Subscribe to the blog and receive recommendations to boost your CX
When we talk about Chatbots and automation, in the imagination of users and some companies, an intelligent robot appears, which answers customer queries with the naturalness of a human. Although the bots with artificial intelligence (that is, with the ability to understand natural language and “learn” with each interaction) are increasingly used, they are not the only option to automate interactions.
In fact, many companies benefit from the use of “Dumb Chatbots” or “ITR Chatbots””, conversational interfaces that don't use artificial intelligence. A common mistake when planning a service automation strategy is to think that only with cognitive bots it is possible to reduce operational care costs and improve the user experience. In this note, we show you several advantages of non-intelligent bots and what type of processes you can apply them to.
First, let's define: what are “Dumb Chatbots” or “ITR Chatbots”?
Los ITR chatbots (from English “Text Interaction Response”) or “dumb chatbots” (“dumb chatbots”) are conversational interfaces that work through preset option menus. They do not require the use of artificial intelligence, but they perform their functions based on predefined commands or buttons, following a sequential logic. They emulate the conversation, but they don't interpret the user's answers: they give them options and open new ones depending on the option selected. They are handled in a similar way to an IVR on the phone, but in a chat environment.
Although they do not use cognitive abilities, dumb chatbots are very effective at carrying out techniques of conversational marketing, since they can be customized to make the interaction seem as natural as possible. If the texts of the commands give a human, colloquial and close tone, high levels of engagement can be achieved, relatively simply.
Advantages of “Dumb Chatbots”
In this case, we will focus on the benefits of Dumb Chatbots compared to cognitive bots in some usage scenarios. To see the general advantages of applying bots (both ITR and cognitive), we recommend this note:
1) They are easier to implement than AI, and their cost is lower
Creating an ITR bot is much easier than developing a cognitive bot; does not require revisions or maintenance and can be implemented immediately, without the need to “train” the bot. In addition, for the simplest interactions, are more intuitive for users, who should only select one option from those provided and should not think about how to formulate a written response.
2) The course of the interaction is always controlled
Another advantage is that in the ITR bot, the entire sequence of the interaction is pre-designed, with no possibility of deviating from the established course. The conversation has an ultimate goal, and there is no margin for error in the face of phrases that are not comprehensible or misspelled by the user.
3) They are ideal for qualifying prospects or distributing attention
Dumb Chatbots are a very effective tool for automate marketing processes. Applied to landing pages, for example, they not only allow Capture leads but qualify them on the spot, through a few simple questions. They also help to advance the prospect in their Customer Journey, depending on the stage of the route they are at.
In cases of customer service, analogously to a IVR on the phone, ITR bots can work as the first filter in a webchat or in messaging apps, referring inquiries to the appropriate agents.
When to choose Artificial Intelligence, and when not?
Because they are so intuitive for users, Dumb Chatbots are ideal in cases where their functionality is very specific: it can be, as we said, rating the leads that arrive at a landing page, taking an order when there are a set of pre-set options, or carrying out a satisfaction survey, to name a few cases.
But for cases where it is necessary provide more complex customer service, which requires a more sophisticated and human-like level of conversation, a menu of options will not be enough. In these cases, it is recommended to use a bot with cognitive and resolution capabilities, that truly elevate the customer experience and help you with what you need, whether it's buying or making a claim. Let's remember that Dumb Chatbots can't understand natural language, generate new responses or perform functions that have not been pre-programmed.
Each company, depending on its business objectives and the volume of interactions it manages on a daily basis, must decide What type of bot to implement. You'll need to evaluate whether it's cost-effective to use a cognitive bot (which can handle most of the interactions your agents perform to free up time for the team) or if an ITR bot is the best solution. Of course, one alternative doesn't exclude the other: for each process you can implement the most efficient tool, always ensuring that, when using it, the user experience is excellent.
