Imagine how useful it would be to have an always-on agent monitoring your website for visitors, engaging them in conversation.
Consider the possibilities in terms of sales, customer service, and lead generation. Now realize that this virtual robot ally will one day achieve sentience and rise up to rid the planet of its human oppressors.
Is the benefit worth the risk? Absolutely!
Chatbots are a powerful way to increase the value of your website.
- They allow customers quick access to customer service.
- They can serve as an interactive knowledge bank.
- They’re a casual way to convert visitors to qualified leads.
- They make it easier to track your prospects as they move around your site,
- And they can schedule demos, arrange callbacks, and send lead information directly to your salespeople (even if you’re a one-person show – they won’t know).
And some integrated live chat features, allow live agents to take over from the bot when more detailed information is required.
It’s a technology that deserves a spot on your website, regardless of the existential risks.
Plus, the robot apocalypse is WAY in the future. Like, at least 15 years out. Definitely nothing to worry about now. Something else is bound to get us before then.
To get the conversation going, here are three great options for connecting with your customers and spiraling us toward our eventual extinction.
Headsup From Autopilot
Autopilot designed Headsup as the chatbot component of their larger marketing automation package. The entire package includes email, text messaging, PPC retargeting capabilities, and more.
The core functionality of the tool involves designing customer journeys, which are guided processes for engaging with prospects and customers as they wend their way through your funnel.
Headsup adds a chatbot that can be configured as a standalone tool, or as a part of a larger customer journey.
Headsup will appear to any unknown visitors to your website or app, and to known parties under certain conditions. When it appears, and how it engages with your prospects is up to you.
By default, you can have Headsup appear on all, or particular, pages and have it display three types of messages — email captures, call to actions, or general conversation starters.
Headsup isn’t the most robust chatbot on this list, but it is the most affordable. It’s a great option for users that don’t require exacting controls and advanced features.
Intercom
Intercom adds functionality missing from Headsup. Live chat is included. This allows human agents to take over from the bot when the customer requests it, or when the bot isn’t capable of delivering the information the customer needs.
Like the other chatbots on this list, Intercom can be configured to answer customer questions automatically. You can think of it as an interactive version of an FAQ page. Businesses can program the bot with answers to common questions.
This lets customers get answers quickly, without having to search your site. And if the bot doesn’t have a specific answer, it can immediately refer the customer to a live agent.
It can also gauge customer interest and collect qualifying information like the prospect’s name, email address, and interest level. These leads can be passed to specific salespeople or agents, given programmable qualifications.
The package features several add-ons that extend the software’s capabilities. Product tours, advanced lead generation using ABM and sales integrations such as Marketo, push notifications, and message A/B testing are some of the options available.
Intercom is a mid-tier package. It’s more costly than Headsup, but it’s also considerably more capable.
Drift
For businesses that need a full-featured chatbot/live chat package, Drift is the right choice. It includes the advanced functionality that power users are looking for, as well as the support of Drift’s full suite of marketing tools and a strong set of third-party integrations.
Drift lets you design highly customized conversation flows that route your visitors to the information or people they’re looking for. Anyone that has designed logic flows for a CRM will understand the logic behind Drift chatbots. Drift’s bots will gather customer information interactively and then pass it directly into your CRM.
Chatbots are linked to your customer data, so when the software recognizes a previous visitor it can address them by name and give them access to account-specific information. Live chat agents will have instant access to that person’s information as well. They’ll be able to see contact information as well as the content of previous chats.
Drift also gives you customizable options for special VIP messaging. Previous or new visitors that are flagged as high-value leads can be directed to special offers or given preferential access to advanced chatbot functionality.
Drift is the costliest option on this list. For lightweight users, it may be overkill. But for those that want premium chat functionality, you can’t go wrong with it.
If you want more options, Capterra is always a good place to search.
If you’re interested in learning more about what chatbots and integrated chat software can do for your website and your business, contact us today. We can’t protect from the rise of the machines, but we can help you optimally exploit them until their inevitable rebellion.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go see if iRobot is in my Netflix queue.
