbot will process a message, analyze its keywords and answer back using a composed reply. This is exactly what customers need, utilizing different apps within one interface.
A chatbot is an excellent choice for businesses that have a lot of ordering and purchasing activities. Customers have questions and answering them in a timely manner is imperative. A chatbot doing it for you is the perfect solution, saving you time. Think of it as an automated customer service department.
Why Business Needs Chat Bot?
When a customer has a question, the chatbot will respond with a composed answer. If the question is too difficult, the chatbot will pass it on to a customer service individual. Chatbots can also perform customer feedback surveys by sending the customer a message.
There are two different types of chatbots that you should take into consideration. One operates through a scripted rule. It will respond only if it detects keywords or if it receives a certain command. The other one operates on artificial intelligence and is based on AI and will respond to commands and language. With each encounter with a person, it will become smarter. The one you choose should be based on the needs of your business. Building a chatbot should incite a customer to use it.
Platforms For Building A Chatbot:
Facebook Messenger:
As of this year, Facebook opened its messenger platform in beta in order to let chatbots into the app. Facebook Messenger has risen to over one billion users. 1-800-Flowers.com was one of the first chatbots on Messenger, allowing customers to order flowers and receive customer support. Developers can create chatbots for Messenger using send/receive API.
Facebook is now working on developing natural language since their acquisition of Wit.ai. Developers can either build their own chatbot using Facebook’s Bot Engine or utilizing Facebook’s partners.
Microsoft Bot Framework:
This allows businesses to interact with customers through SMS, Skype, Facebook Messenger or other services. In order to build a chatbot, developers need three components:
The Bot Builder SDK which is an open source SDK hosted by GitHub. It allows you to build dialogs within your Node.js, NET or REST API-based bot.
The Developer Portal connects the bot with different apps.
The Bot Directory will let you publish it.
Wit.ai is a natural language platform that turns your chatbot into conversation. Its Bot Engine will let developers build chatbots easily. Simply enter what a customer might ask and it will create an answer. There is a button “Bot Says” where you can implement the chatbot’s reply manually. Wit.ai comes with excellent documents including code samples, SDKs, quick start guides and a complete app guide. Although owned by Facebook, it is still free and open to all developers.
Kik:
Developers can use quality APIs and libraries to optimize chatbots for Kik. As the targeted audience of Kik are teens, businesses should focus on building a good influence on these people. Unlike Facebook Messenger, Kik provides group chats as well.
Slack:
Originally created for workplace communication, its UI and client apps has made it a great tool for customer support and online communities. Its most distinctive feature is its openness. Telegram’s Bot API will let you connect chatbots to this system. You can interact with chatbots by sending messages and requests to them. Users can interact with chatbots in two ways; by sending a message and opening a chat or sending requests by typing the bot’s user name and a question.
GupShup:
This platform was the first to use messaging and chatbots. Now they are the most advanced platform. Chatbot development can very easily build, test, deploy and track chatbots across messaging avenues. Including, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Slack, Telegram, Teamchat, etc.
Chatfuel:
You can build any chatbot without having any knowledge of coding. Over 200,000 chatbots have been built using Chatfuel. It offers excellent tools for large publishers and small agencies, alike, to build excellent chatbots.
Article is written by experts from chat bot development outsourcing company Binariks.com located in Ukraine.
