Tuesday, October 9, 2018

What Are the Latest eCommerce Technology Trends?







As the backbone of eCommerce, technology leads and eCommerce follows. When a new technology trend comes along, you can bet it’s going to create ripples that will, without a doubt, touch eCommerce.

After all, what is eCommerce but commerce with more of a technological component, marked by the ‘e’ that precedes it?

For example, when the world went mobile, all types of eCommerce, from fashion to technology, were quick to follow suit. When vendors noticed their sites were being accessed by more and more mobile users, those who didn’t react by optimizing their website for on-the-go users faced lower rankings, higher bounce rates, and fewer conversions.

When you pair this knowledge with the fact that global eCommerce sales grew by 24.8% in 2017, and that they’re expected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2021, up from $1.3 trillion in 2014, it’s clear that ignoring technology trends is a huge missed opportunity that can prove to be disastrous in the long-run.

Instead, what you want to do is keep an eye and an ear open for any technology trends that are likely to turn into eCommerce technology trends.

Case in point, the following three trends that all have a place in the most successful eCommerce business’ strategies.




1. AI and Personalization


Artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a technology trend, but a dominant technology trend that’s permeating more industries and breaking more barriers than any before it, or, as it seems likely, after it.

Specific to our discussion today, AI and machine learning are leading to intelligent algorithms that are vital for segmentation and personalization, two uses of eCommerce that help vendors identify their users’ preferences, and use them to recommend products that are likely to lead to conversions.



That is to say, instead of treating each user as part of a group, AI allows for them to be treated as an individual target segment, which allows for a much greater degree of personalization in what they see.

Along the same lines as personalization, AI is also impacting many eCommerce merchandising strategies, which revolve around how to present and display products and services in your online store.

For example, with AI, you can present only those products that are likely to be purchased, such as those based off of your users’ browsing and purchasing behaviors.




2. Conversational Commerce


Exemplifying just how far AI’s reach is, another of its recent impacts on eCommerce is conversational commerce.



For those who don’t know, talk of conversational commerce is the talk of chatbots, which are AI-enabled programs that can ‘talk’ with users. For example, when you land on a website and a chat bubble in the bottom pops up saying something along the lines of, “Hello! Is there anything I can help you with today?”








With that in mind, chatbots are helping eCommerce brands in many ways, which can be grouped into two major functionalities:

Customer service representatives

Sales representatives



On the former, a chatbot can function as a 24/7 customer service rep who’s always there for your users, ready to answer any queries or point them in the right direction. On the latter, a chatbot on a given landing page can take your users through the whole customer journey from a single chat window.



For example, take a look at the following exchange, which can take place after someone lands on a website with a chatbot:

Bot: Hello! Is there anything I can help you with today? Are you looking for something specific?

User: small jacket

Bot: I can definitely help you find a small jacket to your liking. Are you looking for something specific, or do you already have something in mind?

User: can you give me suggestions?

Bot: Of course! Would you prefer something athletic, casual, formal, or something else?

User: casual is fine

Bot: Excellent. What about style? Do you like any of the following options: anorak, biker jacket, bomber jacket, parka, raglan sleeve, stand-up collar?

User: bomber jacket

Bot: What about special features like breathable, quick dry, reflective details, water resistant or wind resistant?

User: No, that’s fine

Bot: No problem. Do you have a price range?

User: Under $150

Bot: What about a color preference?

User: Black or brown is good

Bot: We’re almost there! What do you think of these?



Here, the chatbot would suggest a couple of products, and depending on whether the user likes one of them, would either question the further to narrow on something else, or proceed to checkout by asking for their shipping and payment information.




3. AR, VR and Product Visualization


One of the many benefits of eCommerce is the fact that it has such a large technological component, which leads to the third and final eCommerce technology trend we’re covering today: product visualization facilitated by virtual and augmented reality.



Before that, let’s do a quick overview of what these two technologies are.



