If you’re looking to build a chatbot, there are plenty of options available. But the key is finding one that’s right for your business.
The type of chatbot you choose will depend on how easy it is to get started and how effective it is at improving your business processes. We’ve also considered the apps & integrations you’ll need to use it effectively.
1. AI Engine
Facebook Messenger is one of the best platforms for chatbots. With a robust framework, it allows businesses to automate customer support operations, assist in marketing campaigns and much more. It also provides a wide variety of engaging text and media message formats.
When choosing a chatbot platform, look for an AI engine that offers a personalised experience. This makes your customers feel valued and can help improve your CSAT score.
Moreover, look for an AI chatbot that can provide data you can use to further analyze your audience. This can make a huge difference in your marketing campaign and increase your sales and conversions.
A great example of this is Ninja Van, a Singapore-based e-com supply chain company that used the Messenger API to scale its self-service capabilities and saw significant results with its customers. With an intelligent chatbot, they can now respond to their customers’ questions and offer personalized recommendations in real time.
Another popular option is Buoy, a healthcare chatbot that uses a database of tens of thousands of clinical records to choose the right patient interview questions on the go. Using this technology, it is able to simulate a conversation with a doctor and help patients avoid the need to go to the hospital.
A great feature of this tool is its ability to automatically convert voice messages into text. It also comes with a world-class speech recognition system and natural language understanding functionality.
2. Auto Comment Private Reply
Auto Reply Private Replies is a feature that lets you send automated messages to people who leave comments on your Facebook Page. This makes it easy to keep up with customer queries and complaints without having to check your comments stream every day.
It’s a great way to respond quickly to inquiries and feedback from your followers, while saving time for your team. Plus, it’s a great tool to build trust with your audience and increase engagement on your Facebook page.
A good chatbot also has a clear purpose and explains what it does. It can also let users choose what kinds of content they want to receive. This will help your bot stand out from the crowd and make it easier for people to connect with your brand and learn more about what you do.
For example, if you’re a florist, you could use your auto comment private reply to offer a discount code or “thank you” message for commenting on your post. Alternatively, you can use it to notify customers that their order has been shipped.
To set up your auto comment private replies, you’ll need to create a Facebook page and generate a Page Access Token. You can get this token from the About page of your Facebook page.
3. Message Tags
Message Tags is a new feature on Facebook Messenger that allows you to send important and relevant 1:1 updates to users outside the standard 24-hour messaging window. This allows you to send messages such as updates on shipping or delivery for example, without the need to constantly monitor the tracking page.
Currently, there are 17 supported tags that you can choose from when sending content outside the 24-hour window. However, the number will be limited to three tags, plus one in beta, after March 4th, 2020.
As part of these changes, Facebook has also banned the use of Message Tags on promotional content such as deals, offers, coupons and discounts. This rule change is important for online businesses who focus on marketing and engagement on Facebook Messenger as it will help prevent spam messages from your business page.
Another update to the Message Tags feature on Messenger is that it now supports the Human Agent tag. The human agent tag is used for agents to notify customers when they’ve been transferred from a Live Chat session with their bot.
In order to ensure that you’re compliant with these changes, Genesys Cloud recommends disconnecting your current Facebook Messenger integration and creating a new integration with the same Facebook page. During this process, we will automatically apply the Human Agent tag on behalf of your agents when required. You can connect the new integration to your inbound message routing.
4. Sponsored Messages
Facebook Messenger chatbots are a great way to boost your customer service. They can be used to handle queries about orders, deliveries and more. This allows your customers to receive personalised support at any time of the day and night, without having to call or email.
The beauty brand Sephora, for example, uses a Messenger bot to help users schedule appointments. When they select “Book A Service,” the bot asks a series of questions to find out what service they’d like to book and then pulls their name and email address from Facebook to confirm the appointment.
As well as boosting customer satisfaction, bots can also be used for a range of other tasks, such as lead generation and lead nurturing. Using the power of natural language processing, chatbots can prompt potential customers for details about their needs and wants, enabling you to turn them into loyal, repeat customers.
Aside from that, bots are able to answer simple questions and direct them to a live agent should a more complex issue arise. This helps your customers to get answers they need quickly and efficiently, reducing churn rates and improving your overall customer experience.
The Sponsored Messages feature of the Messenger Bot App has been designed to enable businesses to reach out to their existing audience in an effective and targeted manner. Unlike News Feed ads, which are automatically blocked by Facebook users, Sponsored Messages stay in the inbox of those who have already interacted with you on Messenger. This makes them a safe and powerful way to nurture user relationships, in light of Facebook’s recent policy changes.
5. Media Formats
One of the most useful features of Messenger is its support for media files. This means that you can attach photos, videos and even GIFs to a chatbot message, making it easy for customers to share their experiences with your brand.
The right file format can make a real difference in how a piece of media is displayed and how the end-user will experience it. For example, the best photo formats can compress a large image so that it fits on a smaller device like a smartphone. Also, video files may need to be encoded in a variety of ways to ensure they’re played correctly on different devices and in the correct resolution.
Having the right media file format can also be important for businesses that want to communicate with their consumers. For example, an online store might need to know the file formats used for billing and shipping information so that they can offer customers a better user experience.
Fortunately, the Media Capabilities API allows developers to quickly discover what media formats are supported on their app or site and which ones are most appropriate for their specific needs. A quick search for “Media formats” in the MC API will reveal a list of most commonly used media file types and their encoding and decoding capabilities, so you can make educated decisions about which files and formats to include in your app or website.
6. Analytics
Chatbots are the next big thing in automation, and they have the potential to completely revolutionize customer service, marketing, and sales. They can be used for everything from helping your customers find what they’re looking for to triggering automated content blasts that help boost conversions and improve sales.
One of the best things about bots is that they’re always “on” – which means you don’t have to wait for a human agent to respond. This is huge for businesses that are constantly inundated with messages from their customers, as it frees up time to spend on other things like marketing and generating new leads.
Many bots are also able to answer common questions and provide quick answers, which helps save time and money for businesses. Moreover, it’s often possible to transfer the chat to a live agent if the question is too complex or if the bot can’t process it.
Another great feature of bots is that they can also collect user preference data and send them customized messages based on their preferences and tastes. This makes them a great way to market and nurture your leads in a personalized way that’s more effective than sending them a generalized message.
Messenger also supports several media formats, so you can include GIFs and Stickers in your conversations to make them more engaging. This can help you build relationships with your customers and encourage them to return.