In today’s digital-first world, having a website that offers a decent user experience is non-negotiable. Statistics say that 88% of users are unlikely to return to a website after a bad experience. As digital transformation has accelerated over the past years, user frustration with website navigation has grown by 25%. In this article, we’ll talk about how conversational AI technologies can improve the user experience: from website navigation to product recommendation.
For the 2021 State of Conversational Marketing Report, Drift and Heinz Marketing questioned B2B professionals regarding conversational solutions adoption, and more than half of them said they’d integrated one in response to the pandemic. There are more stats proving that: e.g. 59% of businesses rely on chatbots to deliver answers faster.
Modern customers DO expect immediate assistance: they have, on average, 5 to 10 questions when they land on your website and will wait less than 30 seconds for service before they leave. Fortunately, a significant part of these questions can be categorised and responses to them – automated.
An FAQ bot can answer frequently asked questions and communicate with users in real time at a scale. The Bradwell B nuclear power station chatbot is a great example: it supports visitors with up-to-date information about the projects and helps them find more details.
Businesses spend money and time driving prospects to their websites as part of their physical and digital marketing activities. Customers come looking for specific information, but this information is usually dense and spread across multiple pages.
Statistics say that frustration with accessing basic business information on the website has increased by 20% over the past two years. The good news is an average business website already offers 40% of what users need. One just needs to help them find it. The Royal Institute of Navigation, a membership-based learned society, opted for a website chatbot to help users navigate a complex and growing set of membership routes, answering questions as they arise and onboarding prospects onto the right membership.
According to the Accenture report, 91% of users said they were more likely to buy from brands that provided personal offers and recommendations to them. This comes as no surprise, as product recommendations simplify the process of finding what shoppers are looking for by eliminating the need to scroll through endless product pages. And here chatbots have the advantage of offering real-time responses, adaptability, and a conversational format. Bots respond to customers’ queries instantly and bring the product directly to the customer.
Self-discovery and self-service
Bot-only chats reportedly boast an average of 87.58% satisfaction rate. That’s why when businesses offer Conversational AI-powered self-service technology to their customers, it positively affects CX and sales.
By adding a self-service chatbot to the website, organisations enable real-time customer assistance, reduce costs, boost sales and increase customer satisfaction. For example, an AI-powered Shop Assistant can help customers navigate the retailer app and place orders faster with their voice.
Providing users with a choice of interfaces will improve their website experience. If your website bot allows for voice interactions, don’t remove the option to type completely. This goes against the user’s understanding of what to do when “talking” to a chatbot. One of the best conversational website examples is that of Versa Agency: users can ask or type any question about the company and have it answered.