The concept of conversational commerce has gained importance in e-commerce. More and more customers: Inside, for example, chatbots in communication with companies. But how do companies actually succeed in conversational commerce? We have compiled 5 conversational commerce tips for you.
“Alexa – order me new toothbrush heads” – Jeff Bezos has imagined the integration of artificial intelligence with the debut of “Alexa”. In the meantime, according to a report by Azcir, the digital voice assistant for online shopping is far from being used as the Amazon boss hoped. But: Alexa stands for the further development of conversational commerce, which began not least with the development of chatbots.
Conversational Commerce has arrived
It started with chatbots: The digital helpers on websites should be announced: inside a circular-die clock service, increasing customer satisfaction and of course also supporting human customer support. The study “The Human Connection – Using Technology to Create A Better Customer Experience” by Verizon shows in 2022 shows: Conversational Commerce has arrived in society in 2022. 56 percent of the study participants: Inside, for example, indicated that the completely automated customer contact is happy to use via chatbots. Other statistics also confirm that customers are largely satisfied with chatbot interactions today.
In addition, Conversational Commerce has long been thinking about the classic chatbot on the website. It is not for nothing that they are increasingly being found on social media – especially on Facebook. Three thousand chatbots were already integrated by companies on Facebook in 2018. The tendency is rising. Digital voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri, or Cortana as well as the integration of AI in messenger services are the latest trend to drive conversational commerce forward and use the advantages for customers: inside and outside companies.
More than just tools – conversational marketing
Chatbots are, however, only a modern means of communication. Regardless of whether the artificial intelligence was integrated into a messenger service such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp or whether it can be found on the website and in the company’s app: the tool alone only makes half of the successful conversational commerce.
At least as important as a well-embedded and functional chat bot-you can find a selection of different chatbot solutions in our market overview-is the right marketing.
Correctly implemented, conversational marketing companies offer the opportunity to improve the shopping experience for customers: inside. As with the vision of Jeff Bezos, it is that the AI announced in the voice assistant: inside supports your purchases conveniently with just one voice command. However, the difference between vision and reality shows: The possibility of making purchases through AI support is not enough.
Conversational marketing must redefine the shopping experience with added value through the embedding of chatbots. For example, by making a bot: help in the product selection. Or by introducing AI: Inside shopping innovations along the customer journey and individual preferences.
The only question is: How do companies’ conversational commerce and conversational marketing correctly implement? We deliver five practical tips for successful conversational commerce.
5 conversational commerce tips for practice
Conversational Commerce is based on chatbot solutions. No matter whether in customer service or as a digital helper at online shopping. Chatbots can be used on a variety of channels. And this is exactly where companies should ask themselves: Which channels should conversational commerce be involved in?
Tip 1: Select relevant channels
Conversational Commerce is generally possible at all digital touchpoints. This also applies to conversational marketing. But it does not always make sense to integrate a chatbot on all sorts of channels. It is important to select the channels suitable for the target group and then integrate conversational commerce into them.
A young target group, for example, is on social media platforms and has numerous points of contact with the company via Facebook, Instagram, or other social media networks.
In this case, it is advisable to integrate a chatbot on Facebook and younger: to pick up on social media with conversational commerce. The same applies to apps such as WhatsApp or Telegram. Which messenger uses the target group should analyze in advance and then select which channels a bot should be used via.
Tip 2: Define the form of the conversational commerce
Depending on the target group and the selected channels for conversational commerce, the way in which conversational commerce can be implemented is also. For example, an AI-managed telephone consultation or-as described above-a messenger chat. But co-browsing is also one of the innovations in conversational commerce and especially in conversational marketing.
Product suggestions of the chatbot based on individual surf preferences are an important building block to successfully implementing conversational marketing. How the chat with customers should take place: companies should clarify before selecting the underlying technology. Because the recordings that the chatbot should take over decide which technology is suitable for communication.
Tip 3: Choose the technology depending on the tasks
Conversational Commerce can be based on three different technologies:
- A live chat for real-time communication-here it is usually employees who are sitting behind the chat tool and announcing that they help with their concerns.
- A chatbot that is AI-supported and is based on machine learning-the advantage: the bot learns with every chat and can thus work on comparatively complex concerns over time.
- A chatbot based on rules and specified data – this is the simplest technology behind Conversational Commerce and is now one of the outdated versions of a chatbot since it can only process simple inquiries.
The more complex the tasks in conversational commerce and conversational marketing fail, the further developed the technology used should be. Live chats are therefore more suitable for very individual customer inquiries or individual advice.
FAQs or other standard questions, on the other hand, can also be covered with a rule-based chatbot. An AI-based chatbot offers a middle ground for more complex tasks such as individual product suggestions or simple type advice when choosing clothing, which does not necessarily require a live chat.
Tip 4: Run authenticity and personal speech
No matter what form of conversational commerce and conversational marketing it is: an authentic appearance and a personal address are decisive for success. Customer: Inside, also wishes for a chatbot or in the voice commerce with Alexa and Co. personality and individuality.
Especially with shopping support from chatbot and voice commerce tools, functions should be offered that support an individual address of the customer: inside-no less is generally expected for a good customer experience in marketing. This also applies to the way in which customers want to communicate with the bot in the further course.
For example, the personal address should not only be possible on the website but also in messenger services such as WhatsApp or by SMS and email-depending on which communication channels should be announced: inside in the course of the chatbot use. At the same time, companies should make sure that this can be adapted to the corporate design in order to be authentic and create a recognition value.
Tip 5: Use a combination of chatbot and personal customer service
Chatbot solutions cannot always work out the concerns of customers: even if the bot can be announced: content possible on the inside in conversational marketing. Some concerns are simply too complex, the content does not continue enough. This happens even with AI-based solutions.
In this case, it is important that customers receive the possibility of individual advice from human customer service. Ideally, a seamless change from chatbot to customer service – either by email or better on the phone. Last but not least, companies should rely on a smooth combination of chatbot and live chat or live advice (regardless of the format) to ensure the customer experience.
Conclusion: Conversational Commerce and Conversational Marketing Life of Functional Tools and Sofareated Strategies
Simply implementing such a chatbot does not mean that conversational commerce is successful. The same applies to conversational marketing. So that the chatbot or the voice assistant like Alexa is more than “only” a digital, interactive question-answer tool, the bots must be able to interact seamlessly with other systems and various channels.
For example, with the content management system, in order to be announced if necessary: to propose relevant content to your concerns. Only when the chatbot or voice assistant is connected to all important tools and systems from e-commerce and marketing and also provides the right technological basis, can conversational commerce offer customers: inside.