While virtual reality (VR) places you in an imaginary world populated by digital elements, augmented reality (AR) superimposes those digital elements on the real world, in an amalgamation that makes the most of each.



Knowing that it’s clear to see how eCommerce benefits from these two technologies. After all, before them, product visualization was limited to 2D and maybe 3D images that could be slightly manipulated to see more of the product you’re looking at.



Additionally, lack of tactile information one of the biggest eCommerce drawbacks; you can only see the items on a screen, and neither touch them nor imagine how they would look like in your home.



Well, with VR apps like Buy+ from Alibaba, which allows users to select apparel and accessories with the help of a 360° panoramic view and assistance from a robotic shopping assistant, and AR apps like IKEA Place, which lets you virtually ‘place’ IKEA products in your space, those drawbacks are all but eliminated.









Let’s Take a Second Look


Because of what eCommerce inherently is, i.e. electronic commerce enabled by technology, technology, and eCommerce trends are often linked — when a new technology trend comes along, you can bet an eCommerce trend is on its way as well.



For example, what we covered today:

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) trends led to improved personalization and segmentation

2. AI trends also led to the emergence of conversational commerce, which refers to chatbots

3. Virtual and augmented reality (VR & AR) trends led to upgraded product visualization



Best of luck preparing for these and upcoming eCommerce technology trends!





Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Best Products Michael Kors Access Unisex 45mm Silvertone Bradshaw Touchscreen Smart Watch



          Other Customer Rating:
  • Smartphone notifications & Touchscreen functionality; Activity & custom goal tracking; Customizable faces, bands, & music controls
  • Band & Case Material: Stainless Steel; Case Color: Silver; Band Color : Silver ; Case Size: 45 mm; Case Thickness: 9 mm; Band size: 22 mm; Water Resistance: IP67
  • Battery Life: Estimated 24 hours based on usage. It is oversized
  • Powered with Wear OS by Google, a trademark of Google LLC. Compatible with Android OS 4.4+ (excluding Go) and iOS 9.3+. All devices have Bluetooth(R) 4.1 Low Energy and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
  • This product is sold direct from the manufacturer, for Amazon. Quality, authenticity, warranty, and customer service are all guaranteed. Beware of other third parties that are not the authorized sellers

Product description

Technology and style from Michael Kors Access Bradshaw. Personalize and customize the watch face of your choice. Change the straps to match your style or activity.










Wednesday, August 15, 2018

What Does the Future of Display Technology Hold?





source: Pexels.com



We first got our taste of display technology in the 1800s, when the cathode ray tube made its debut. Now, about 150 years later, we have things like touch screens, LCDs, OLEDs, Ultra HD, and so many others that make one thing clear: the evolution of display technology still continues.



From this evolution, the new display technologies of today give us better viewing angles and improved color spectrums with blacker blacks and brighter colors. On top of that, display technology is literally everywhere and has permeated our everyday lives; it’s on our televisions, computers, phones, tablets, refrigerators and a whole host of other devices.



As for the future, developments to display technology keep on coming that indicate that the screens of tomorrow will look and work like the futuristic displays we’ve seen in countless Sci-Fi movies and shows.





Let’s get started.





Display Technologies 2018 and Next Generation Display Technologies


Living in the tail-end of the 2010s means that a lot of the technology we use every day seemed like science fiction in the early 2000s. For example, touchscreen displays and screens that deliver pictures so clear they seem even more real than life.



We also have a lot variation in terms of displays; if you prize display ratio over other features, there’s a display for you; if you prefer color quality over other features, there’s a display for you.



The point is that the world of the display has rapidly evolved from its inception, and we now have so many options that range from LCD and OLED to electronic ink:




LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)


LCDs, unlike OLED displays that produce their own light, use a backlight or reflector to illuminate pixels — liquid crystals don’t emit light. As such, whereas OLEDs are called emissive because the produce their own light, LCDs are called transmissive for the opposite reason.



