Chatbots and Apps Perfect for Small Business

Today, small businesses must keep up with consumer communications just like the bigger corporations. To do that, they must rely on artificial intelligence, like chatbots.

One person that knows more than enough about AI and how it helps new businesses is Tim Hayden. Hayden is a 20-year veteran of digital marketing and business leadership. He is the founder of NION Interactive, 44Doors, and GamePlan – catalysts for some of today’s innovative brands.

Just a few brands Hayden has helped include ExxonMobil, Kraft Foods, and Dell.

Now he shares his insights with us about the best chatbots and artificial intelligence that small business owners can use to step up their technological game.

The Small Business Budget and Keeping Up-to-Date

Small businesses rarely have the spare resources to invest in the latest AI technology. According to Hayden, there is a myriad of affordable options that get the job done and help companies keep up with their consumer pool.

Chatbot and Chatbot Add-Ons that Boost Small Business Communications

Hayden was kind enough to share his insights on technology firms offering communication tools for small and large businesses alike.

Conversable – An Austin, Texas Tech Firm

According to Hayden, Conversable helps automate big and small companies. Conversable gets to know the inventory of a business, then learns how to automate initial consumer experiences, customer support inquiries and concerns, and all customer care. This tool lets companies like Victoria’s Secret remove the human customer service representative and allows chatbots to handle basic questions and returns.

Adding Geotags to Facebook Messenger

Another tool is the geotag. Geotags detect when a consumer enters a local store, and the chatbot pops up on their smartphone to ask if it can help. The chatbot is conversational, helpful, and helps drive consumers to the products they need – along with creative upsell opportunities right in the store.

Optimizing Chatbot Technology with Keyword Searches

By using Google Analytics, a small business can see what search terms help local consumers find their business, inquiries searched online, and so forth. The data allows that company to tailor customer service conversations, questions, and responses in their current chatbot via Facebook and on their website.

Hayden highly recommends doing a complete search of keywords and search inquiries because this tells chatbot programmers what information consumers are likely to ask when speaking with a chatbot.

Importance of Using Chatbots to Fill a Gap

While chatbots are helpful, and there are numerous ways to optimize them, Hayden points out that there is a limit to the technology. Furthermore, the entire customer service department cannot consist of sole chatbots. Customers need human interactions.

However, a small business looking to filter general questions and inquiries can easily use chatbots to limit the demands on their existing customer service – and still continue to grow without reaching capacity.

For more ideas on marketing or using artificial intelligence, follow Tim Hayden on LinkedIn and Twitter (@TheTimeHayden) where he shares his valuable content. Then, head over to his website and read the blog.