7 businesses successfully implementing chatbots

Chatbots are the customer-experience (CX) buzz technology of 2018, and there is no doubt that when implemented properly, they can improve CX for thousands of consumers, freeing up call centre staff to focus on higher-value conversations.

But they are not a magic bullet. Chatbots implemented without care, or in place of human interaction, can end up damaging brand more than assisting it.

The sweet spot for chatbots seems to be implementation to answer commonly asked question quickly and easily, with human backup immediately when required.

CMO takes a look at seven business implementing chatbots well over the last year and the use cases for their adoption.

AustralianSuper

AustralianSuper launched its chatbot, ‘Ash’, earlier this year following the soft launch of its in-app messaging platform in December. And it's seen more than 50,000 messages sent, achieving a 92 per cent overall customer satisfaction rate.  

The ‘Ash’ chatbot is powered by LivePerson’s LiveEngage platform and is integrated into AustralianSuper’s website to help customers with frequently asked questions. Within the next year, AustralianSuper plans to integrate Ash into in-app messaging as well. 

AustralianSuper said the business implemented messaging to provide customers with better service, and enable them to build relationships by helping with questions using an accessible and convenient conversational interface. 

Eight out of 10 member enquiries are now answered via the messaging service, whereas previously all 10 would have headed to the call centre.

NAB

Credit: IDG

NAB became the first bank to launch a virtual chatbot late last year aimed at helping business customers better answer common banking queries online.

The digital virtual banker has been designed to answer more than 200 common questions relating to business banking accounts, with 13,000 variants. If the 24/7 AI-powered bot can’t answer a question, the inquiry is then reverted to a human banker.

The questions and responses were based on thousands of real-life customer enquiries. NAB said customers were also involved in the initial testing and development phases, where 75 per cent agreed a virtual banking assistance would be a desirable offering to have available.

NAB said the development of the virtual banker continued NAB’s commitment to providing leading solutions that make life easier for customers.

The Climate Council

The Climate Council launched a chatbot through Facebook Messenger last year to better engage the millennial market.

The chatbot was developed by brand experience agency, AKQA, and is designed to assist audiences access the latest facts about climate change in a more conversational, real-time context.

The Climate Council said young people, in particular, are saturated by content on their social media feeds and the chatbot is a solution to engage with them on one of the biggest issues of our time.

Tennis Australia

Credit: TA

A new chatbot designed to help Tennis Australia directly sell tickets to the Australian Open 2018 via social media chalked up 170 per cent more conversions than its traditional go-to-market model earlier this year.

The sporting organisation partnered up with Zenith Melbourne in October last year to launch a Facebook Messenger bot that guides users through the different types of tickets available for the upcoming Australian Open, then links them directly through to Ticketek’s payment page to complete the purchase. 

In its first week, the bot delivered 170 per cent more conversions than linking users directly to Ticketek, at a lower cost conversion rate. More than 600 conversations have taken place within the bot, generating 141 conversions and 25 times the return on investment.

Tennis Australia’s intention was to target fans who wait to purchase tickets closer to the tournament dates.

Epicor

Business software provider, Epicor, successfully implemented a 60-day trial of an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot in a single location recently, which returned eight times the investment in 60 days.

Epicor is setting its sights on expanding the chatbot globally.

UBank

UBank launched RoboChat last year, a chatbot designed to help customers through the home loan application process. In less than 12 months, RoboChat has been asked more than 22,000 questions, with over 80 per cent answered correctly on the first attempt.

This led to RoboBrain, designed and developed by UBank’s North Sydney-based team in collaboration with IBM. The customised AI solution relies on IBM Watson capabilities to create a one-stop, one-screen solution for searching information at UBank. 

UBank said it’s had a dramatic improvement on home loan conversion rates, particularly the part of the experience which is starting a digital application through to getting to the end of that application.

Across the customers engaged with the chatbot, there’s been a 15 per cent increase in conversion rates.

Sydney Opera House

Credit: SOH

The Sydney Opera House created a ‘Seal Bot‘ on Facebook Messenger which offers information on upcoming events, gigs, and the history of the Opera House.

The Opera House said with over 3.3m active Facebook Messenger users in Sydney alone, the seal bot allows the icon to communicate with its customers directly.

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