Keep in mind that some LCD displays use LEDs as their lighting source and are consequently called LEDs. Additionally, some LED LCD screens use “edge lighting” as opposed to a backlight, in which the LEDs are situated on the side.



And because they don’t use phosphors, LCDs aren’t plagued with burn-ins when an image is left on a screen for a long time. Instead, they may suffer from image persistence, but this is only temporary.



As to where you’ll find them, LCDs are commonly found in televisions and portable consumer devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and digital cameras.




OLED (Organic Light-Emitting-Diode)


As we just covered, OLEDs produce their own light and don’t require backlights, which allows them to be very thin.



What we didn’t cover was that this is done with organic materials that glow when introduced to an electric current, and that individual pixel can be turned off for darker blacks.



Additionally, because each individual pixel can act as an OLED, they come with large color variety and heightened contrast that produces high-resolution images, making them a crowd-favorite for televisions.




source: philips.co.uk




Curved Displays


Curved displays are gaining popularity because they improve immersion and add depth to whatever you’re watching. For instance, the curve makes the images appear to wrap around you, which functions to make you feel as if you’re seeing a wider image than a conventional display.




Flexible Displays


Flexible displays are similar to curved displays in the sense that they’re not exactly flat, but that’s about it. Whereas curved displays are just that — curved, flexible displays use malleable materials that can be reshaped into different configurations.



Due to their malleability, these displays are also pretty much shatterproof, which makes them an attractive option for future usage in technologies like smartphones and wearable devices.




E-Ink (Electronic Ink)


Widely used for eReaders like the Amazon Kindle, e-ink technology was created to replicate the way ink looks like on paper through a process called electrophoresis, which is a relatively new technology that uses clear fluid combined with black pigments and positively charged white pigments to create the lifelike ink display readers everywhere love.



Why do they love it? Because it produces high resolutions with sunlight readability, and very low power consumption due to the fact that eReaders utilizing e-ink only consume power when the ‘pages’ are being turned— the image is locked on the screen after the signal has been received, leading to longer battery life and less time charging.



As for the future, this display technology can expand beyond eReaders into:

Other mobile devices like tablets and smartphones

Electronic labels

Traffic signs

Billboards




Transparent Displays


Transparent displays are—somewhat—here, but predominantly in what’s called the concept stage. We have them, but major commercial use is still to come.

When off, these displays are transparent; when on, they show images in full HD by combining LCD technology with new transparent OLED (TOLED) technology.




Haptic Touch Screens


A display that’ll someday be everywhere, haptic touchscreens are touchscreen displays that touch you right back, hence the ‘haptic’ title. These use tactile feedback in the form of low electrical currents to produce sensations that let us ‘feel’ buttons and textures on screens.

For example, Tanvas partnered with Bonobos, an apparel company, to produce an application that showed two pairs of pants — one cotton and one corduroy — that can be ‘rubbed’ to differentiate each fabric’s feel.




Final Thoughts


Just like the display technology of yesterday is vastly different than today’s, the display technology of today will be vastly different than tomorrow. Whether it comes in the form of transparent car windows or flexible eReaders, one thing is certain: display technology is still evolving and will continue to evolve.





Wednesday, July 11, 2018

FIFA World Cup 2018: How Technology Is Impacting the World of Sports





source: theverge.com

Every time a new technological advancement comes our way, the world around us changes. Well, the same is true for the world of sports. Though the rules have remained relatively stable over the years, advancements and innovation have been injected into practically every sport to make them what they are today.

For example, when dimples were introduced to golf balls, balls were able to go farther than ever before. When radar speed guns were brought into the picture, baseball scouts were able to get a better idea on a pitcher’s abilities. When Kinesio taping made its debut, athletes were able to treat and prevent certain injuries without inhibiting their range of motion.




