ChatBots

1966. That's the year the first “chatterbox” appeared. Fifty-two years later, chatbots are on the verge of completely changing the customer/retail shopping experience. Like site search in the 2000s, many of these emerging customer touchpoints are being automated using a combination of simple keywords and rules-based logic. On one hand, these messaging bots can streamline…

You can’t ignore the growing prominence of artificial intelligence (AI) in today’s retail landscape. According to IDC, 40 percent of retailers will have developed a customer experience architecture supported by an AI layer by 2019. Will your business be one of them? Retailers that fail to incorporate an AI-backed solution into their business strategies will…

The way customers interact with organizations is changing. When consumers use certain social channels and platforms in their everyday lives, they expect companies to interact with them on their terms and on their channels. Historically, while many consumers used to, and still do, use the phone to reach a company if they have a problem,…

Consumers are eager to embrace connected devices and automation; however, they remain wary of the Internet of Things (IoT), security breaches and their long-term effects. People want the ease and accessibility that automation can provide but want assurance that there are protocols and security measures in place before they fully adopt these practices. Optimistic for…

With the rise of “conversational experiences,” just about every business function — from marketing to commerce to support — must be redesigned to be conversational. The greatest impact felt due to conversational marketing is that businesses interact with far more consumer prospects than they do with paying customers. Each one of us will soon be…

Today, those reading about chatbots will find them familiar and take interest in how they can make a business successful. Many years ago, however, the idea of chatbots helping businesses left consumers wondering how helpful their contributions would be. Today, chatbots are in the majority of our favorite apps, like Uber and WeChat. As consumers…

Today, those reading about chatbots will find them familiar and take interest in how they can make a business successful. Many years ago, however, the idea of chatbots helping businesses left consumers wondering how helpful their contributions would be. Today, chatbots are in the majority of our favorite apps, like Uber and WeChat. As consumers […]

Chatbots are being hailed as the next big thing in marketing, customer service and digital commerce. For retailers, chatbots offer benefits across all these key areas and more. Why all the hoopla over chatbots? People enjoy the personal one-on-one connection with chatbots in the same way they enjoy their personal mobile experiences. With chatbots, consumers…

Technology is top of mind for most retailers today, no matter their size, product category or any other variables. As such, Total Retail surveyed its audience with the goal of finding out what types of retail technology retailers are interested in (as well as investing in), what retail trends and digital trends they’re tracking, and their…

Chatbots are increasingly being developed and used by innovative retail brands to do everything from recommending products, assisting with tracking purchases, providing customer service and disseminating key information. Here are the five most important chatbot development practices: 1. Deploy on messaging platforms. Chatbots can live wherever your brand has a digital presence, and the prevailing…