What Is a Chatbot

admin 13.05.2020 0 2592

On the eve of 2020, we can hardly say that a chatbot is a new technology of a digital era. It is rather an efficient and familiar tool for the organization of business as well as interaction with the potential and actual clients. And yet, not many people realize what the benefits of a chatbot are and how it may be used. So, let us tell this in due order.

So What a Chatbot Is

A chatbot is a piece of software that simulates a conversation with a person in any manner and operates using preset scripts. Chatbots can build an inherent dialogue replying to the user’s questions, providing the relevant data, handling order applications, or just entertaining.

One more interesting fact is that ELIZA, the first software of this kind, was developed in 1966 by Joseph Weizenbaum. It imitated a parodistic dialogue with a psychotherapist and helped its developer to explore the opportunities of a PC at the same time. Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment to Calculation by Joseph Weizenbaum displays the author’s observations and research of that subject.

At the time, half a century ago, a bot was used rather as a kind of entertainment. Only recently, it has gained immerse popularity based on its usability and efficiency in facilitating business.

Chatbot Types

In order to better get acquainted with the virtual assistants, we have to take into account that they can be completely different in capabilities, functionality, and design. Let’s take a look at the most widespread types of bots.

Firstly, there are some simple and self-modifying chatbots. A simple bot can answer only those questions that have been previously set up in the system. Self-modifying bots have an artificial neural network and may develop in the process of communication by analyzing the formulation of the human’s questions, information updates, and the data accumulated (the most popular chatbots equipped with “breadth of vision” are Siri, Alice, Echo, Rose, and Mitsuki).

While self-modifying chatbots need a long-lasting training period and are geared more for personal usage, simple chatbots have defined targets and goals for business – to inform a client, to make an appointment, to make a reservation, to get data, etc. That’s exactly why we should discuss them in the context of benefits for business.

Moreover, the bots can be classified according to the user interaction method:

• Push-button chatbots (the bot is providing the user with a limited list of questions, answers, or actions the user can choose).
• Text bots (the software is able to recognize a defined set of text commands).

In the case of text commands, all the possible forms of the user’s requests should be taken into account in developing a bot. This can be a really time-consuming and labor-intensive process. At the same time, the navigation using buttons is a very convenient option which excludes almost any difficulties.

Also, chatbots can be classified according to the function they fulfil:

• Personal assistants. This type of bots is developed to control the team-working process, compiling statistics, meeting arrangements, etc.
• Technical support representatives. This is a real boon for customer service or a call-center. These bots are able to handle the client requests rapidly at any time. The questions the bot can’t handle are transferred to the operator.
• Bots designed for searching, creating, and promoting content. Besides image and video search simplification, a bot may be useful for some business purposes. This type of virtual interlocutor can provide the users with some useful data, video tutorials, advice, and lifehacks on a set regular basis, thereby fueling their interest and loyalty to your services.
• Automated shop assistants. This kind of assistant helps users to decide on a product or service, provides information on the products availability and sizes, accepts payments, and allows tracing an order.
• Entertainment bots. These can include simple games and memes built into messengers as well as organized quests. This category of bots helps to attract the clients’ attention to a specific brand.

The list can go on and on. To put it simple, all the actions that have the repeated script can be built in the bot functionality, and therefore reduce your, your colleagues’, and staff members’ workload.