The Impact of Technology in Sports


Despite its name, new technology in sports isn’t new. Technological innovation is a revolving door in which one trend comes and replaces another. And as we saw above, sports technology advancements have served to improve whatever sport they’ve been introduced to. For example, seeing as how we’re currently in the thralls of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, let’s start there.




2018 FIFA World Cup


We’re well underway the 2018 World Cup and, from what we’ve seen so far, the role of technology in sports is clearly evident. Case in point, video assistant referees (VARs) that were written into the Laws of the Game by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in 2018 to give referees additional support and information to make better calls by reviewing decisions (with a multimillion-dollar impact) made by the head referee.



Used in all 64 matches of the World Cup, VARs have access to all relevant broadcast cameras and two dedicated offside cameras, and can review four types of calls: goals and whether there was a violation during the buildup; penalty decisions; direct red card decisions (second yellow cards are not reviewable); and mistaken identity in awarding a yellow or red card. As to how they come into play, VARs can recommend to the referee that something worth reviewing has happened, or the referee himself can ask for help. After the incident has been reviewed by the VAR team, the referee is advised and can either make a decision or review video footage himself for better insights.



Apart from VARs, we also have goal-line technology that uses 14 high-speed cameras to signal within one second to the referees when the ball has crossed the goal line, helping referees catch whether or not a goal has been properly scored to create an even playing field. This type of technology actually supported the referees in three incidents at the last FIFA World Cup and a similar amount at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.






source: jabil.com



How Has Technology Improved Sports?


Apart from what we just saw and are seeing in the current World Cup, we also have the Adidas Smart Ball with integrated sensors that record strike point, speed, spin and trajectory when kicking ball for instant feedback to improve abilities, the Nike+ platform that tells athletes how high they’ve jumped and how fast they run, Under Armour’s E39 compression shirts with chest sensors to measure heart rate, anaerobic threshold, aerobic capacity, muscle heat and more, and a wide array of other technologies that are all improving sports.



However they come, these devices are collecting data and using it to create statistics that allow for detailed analysis of both team and individual player performance. For example, as we touched on earlier, sensors in balls and the field can recognize when a ball has gone out of bounds. Shoes in sensors can similarly determine if an offside has actually happened. Wearable technology, like Under Armour’s tech-enhanced shirts, can monitor vital signs and anomalies in heart rate, etc. to prevent or lessen the impact of heart attacks, and further warn coaches and club doctors when something’s amiss.



Apart from the game itself, sensors in stadiums can monitor the crowd and notify officials if they become unruly or if too many are crowding, preventing something like the Hillsborough disaster from happening again.




Technology in Sports: Good or Bad?


Even though it seems as though technology in sports is a good thing, those against it say that it will ruin the fun and charm of the game. Proponents, on the other hand, say no. After all, how charming is it if a player is rolling on the ground *cough* Neymar *cough* from the smallest incident? Additionally, isn’t it the mistakes that ruin the fun, such as Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal in the 2010 World Cup?



When it comes down to it, yes, it’s true that some things shouldn’t be replaced, such as umpires in baseball that have become a staple of the sport, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be enhanced with technology to make their calls fairer and truer.




Final Thoughts


Technology is revolutionizing sports — there’s no doubt about it. When paired with AI, it can catch and eliminate refereeing errors like some of these controversial World Cup refereeing decisions, or help athletes improve their playing and reach peak performance.

Enjoy watching!





Tuesday, June 12, 2018

The Top 3 Trends in Automation





source: techrepublic.com

Businesses everywhere, no matter their size or industry, are always looking for ways to save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency. On the spectrum of business sizes, those on the smaller end tend to lack the manpower and resources that bigger businesses have. Those on the larger end, on the other hand, have the manpower and resources, but lack the flexibility to react quickly to market changes and may end up wasting money in the confusion that comes with larger businesses. Fortunately, a solution for both comes in the form of automation.




What Is Automation?


