When people think of online chatbots today, it is largely with regard to traditional internet retail. As we stated in the piece ‘Chatbot for E-Commerce and Online Stores’, people “look for convenience and ease of use” when shopping online — which is part of why chatbots like BigRadar came into existence in the first place.
Still, on-site chat systems aren’t wholly reserved for major retail sites anymore (as you’ve no doubt noticed if you spend much time online). At this point, in fact, there are chat features on so many different types of sites they’re beginning to seem ubiquitous. Some are pure bot chats, some are bots disguised as humans, and some are actual customer service professionals communicating through quick, bot-like means. But at this point, they’re quite common, and they’re not to be ignored.
Early on, the perception of bots and other chat systems was that they acted like unwanted pop-ups, and could be somewhat nagging. Now, however, as BigRadar strives to prove, they’re intelligent enough to be extraordinarily useful. And to support that point in this piece we’ve decided to highlight five examples of particularly helpful on-site chat systems (of varying types) around the web.
1. Peloton
There may not be a hotter company in 2020 than Peloton (okay, maybe Zoom….). Society’s abrupt retreat into isolation throughout the year led to a surge in home workout activity, leading many people to purchase expensive workout bikes they may not have considered before. And while the company has still had some ups and downs due to performance, it’s ending the year on a high note. Sales appear to be ticking up for the holidays, and Peloton’s recently announced partnership with Beyoncé is the work of a business that knows it’s thriving. Still, Peloton is unusual. Even intrigued consumers aren’t used to the idea of buying gym-worth equipment, subscribing to virtual fitness classes, and the like. And this is why the Peloton site is an ingenious platform for a chat system. Consumers visit this site out of curiosity, and the chat system can respond to that curiosity and convert it to sales.
2. Amtrak
Do you know what can be a real pain even if you’ve done it a thousand times before? Booking travel arrangements! No matter how often you do this, there always seems to be a wrinkle: a deal you don’t recognize until too late, a tight transfer between planes or trains, etc. It’s all doable of course and fairly intuitive. But because travel booking can be such a headache, Amtrak’s decision to arm its website with a virtual chat assistant (“Julie”) is brilliant. It reassures customers and essentially provides them with virtual travel agents who can make the process easier and quicker.
3. Altium
While perhaps most relevant to people in electrical engineering businesses, Altium’s free PCB design software has helped set the standard in the design of modern electronics. The software gives users complex tools and in-depth design options that ultimately result in some of the most sophisticated electrical circuits in use today. But as you might imagine, this can all be somewhat dizzying to newcomers. This is why it’s particularly helpful that on the Altium site’s solution pages, visitors are greeted by a chat window. It’s an example of a company that recognizes it may not always be wholly accessible to new visitors and adding a chat feature to make it easier for said visitors to understand the content and navigate sections.
4. Domino’s
The status of Domino’s as America’s favorite pizza chain is not surprising and indeed is beyond the date. Most people are deeply familiar with the brand, even if they don’t personally eat much pizza. But when you think about it, another reason Domino’s has always been so popular is that it’s always been easy. The restaurants are all over the place, delivery is always an option, the menu is simple, and the prices are cheap. And of late, Domino’s has made itself even more accessible by implementing “Dom” — an on-site chat system that turns an already-simple ordering process into something the customer barely needs to think about.
Hopefully, these four examples outside of what we might think of as the traditional retail space have helped to demonstrate just how useful chat features can be in building up to today’s web platforms. For explanations, ease of use, and simple conversions, they’re among the most effective tools for businesses and consumers alike.
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Everyone at BigRadar contributes to the blog.
