Is your service desk a victim of repetitive questions like, “How do I reset my password,” or “How do I connect to the Wi-Fi?” How much time would be freed up to handle more pressing issues if automation answered these simple requests immediately? Enter Chatbots.
Chatbots Explained
Since their inception, chatbots have been making life easier for service desks. But to determine if a chatbot might help your customer or IT service desk, you must first understand how they work.
Invented in 1966 by Joseph Weizenbaum, a chatbot is a program that allows interaction between humans and technology. In their original form, they were limited to text-based communication. However, modern chatbots communicate proficiently via other methods, including touch and voice.
So, how can chatbots help your service desk?
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Once a customer or end-user asks a question, the chatbot analyzes the text and interprets its meaning. Based on that interpretation, the chatbot can determine how to respond to the question based on your pre-established database of FAQs.
With chatbots, customers or end-users can get instant responses to their queries, leading to a more satisfying experience. The ability to receive quick and accurate answers to common questions ensures that customers and end users feel valued and attended to promptly, increasing their overall satisfaction with your service desk.
Advanced chatbots can use customer data and past interactions to provide personalized support. By analyzing previous conversations, they can tailor responses based on the individual’s preferences, history, and needs, creating a personalized and engaging service experience.
Round-the-Clock Support for Global Reach
Once your chatbot is running, your organization can start processing requests more efficiently. An added bonus? Once simple requests become automated, your service desk employees will be freed up for more challenging tasks.
Automation can also increase customer or end-user satisfaction. Because chatbots are guaranteed to provide a friendly response – no matter the time or day – simple requests can be handled quickly, efficiently, and with little downtime.
Chatbots also can seamlessly handle support interactions across various communication channels, including websites, social media, and messaging apps. This versatility ensures consistent support regardless of the platform through which customers or end users engage with your service desk.
Cost-effective and Scalable Solution
Implementing chatbots can significantly reduce operational costs for the service desk. By automating routine tasks, they decrease the workload on human agents, enabling the organization to optimize staff allocation and potentially reduce the number of support staff needed.
During peak periods or special promotions, service desks often experience an influx of support inquiries. Chatbots are highly scalable and can handle numerous conversations simultaneously, ensuring no customer or end user is left waiting for a response.
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While chatbots excel in handling routine tasks, they can also seamlessly transfer complex or escalated issues to human agents when necessary. This capability ensures a smooth transition between automated and human support, guaranteeing customers and end users the best possible assistance.
Modern chatbots employ machine learning algorithms, continuously learning from new interactions and improving their responses. As they gather more data, they become more proficient in addressing complex queries, reducing the need for human intervention in the future.
Likewise, chatbots provide valuable insights through data analysis. Service desk managers can track customer or end-user interactions, identify recurring issues, and assess the overall performance of the chatbot. This data-driven approach helps optimize the chatbot’s responses and refine the knowledge base.
Proactive Support and Gathering Feedback
Advanced chatbots with predictive capabilities can anticipate customer needs and potential issues based on historical data. By proactively reaching out to customers or end users, they can offer assistance or solutions before customers even realize they need help.
Like most service desks, you’re likely interested in obtaining feedback from customers or end users based on the service you provide. Chatbots can collect qualitative feedback while a service desk agent talks to the customer – providing your service desk with valuable data to improve the service experience.
The Future of Chatbots
More companies are using chatbots to help ease the backlog of their service desks. A report by Juniper Research indicates that by this year (2023), they will help retail, banking, and healthcare industries save as much as $11 billion solely on customer service inquiries, with more than 2.5 billion hours saved.
Many leaders are looking to implement this experience-improving technology as chatbots grow in popularity – both by service desks and customers. Adding a chatbot to your service desk can mean more than looking tech-savvy; you’ll help improve support efficiency, customer satisfaction, experiences, and cost-effectiveness. These AI-powered assistants can handle routine inquiries, provide personalized responses, and operate 24/7, all while freeing support personnel up to focus on more complex and critical tasks.
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Ruben Franzen
Ruben is the president of TOPdesk USA a leading global provider of innovative enterprise service management solutions.