When you get down to it and sift through all the technical jargon, automation is simply a process that’s performed without human assistance. An automation system could be anything from machines in a factory creating a product through an assembly line to a program sending automated emails every day at a set time, and today we’ll be focusing on automation in IT.



After years and years of incremental advances in automation, recent trends show us that we’re in the middle of an automation boon where business processes and workflows are switching from human to digital hands. Before we get to those trends, let’s focus on some of the advantages of automation.




The Many Benefits and Advantages of Automation


At its core, all types of automation take over processes that were previously done manually, freeing up workers to complete higher-level tasks that require a human touch. For example, instead of spending hours performing repetitive tasks, such as generating reports and extracting data from them, human workers can focus on analyzing that data and making sense of it.



Additionally, all the time employees spend working on those mundane tasks are paid for by the company. By assigning those tasks to machines, that money can be spent on tasks that are more deserving of compensation. And because we’re talking about machines that can be programmed to complete many tasks with a high degree of accuracy, not only is productivity improved, but also the quality and consistency of the work.



As you can see, automation comes with many benefits and advantages that can give your business the edge it needs to compete in today’s market. With that in mind, let’s get back to what we touched on earlier: the top 3 trends in automation.




1. Intelligent Automation


Most of the automation in IT revolves around artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and in the coming years, the majority of advances in automation will be a direct response to advancements in AI. These ‘self-learning’ systems can make decisions that were previously decided by humans, such as validating business processes and recognizing shortcomings, identifying the best systems to execute certain processes, and providing additional resources wherever necessary before a human hand gets involved.




2. IoT and Automation


Apart from AI and machine learning, automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) are also working together to connect devices and applications throughout the enterprise so they can work concurrently with as little human assistance as possible. It comes down to the fact that at its core, IoT is about making connections between devices, and automation is the extra ingredient it needs to do so without human input.




3. Humans and Automation


Finally, a big misperception of automation is that it’s going to take over our jobs and leave us in the past. While it may take over some jobs, that mindset is harmful, especially when we consider that, ironically, automation’s true strength lies in it working in conjunction with humans. For starters, automation is more likely going to change roles and create new ones rather than completely take them over. In other words, strategies need to be created that align people, processes, and automation so they have a bigger impact together.




Final Thoughts and TL;DR


Automation is improving by the day and its capabilities expanding by the minute. Here’s the tl;dr version of what we covered today:

Automation describes a process that’s performed without human assistance and can be anything from machines in a factory creating a product through an assembly line to a program sending automated emails every day at a set time.

Businesses of all sizes can use automation to save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Automation can take over processes that were previously done manually, freeing up workers to complete higher-level tasks that require a human touch.

Most of the automation in IT revolves around AI and machine learning, and in the coming years, the majority of advances in automation will be a direct response to advancements in AI.

Apart from AI and machine learning, automation and IoT are also working together to connect devices and applications throughout the enterprise so they can work concurrently with as little human assistance as possible.

A big misperception of automation is that it’s going to take over our jobs and leave us in the past — instead, it’s going to change roles and create new ones with strategies that align people, processes and automation.



Best of luck!





Monday, May 21, 2018

The Present and Future of Voice Technology in Cars





source: topautotools.com

10 years ago, people would have looked at you as if you were crazy if they saw you talking to an unknown woman named Siri on your phone, or Alexa on your speakers. Well, times change and today it’s the norm to ask Siri for directions and Alexa for a song. We’ve all pretty much been introduced to voice technology in one way or another, and as the time passes, it’s being integrated more and more into our lives. Before we get to that, what is voice technology? Or better yet, what is voice recognition and speech recognition?



Long story short, voice technology as we know it is comprised of two components: speech and voice recognition. Speech recognition converts spoken words into digital words, and voice recognition identifies speakers by different features of speech like intonation, pitch, and style. With that in mind, today we’ll be focusing on speech recognition as it relates to voice technology. Actually, it might be better to say as it relates to KITT if you’re a fan of 80s TV (Knight Rider!!!) because today we’re talking about voice technology in cars.




