Transforming The Retail Industry Using Chatbots

Technology is moving so quickly that it has become difficult for businesses to stay on top of each tech trend. This also makes it tougher to decide what your retail business should embrace and what could just be a fad.

Implementing new technology requires money and resources, so retailers need to be sure that it’s worth the investment. There is a lot of chatter in the retail industry about conversational commerce, with some wondering if the investment in these automated bots to take customer queries, provide customer service, and upsell to shoppers is worth it.

Businesses in the retail industry have jumped on the chatbots bandwagon which has resulted in increased efficiencies and reduced costs, especially in customer service functions. Consumers are spoilt for choice and convenience offered by e-commerce and expect conversations related to their purchases to happen online, at any time, anywhere. This makes the role of chatbots extremely beneficial in an industry saturated with businesses trying to outdo each other in terms of customer service and sales.

Why Chatbots?

Chatbots operate in messaging apps and websites to provide your customers with a seamless omnichannel experience.

These intelligent personal assistants operate 24×7, 365 days a year using natural language to communicate with every customer.

Chatbots help handle interactions with customers for e-commerce and retails companies to simulate the same shopping experience that buyers get in-store.

Rather than make your customers fill out forms to get help, or select from a menu when choosing products, chatbots can assist customers and make them feel as though they are interacting with a helpful associate.

How Chatbots Help Provide Better Customer Service?

Driving Customer Engagement

Chatbots allow retail businesses to provide excellent customer service by driving customer engagement 24/7 without requiring any human intervention.

Chatbots can be integrated with various communication channels such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and e-commerce websites. This lets retailers provide 24/7 support, with an enhanced experience and personalised recommendations.

Provide an Enhanced Shopping Experience 

Chatbots help in creating a similar experience that is like being in a physical store. They assist customers by helping them navigate to find products they are looking for. Chatbots are programmed to answer queries, provide support to customers and to enhance their shopping experience.

Reduced Operational Costs 

Each time a customer interacts with the chatbot, the relevant information gets stored, so the next time a customer comes back, they do not have to enter the same information. With the use of chatbots, the number of incoming calls, emails or social media inquiries gets reduced substantially which not only improves the efficiency but also lowers the operational costs.

Respond Immediately 

Keep your customers on your site by answering their questions immediately to lower the chance that they will leave your site for a competitor’s or sleep on their decision. This increases the number of sales on the site.

Benefits of a Chatbot for the Retail Industry

Reduce abandoned carts:

Chatbots can increase online checkout rates by providing personalized offers tailored to the customers past purchase habits.

Increase conversion rates:

Customer service chatbots take consumers through the entire sales funnel. They interact with customers and help in cross-selling and up-selling.

Omnichannel Experience:

Chatbots provide a smooth purchase experience across multiple channels for customers who shop on the web, mobile app and in-store.

Platform Integrations:

Chatbots can be easily integrated with various platforms and websites to become a one-stop e-commerce destination.

Leverage the power of chatbots to dramatically increase sales, improve upselling and cross-selling opportunities, make informed decisions and provide your customers with a personalised and enhanced experience.