Businesses today aim to offer better customer experiences while lowering service costs, and they increasingly realize that automated self-services like chatbot software may help them achieve these ends. By enabling users to find answers on their own and directing them to efficient solutions, chatbot software tackles the high volume of repetitive questions and reduces backlog. As a result of this, support staff can devote their time to resolving complex problems rather than answering simple questions.
Since its inception in 1950, chatbot technology has evolved massively. At present, unfortunately, Chatbots and AI bots are often considered to be the same thing, leading to confusion and disappointment. Despite both being automated self-services, there are some glaring differences because of which technology is better than the other.
What is a Chatbot?
Computer programs or devices that can "chat" with you are called chatbots. Text messaging via a chat interface or a messaging app is the most typical way to communicate with chatbots. They converse by following predetermined guidelines (if the customer says "A," answer with "B").
Sometimes the interactions are structured as a decision-tree workflow where users can choose the appropriate responses based on their use case. These bots resemble automated phone menus in which the user must select a number of options before finding the desired information. This technology is perfect for resolving common customer complaints and FAQs.
What is an AI Bot?
Essentially, an AI bot is a higher-level idea of chatbots. AI bots are frequently embedded in web pages or other digital applications to respond to consumer enquiries without the need for support agents, thereby offering economical, hassle-free customer service. In order to provide a more personalized customer experience, an AI bot combines artificial intelligence (AI) technology with other technologies.
Let us understand the key technologies used in AI bots. NLP or "natural language processing" enables a computer to comprehend what we say using our natural language. That is, using slang, acronyms, and other speech patterns that are typical of us. For instance, an AI bot may understand you even if you don't use precise grammar. Machine learning or ML implies that the computer can gain knowledge from interacting with humans. Therefore, it enables the AI bot to learn from its interactions and produce future conversations that will be more insightful and effective.
Chatbot vs AI Bot
According to Zendesk user data, customer service teams dealing with 20,000 support requests per month can save more than 240 hours in a month by using chatbot software. The key differences between Chatbot vs AI bot as listed below will delineate which is the better software to opt for.
Operating Channel(s)
In a constantly changing digital landscape, with more social and messaging apps, providing customer service across platforms and being where your customers interact with your brand is critical. Unlike chatbots, AI bots only need to be built once. After that, they can be deployed to multiple channels, with information from each channel streaming to a central analytics hub. Sadly, chatbots require rules, process definition and training to use them in different channels.
Flexibility
An AI bot with complete access to a database and API has the contextual flexibility necessary to engage in fluid conversations with users. For instance, if a user changes their mind in the middle of a chat, a conversational AI interface will automatically begin catering to the new needs of the user. But, a chatbot is constrained by the script and rules it has been given previously, and it is unable to produce any output that has not been manually added to its flow.
Understanding
An AI bot uses various technologies to parse and interpret inputs rather than depending on a pre-written script. Chatbots, in comparison, may appear to understand words and sentences while actually only adhering to a strict set of rules. While chatbots focus only on keywords when dealing with customer queries, AI bots can comprehend the context of queries and the intent of users.
Maintenance
An AI bot draws data from a variety of places, including websites, text corpora, databases, and APIs. It also immediately incorporates any revisions or updates made to these sources. Chatbots, in contrast, need ongoing, expensive manual maintenance to keep their conversational flow productive and efficient.
Customer Experience
AI bot is distinguished from traditional chatbot by its ability to have natural, human-like conversations. As a result of this, an AI bot is a great choice as a self-service option for customer support. Furthermore, as opposed to chatbot, AI bot can understand complex problems and provide more precise responses. Its user-friendly nature will reduce customer frustration and lead to better customer experiences.
Transform Customer Support with AI Bot
If you've read up to this point, it must be clear that AI bot is a human-like, cost-efficient, and automated self-service technology that can deliver seamless customer experience across many channels. AI bot's features overcome the shortcomings of a traditional chatbot. Ascendo offers an intelligent, conversational AI bot that can cater to your support needs, irrespective of the industry. You can integrate AIbot in conversational support channels like Slack, Teams and WhatsApp.
Ascendo AIBot searches upon knowledge from multiple data sources to provide solutions to customers quickly. AI bot's interactions with customers are saved and analyzed to understand the patterns of customer concerns over time. In the rare case where the AI bot is unable to solve the customer issue, there is a smooth handover to a live agent who can view the customer's question and the solutions provided by the AI bot. This way, customers don't have to repeat themselves when passed on to an agent.
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