The Rise of Chatbots

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Mario Hachem, Contributor
Mar 03 2017
Technology
The Rise of Chatbots
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Chatbots will Reshape Messaging Apps
The tech world is going crazy these days about chatbots. These are automated computer programs that simulate online conversations with people to answer questions or perform tasks. While chatbots have been around in various forms for years, (example Microsoft’s paper clip virtual assistant) they have been taking off lately as advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence make them more versatile than ever. Among the most well-known chatbots: Apple’s Siri.  At TEDMOB we envisioned the tech industry combining artificial intelligence with voice recognition that relies on the way humans naturally speak in many apps we develop. The goal is to create a situation where customers feel they are communicating with another human, rather than a piece of highly intelligent software, and in an environment that calls for little to no human operator intervention. Our goal is to add and encourage the chatbot movement to reduce costs for companies in manning such areas as customer service.

What are the Available Types of Chatbots?
Two main types of chatbots exist today. First are chatbots designed to serve one or more purposes for a business, these chatbots are typically found in messaging apps.  Facebook Messenger, for example, is designed to help consumers choose a floral arrangement and send it to someone. The 2nd type is chatbot platforms also exist, any they are virtual assistants such as Apple's Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon's Echo and Alexa, and Microsoft's Cortana. These chatbots help users with a variety of information and other needs, instead of helping consumers interact with specific brands

Chatbots for E-commerce, Customer Service, Travel
Messaging-app chatbots provide basic communications, ecommerce features, travel planning and more..Chatbots today are widely used by brands to drive ecommerce, especially among younger consumers. We convince our clients at TEDMOB that Chatbots have the potential to inspire purchases and increase the number of items in people's shopping carts. "Look at Amazon's Echo, for example. Echo ushered in the wave of conversational commerce, making it easy for people to simply ask for what they need." Another example is Uber for ordering a ride

Chatbots Talk Up Industry Applications
Companies are currently using chatbots to largely handle customer service issues, but there are other potential applications where the technology can be used. Other companies are using chatbots to preform 1st stage interviews for hiring they handle the first phase of the interview process by posing questions to applicants and evaluating responses.

Why Chatbots Are Such A Big Opportunity:
Our clients at TEDMOB come wondering “Why does anyone care about chatbots? They look like simple text based services… What’s the big deal?” Great question. I’ll tell you why people care about chatbots. It’s because for the first time ever people are using messenger apps more than they are using social networks.  Let that sink in for a second...  People are using messenger apps more than they are using social networks. So, logically, if you want to build a business online, you want to build where the people are. That place is now inside messenger apps. This is why chatbots are such a big deal. It’s potentially a huge business opportunity for anyone willing to jump headfirst and build something people want.

What are chatbots? Why are they such a big opportunity? How do they work? How can I build one? How can I meet other people interested in chatbots? If you haven’t wrapped your head around it yet, don’t worry contact us at info@tedmob.com and we can help you better understand.