Can Conversational AI Succeed at 'Humanizing' a Brand?

NEW YORK, December 10, 2021 (Newswire.com) - iQuanti: A Genesys survey from 2019 found that 73% of respondents were open to dealing with a voice/chatbot when communicating with a brand.

Nearly 70% report having positive interactions with customer service bots when they require support, and more than 20% say they can "almost always" resolve their issue through a bot without having to escalate to a customer service rep. Almost 50% say they can do this "more than half of the time." 

However, according to a study by Tidio, consumers were also put off by chatbots that felt too robotic. Finding the balance between taking advantage of chatbots' efficiency and maintaining a brand voice can be delicate, but conversational AI technology can make this easier. 

What is conversational AI?

Conversational AI uses machine learning to have what can be considered "real" and "actual" conversations with customers, with technology such as: 

• Natural language processing (NLP)
• Automatic speech recognition (ASR)
• Advanced dialog management
• Other machine learning

This technology can seamlessly change from one topic to another, use learning technology to improve upon and optimize each conversation with the same or different consumers, and resolve or handle more complex or serious conversations or needs without having to connect with a live person. 

This AI technology is able to imitate human interactions, recognize speech and text inputs, and translate their meanings in real-time and accurately, similar to how actual human conversations happen. 

How to create a brand identity with chatbot interactions

It may seem crazy, but a chatbot's personality can create or enforce a brand identity by aligning with the brand and business objectives. A few things to focus on when creating a chatbot include:

• Icon. Companies should start by creating a chatbot icon that represents their brand. Without doing so, it can be difficult for a consumer to connect with the chatbot and build an emotional tie to the brand. They should consider how they want their consumers to view the brand, and how to deliver the identity through the icon and its personality.
   
• Introductions. According to Tidio, 74% of consumers want a chatbot to introduce itself at the start of the conversation, and 77% want to know what the chatbot can help them with before even starting the conversation. Businesses can use this introduction to familiarize the consumer with their brand and let their voice shine through with pre-written scripts.
   
• Personality. Give the bot a personality. Each response to the consumer should have a consistent tone of voice, bringing it to life. Chatbots can be programmed to display many human-like characteristics, so adding a human touch to chatbot's responses can resonate with consumers.  

Chatbots are often a consumer's first point of contact with a brand's customer service, so effectiveness is just as important as voice. The key is to find the happy medium between the bot's functionality and personality. 

• Value. Each time a customer uses a bot, they are gaining information or making decisions. Using bot technology allows brands to know who the user is and even predict what they want, allowing them to deliver personalized content, answers and recommendations. 

Companies can build a brand identity through chatbot interactions by focusing on providing value and personalization, as well as building and fostering relationships, with each customer. 

Because conversational AI can learn and adjust in real time, and uses NLP and ASR to communicate, chatbots are smarter and more life-like than ever. Customers want more human-like interactions, and companies want the efficiency and power of AI chatbots. 

Combining the two, and sticking to the company's brand guidelines, can help enforce and create a brand identity within corporate chatbots, humanizing brands through technology. 

Source: iQuanti, Inc.