What Is Voice Technology in Cars?


Voice technology in cars is exactly what you think it is… maybe. If you’re thinking it’s like having a helper in the car with you, ready to control your music or give you directions when you’re lost, then you are correct. As for where it is, it’s gotten to the point that in-car speech recognition systems have become the standard in most new car models because, apart from being convenient, they’re safe. The thing is, whether it’s glancing at a text or looking up directions, we can’t help but take our eyes off the road every now and then. Well, with voice technology in tow, the days of driving while distracted are a thing of the past.






source: https://arstechnica.com




The Present of Voice Technology in Cars


Now you may be wondering how you can get your hands on one of these. Lucky for us, a plethora of car companies announced plenty of new and cool voice features their cars are equipped with during CES 2018. For starters, Toyota broke the news that it’s integrating Amazon Alexa into some of its 2018/19 models. “Voice services are rapidly becoming more popular and through our integration with Amazon Alexa,” said Zack Hicks, Senior VP, and CIO of Toyota Motor North America and CEO and President of Toyota Connected, “Toyota and Lexus customers will soon be able to easily speak to Alexa in their cars while on-the-go.” Along with a similar vein, Ford is actually already using Alexa to offer consumers the ability to access their car from home, and call up other features from their vehicle.



This means that Toyota, Lexus and Ford drivers will be able to ask Alexa to do things both in the car and at home, similar to how the Amazon Echo works. For example, they can ask Alexa for directions, to play a certain song, podcast or audiobook, and to control other Alexa smart home devices as well. In other words, they can control everything in their car AND adjust the temperature in their home so it’s ready as soon as they arrive, add groceries to their shopping list if they suddenly remember they need something, and so much more.






source: http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com

Moving to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, they’re available on hundreds of car models. Like Alexa integration, Android Auto (with Google Assistant) and Apple CarPlay (with Siri) come with functionality to allow drivers to get directions, open other apps, get real-time traffic alerts, make calls, read and send messages, listen to audio, search along their route for nearby restaurants or gas stations, control smart home features directly from their car and much more — all without lifting a hand off the steering wheel.




The Future Uses of Voice Technology in Cars


And now, the future, which we’ll begin covering by saying that it looks good. For example, Nvidia and Mercedes-Benz announced a partnership for MBUX, a personalized AI feature available in 23 languages that learns and anticipates your needs. As NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said, “I want to build the world’s most advanced cockpit of the future and it’s going to have amazing computer graphics but most important is that it will have artificial intelligence so it can revolutionize the user experience.” For us, this means a zero-lag touchscreen with 3D animations that is voice activated with the phrase, “Hey, Mercedes.”



Breaking the MBUX down, it can be compared to an in-car infotainment system with AI capabilities to switch up how drivers and passengers interact with their vehicles. For example, MBUX will be able to understand the context of colloquial questions. That is to say that instead of the general “check weather in New York” to know whether or not you can wear your new sandals, a simple “Hey, Mercedes, can I wear my sandals on Saturday?” will do just fine. Additionally, MBUX will be able to save and suggest your favorite music as you drive, track your destinations and anticipate where you’re planning on going, and even track eye and head movement and arm gestures to know whether you’re looking at the road or not, or which window you’re pointing at when you tell it to open it.






source: www.cnet.com



BONUS: We already mentioned that Ford comes packed with Alexa, but did you know that they’re looking to launch a “vehicle-to-everything” communication system? In essence, it’ll be a cloud network of cars that act as a ‘supercomputing assistant’ that sends traffic data directly to you so you can avoid jams and get to your desired destination as fast as possible. Therefore, instead of asking for assistance, Ford’s solution would be for their cars to anticipate your needs and use the data of cars around you to give you the knowledge you need while you drive.




