Give Your Business An Automated Boost with Facebook Messenger Bots
David Baer
Strategic Marketing Advisor to SMBs | Email & Direct Mail Campaign Consultant | Mentor & Trainer to Marketers
Businesses are always attracted to new and innovative opportunities to reach prospects and clients, guarantee better customer service, generate more sales, extend their growth potential, etc.
But it's rare that we see one solution able to address all of the above with such ease. And yet, that's exactly the potential of automated chatbot marketing through facebook's Messenger platform.
A Messenger Chatbot (or simply "bot") is a piece of software that utilizes a form of artificial intelligence to communicate with users. In essence, these bots are programmed to understand what is being asked and can then develop a response that can come across as fun, engaging, and even human-like (though it's not wise to pretend the situation is anything other than automated).
As you'll soon discover, automated bots have the potential to completely transform the face of customer care, marketing and sales as we know it-- and for the better. Automation is really much the method of the future.
Facebook Messenger Bots And Customer Support
What distinguishes Facebook Messenger bots from other trends is the fact that the technology has the capability to transform not just transform the way in which businesses market themselves, but also the way in which they provide customer service.
Businesses recognize the importance of being WHERE their customers are. In the past, that mostly been in the email inbox. Today, however, that place is Facebook Messenger.
In fact, in a 2018 study, it was reported that just over 73% of consumers would prefer live chat with customer service over than either phone or email.
Facebook Messenger has over 1.3 billion active users every month (last officially updated in September, 2107). And with the impending merger of Instagram and WhatsApp with Messenger, the reach will be considerably greater.
When it comes to customer service, it is important to recognize the changing habits of consumers. This is already apparent in things like Google's emphasis on voice search and Facebook's focus on Messenger (and a major reason for their investment in WhatsApp). Put simply, individuals want info delivered in the fastest way possible. Perhaps one of the most compelling aspects of automated bots for both consumers and businesses is that they offer a direct line of communication... and in the world of customer service, that means a lot!
Automated bots offer real-time answers and do so in a conversational way. The latter is especially crucial because while today's consumers want access to self-service solutions, they also still appreciate the comfort of the human touch.
Automated bots offer exactly what today's customers are looking for. These automated bots can be humanized-- you can provide them a name and an avatar to provide a more human-like experience-- while still having the ability to respond to concerns in an immediate fashion.
When a business incorporates a customer service bot into their Facebook page, website, or even through email links, one additional outcome is reduced man-hours spent addressing simple, frequent questions.
Businesses across a a wide range of industries are currently using Messenger bots for their customer service activities. For example, 1-800-FLOWERS uses bots for order tracking, Sephora uses bots for return inquiries, and Marriott uses them to allow program members to change hotel reservations or learn how to redeem points.
Facebook Messenger Bots For Sales & Marketing
By extension, Facebook chatbots also have the possible to transform sales. From start to finish, and even beyond the actual transaction itself, chatbots support the entire sales process to convert more prospects into paying customers.
For example, Roasters Coffee in Washington State offers drink vouchers through their chatbot, collecting an email address along the way, so they can follow-up with consumers and make additional offers.
Of course, the chatbot isn't simply improving the purchasing experience.
When it comes to marketing, chatbots can track purchase history, segment users by their browsing activities and answers to questions... which marketers can then use to make additional offers.
If a chatbot user has expressed interest in lattes or espresso-based drinks, Roaster Coffee can make specific offers for those drinks again in the future. For instance, they can send a message to all latte drinkers saying "because you love our lattes, we want you to be the first to try our brand new seasonal flavor (even before it's officially added to to menu)."
And don't forget that because all of this is taking place inside the in Facebook Messenger environment, the experience for users can feel far more personal (and even intimate) than most other forms of marketing communication.
Automation Is The Future
According to the business consulting firm, Gartner, by 2020, marketing to virtual personas will overtake B2C spending on known customers, with 85% of customer/business relationships being carried out without human interaction.
And while automation is here to stay, don't worry, Messenger chatbots probably won't be displacing anyone's job...
In the context of Facebook Messenger bots, the innovation minimizes the need for human output, enabling your team to spend their time on more high-value tasks. At the very same time, however, chatbots are configured to stay true to your brand, which means they offer consumers the ability to link with businesses in a truly genuine way while still enabling your business to grow through automation.
Where We're Going From Here
Facebook Messenger bots will transform the ways that companies perform customer service, sales, and marketing. The only question is how long before your business is on board.
Above all, bots offer a direct line of contact between the customer and their problem, providing them with exactly what they want: self-service and an personalized, human touch.
And at the same time, bots can collect data so that businesses can personalize responses and offer targeted deals to consumers, all while saving money and time while doing so.
Want to experience a Messenger Bot for yourself?
Try this one out now! ??????????????
_______________________________
David Baer is a Digital Marketing Consultant based in Portland, OR. Learn more about David at baeronmarketing.com