iBOB answers your phone so you don’t have to, he only gives it to you by request of client or if he does not understand the client.
Every person following business publications large or small has come across one of the hottest trends for future-oriented entrepreneurs – chatbots. We see them everywhere nowadays for series of reasons, like:
- 27% of consumers from all over the world are showing active interest in AI-based service delivery tools like chatbots
- 48% of consumers prefer commencing with companies via live chats as this is the fastest mean of getting a response
- 35% of consumers want to see more chatbots used by businesses
- 21% of consumers believe that a chatbot is the easiest way of contacting a business
This list of stats and benefits may go on for miles of screen space but, frankly, we don’t have the real estate to show all the metrics you are probably aware of anyway. What we can do, on the other hand, is offer you a chance to quickly have a chatbot working for your business.
Does your business accept appointments? If so, there is no need for us to tell you what a pain it is from the customer’s point of view when they hear the dreaded “Please wait. All of the operators are busy at the moment”.
SimplyBook.Me, the online scheduling software provider, has released a new voicebot – iBOB – who is here to change the rules of the game. Business owners can now finally get their hands on an assistant capable of taking calls, gathering personal info and scheduling appointments via the telephone.
As Ingvar Gudmundsson, the CEO at SimplyBook.Me puts it, “iBOB is an important first step in modernizing the booking process. It will enable you to book your haircut, consultant, gym session, massage – whatever it is you are seeking – in a slick, efficient way which reduces hassle, takes out the need to go online when that is not convenient, and makes the entire process smoother. For the small business owner, we believe iBOB will be a handy companion to help them attract more customers. There are simply more channels now for the client to make their booking”
Enter the big league
So who is this iBOB? iBob is an AI-based chatbot that works with voice and recognizes speech. Or, in simpler words, the clients of your business will be able to call a number and book any service that you deliver by chatting with a friendly mechanical helper.
The benefits of using such a bot are impressive. First and foremost, iBOB is operating 24/7 all year round. iBOB can also work simultaneously with multiple clients thus reducing the cost of maintaining a helpdesk and increasing the service level towards your client. If however your clients wants to ask a specific question they can also ask to speak to personnel and then their call will be forwarded to the relevant person.
Even then, the feature-rich aspects of using iBOB for a business fade away in comparison to the branding opportunities. Tech like that is usually reserved for large tech companies and major industry players. iBOB now provides all kinds of small and medium-sized service businesses with the access to a technology that can impress your clients and ease the burden of your maintenance costs considerably.
Alexa, please book me a service!
iBOB may become a stepping stone for your business on a path towards the future of IoT (Internet of Things). People won’t even have to pick up the phone and dial a number. Interactions with apps and devices such as Alexa or Google Home will be all it takes.
Why is this a big thing? Because of the conversational tone, smart apps of the future support. A client is no longer forced to wear the hat of a researching detective. There is no need to scramble through websites in search for FAQ pages or contact info. Why bother if you can just ask and get an answer? The conversational shift in tone is simply more intuitive and persuasive.
The future of client-centric interactions is here thanks to the ongoing development of products like iBOB. This is the first step and the next will be voice booking via Google Home, Alexa or similar devices. It can make a great difference for service businesses to get their customers acquainted with this way of scheduling sooner than later, which may help them greatly further down the line. The real question is – are you prepared for what the future holds?