Final Thoughts


Voice technology is quickly being integrated into all parts of our lives, and it’s making especially big strides in the automotive industry. For now, we can pretty much control everything in our cars and a lot in our homes. And from the look of things, the future looks like we’ll be able to do even more. From asking our cars to check the tire pressure or how many miles we have left until we need a gas refill, to asking it to drive us home when we’re too tired to keep our eyes open, the future of voice technology in cars looks bright.





Tuesday, May 8, 2018

What Are Chatbots and How Can They Benefit Businesses?





source: https://blog.drift.com/chatbots-infographic/

Advancements in technology, specifically in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), have spurred business growth in various sectors. For example, we have automation software that takes over menial and time-consuming tasks while humans focus on work that requires higher cognitive thinking. Along the same lines, we also have chatbots that enable automation while going beyond by improving customer support, creating better user experiences and optimizing strategies with personalized content.




What Is a Chatbot?


Chatbots are computer programs that act as virtual agents who interact with users on websites or applications. Thanks to AI, they can simulate human-like interactions as they converse with people, keeping them entertained and informed longer than without. Because of this AI-connection, chatbots can also continuously improve with learning algorithms that allow them to meet evolving demands. In other words, the more that chatbots work and interact with people, the better they get at these interactions.



According to a report by Business Insider, 80% of businesses also want a chatbot by 2020. They know that there are many chatbot business benefits and chatbot uses they can make use of, and here’s why you should want an AI chatbot as well.




The Many Benefits and Uses of Chatbots


There are many chatbots uses and benefits your business can make use of. For example and as we covered earlier, they make it possible to automate communication between your brand and its users, which functions to improve customer support, create better UX and optimize marketing strategies.



Let’s go over these chatbots business benefits in more detail.



1: Improved Customer Support



The customer always comes first because there can’t be a business without any customers. For this reason, having an AI chatbot that treats and serves all customers as equal, irrespective of behavior, will be a huge advantage for businesses who don’t have the manpower to service all visitors individually. After all, a chatbot can act as a 24/7 customer service rep who’s always on your site, ready to help out whenever a need arises.






source: www.liveworld.com

And, because they’re programs, multiple users can be served at the same time as well. For instance, a chatbot can greet every site visitor as soon as they land and lend an extra helping hand if they’re looking for something specific. Chatbots can also take over a website’s search and navigation features, creating a single place where users can find all they need and eliminating the need for them to familiarize themselves with the site’s layout.



2: Better User Experience



Like customer support, chatbots can create better experiences for users as well. For one, they’re fun to use — there’s just something about interacting with a program that acts like a real person that makes experiences even better. Second, they can be enriched with relevant content on a regular basis, creating better interactions that leave users happy. For example, if there’s a sale going on, a chatbot can pop up with a message saying, “Hey? Did you know that we’re currently running a sale with 50% OFF EVERYTHING and an additional 25% OFF SELECT ITEMS?” In doing so, you’re letting your users know that they have opportunities to save money. And as we all know, not many things make us happier than saving money.



3: Optimized Strategies



Finally, chatbots can also lead to optimized strategies thanks to personalization. For example, as they interact with users, they can gather relevant information needed to create valuable, personalized experiences your business can use to guide users down the sales funnel. It’s as simple as taking note of the products your users are searching for the most, and then recommending similar products they may be interested in. You can also offer them those same products with a slight discount, smoothing the customer journey even more while increasing the likelihood of a conversion.




Final Thoughts


Chatbots are scalable solutions for businesses everywhere that can interact with users to improve their experience on websites and applications alike. Backed by AI, they use every single interaction as a training block that facilitates future exchanges and improves the customer experience as a whole.

As we covered today, an AI chatbot can:



1. Improve customer support by acting as a 24/7 customer service rep who’s always ready to lend a helping hand.

2. Create better user experiences by streamlining interactions with relevant information.

3. Optimize marketing strategies with personalized content that opens the door to more conversions.



Best of luck honing in on the best chatbot uses that will serve your business best!