Chatbots are revolutionizing the way brands connect with their customers and prospects.  Chatbots, when used for sales support, have the ability to understand customer and prospect needs and guide them through a process of education and product or service selection.  Your chatbot can then guide the consumer through the actual purchasing process or hand off the communication to a live (human) sales agent to close the sale.

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Chatbots are rules-powered software programs that automate customer and prospect communication through a chat interface.  A well-designed chatbot will engage consumers, provide the information they are looking for and answer questions in an effort to determine how qualified the lead is and proceed accordingly.

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Important Chatbot Statistics

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If you are considering the use of chatbots to streamline your sales organization, here are some statistics to support this strategy:

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• More than 50% of consumers now expect the brands they buy from to be available on a 24/7 basis

• 46% of consumers prefer to message sales support, rather than communicate via email

• 50% of consumers prefer messaging over telephone communications when communicating with a brand

• By the year 2020, it is estimated that 85% of a brand’s interactions with consumers will be handled without any human involvement

 

The Benefits of Using Chatbots for Sales Support

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Some of the specific benefits you can expect when deploying chatbots for your sales support team include:

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Persistent Availability

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Many consumers are looking to communicate with sales support after hours.  Chatbots enable this by offering 24/7 access.

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Eliminate Wait Times

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These days, consumers have very little tolerance for sales support wait times and queues.  Chatbots eliminate this by offering instant access.  A single chatbot can handle many consumer interactions simultaneously.

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Fast Resolution

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A well-designed chatbot will have the ability to quickly understand a consumer’s request and quickly guide them toward product or service recommendations.  No longer will your customers and prospects be frustrated by confused or inexperienced sales agents.

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Reduced Costs

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Because chatbots can handle the vast majority of frequently-asked-questions and requests, they can cost-effectively qualify your leads before handing them off to a sales agent to close the sale.  This approach allows you to elevate your level of service while reducing labor costs.