What is a chatbot? How does this tool work and how to use it?

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Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, which has many people wondering what a chatbot is and how this tool works. After all, everyone has come across automatic response services on websites, but they don't know exactly how they work or even what the advantages of using them are.

Key takeaways from this article:
Chatbot is a type of robot programmed to interact with users of a website or application through automatic responses, using a type of programming that identifies key terms in the conversation.
These tools can be hosted on messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, or on organizations’ websites and apps.
There are two main types of chatbots: rule-based, which follows specific commands and provides canned responses, and artificial intelligence , which analyzes conversation histories and interactions with other users to determine the best response.
Chatbots can be used both to speed up customer service and to increase the reach of a company's marketing actions.
This tool can also be a great ally in developing your sales process , as it facilitates interaction with customers. So, don't be afraid to use it.
Well, in short, a chatbot is a type of robot that imitates human conversational skills. Thus, they can interact with users automatically and even learn from each interaction.

Therefore, it is no surprise that these conversational robots are revolutionizing the way companies interact with their audience and are gaining more and more followers, right?

However, many people still resist this innovation. With this in mind, we have prepared a complete article to explain:

what is chatbot;
how the chatbot works;
how to use chatbot in customer service;
chatbot marketing applications.
Don't waste time and keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the topic!

What is a chatbot and what is it for?
Chatbots are software that communicate and interact with human users through automated messages . They allow companies to respond to their customers at any time, without the need for a team of support staff.

The exchange of messages between the chatbot and the real person is done through a chat-format platform, which allows the sending and receiving of instant messages .

Some conversational bots are hosted on ready-made platforms, such as:

WhatsApp;
Telegram;
Facebook Messenger;
Skype.
Others are hosted on the company's own website or app. In fact, the latter type is becoming increasingly common and is capable of providing more complex answers to customer questions.

Want more explanations about what a chatbot is and how it works? Then check out this video from the Nerdologia team:


>>>> See also: chatbot for sales — what is this tool and how to use it to boost your business's revenue

What is Messenger chatbot?
Chatbot Messenger is basically a type of chatbot that works exclusively within Facebook Messenger, which is the messaging service of this social network.

It is typically used by companies and is programmed to respond in real time to user requests. In most cases, interactions are simpler, pre-programmed automatic responses.

How does a chatbot work in practice?
In practice, chatbots work using two methodologies:

based on rules for pre-programmed responses;
another based on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
See what this means below!

Rule-based chatbot for responses
This type of chatbot uses pre-written responses, which are registered and triggered when the bot receives a specific command from the user. Generally, a keyword serves as a trigger to trigger certain responses.

That is, for each keyword the user types, a ready-made response corresponding to that keyword is triggered and sent to him.

Let's suppose a person asks a clothing store's chatbot on its e-commerce site: “What is the price of men's t-shirts?”

The robot then identifies the keywords “price” and “men’s t-shirts”, searches for turkey mobile phone numbers database answers in its database and sends the one that was previously programmed to the user.

If the tool is unable to identify any keyword registered in the system, it may respond with something like “Sorry, I didn’t understand.”

Chatbot with Artificial Intelligence
The chatbot with artificial intelligence, on the other hand, has a slightly more complex operating logic. The conversational robot software stores all the phrases that the user has sent, as well as the service history .

This data is stored and processed by the system and responses are given according to the subject identified in the interaction log.

The more the user interacts with the AI ​​chatbot, the more it learns and provides increasingly accurate answers to the questions sent, thus simulating human language.

Therefore, Artificial Intelligence chatbots can identify the intention of the conversation and not just isolated keywords.

>>>> Learn more: chatbot marketing — how can this tool help your company increase sales?

Is the concept of artificial intelligence clear to you? If not, watch this video to understand all the details:


What are the best chatbots?
There is no exact formula for defining the best chatbots. This is because you need to carefully analyze the options to finally choose the one that fits your company's needs and your budget.

What's more, there are numerous options available today. The most popular ones are:

Botsify;
Chatfuel;
MobileMonkey;
Bluelab;
ManyChat;
Otto.
So, take some time to carefully analyze each option and see which one is right for your company!

How to use chatbot in customer service?
Now that you know what a chatbot is and how it works, you might be wondering how you can use these robots in customer service.

Well, the applications of this technological resource are varied. But, generally speaking, companies usually use chatbots to answer simple questions from consumers.

With this software, it is possible to significantly optimize customer service, given that the company does not need to rely on human assistants to respond to requests that are repeated very frequently among customers, such as questions about prices.

This way, the service team can focus on functions of greater value to the company and resolve more complex demands.

The customer also benefits when service is provided by a chatbot, since their questions and support requests are resolved more quickly and with less bureaucracy. This has a positive impact on their satisfaction.

>>>> Read also: chatbot for customer service — 4 tips to improve customer experience

And in marketing?
Companies also use chatbot marketing. The intention here is to expand the reach of campaigns and get closer to the target audience through this tool.

In marketing, chatbots are used for various purposes. For example:

send relevant content to leads;
issue alerts for promotions and exclusive offers;
remind the user to complete a purchase (cart abandonment).
The chatbot can be a great ally in guiding leads through the entire sales funnel and building a relationship.

>>>> See more: how to generate leads with a chatbot? Check out innovative strategies and tips

Chatbots are digital marketing tools for generating leads, but there are others. See more in this post on our YouTube channel:


Well, now that you know more about what a chatbot is, how about implementing this tool in your company?

Another important technology for increasing sales is CRM software. These applications allow you to manage customers, your sales force, ongoing business opportunities, track KPIs and the sales funnel, and much more.

Check out our free e-books for tips on how to successfully use CRM in your company: