For a few weeks now, I’ve been working more and more with chatbots in Facebook Messenger. I focused primarily on the use of chatbots in the hospitality industry and in small businesses.
To repeat: What is a Facebook Messenger Bot?
Most people are probably already familiar with Facebook Messenger as a classic chat platform. Either friends can chat with each other or consumers have the chance to reach their favorite restaurant, lawyer or beautician directly via Facebook. In the beginning, only people used the conversation in Messenger. In the meantime, however, chatbots are increasingly taking the place of company employees in responding to the most frequent consumer inquiries. Humans are no longer needed to communicate with the chatbot. It only takes one person and one day’s effort to successfully set up a chatbot.
These simple bots are enough for most small businesses to be able to respond to the most frequent customer inquiries around the clock without a human being behind them.
Chatbots for restaurants
I had a look around Facebook Messenger and tried to write to some of my favorite restaurants via Messenger. In 90% of the cases, I initially received these answers:
The idea is good. Unfortunately, most of them lack further implementation. No matter which button I clicked on, I never got an answer.
Why is that?
Facebook has stored these four questions in the basic settings. It aims to motivate visitors to the site to ask the provider a question and thus communicate with the restaurant. Unfortunately, most restaurant owners are not always on Facebook and reply far too late or not at all.
What would be the solution?
The questions above are almost exclusively standard questions that could be answered automatically. Once set up, a chatbot could answer any of these questions automatically. The offering restaurant then does not lose any leads by no longer risking that users who have not received an answer to their question simply move on to the next restaurant.
Providers can also use the chatbot to inform the enquirer about special highlights or offers. For example, if there is a 20% discount on all pizzas or if a party night is planned soon.
Conclusion 1
With a chatbot, restaurants get more leads and more customers. AND they have an additional channel to draw attention to special offers or news (such as a new take-away offer). AND restaurants can even take orders via the chatbot!
Chatbots for service providers such as lawyers, doctors and tax consultants
When I spoke to my trustee on the phone 4 weeks ago, his first response was “Sophie, I have so much to do – everyone is asking the same questions about protection against dismissal, short-time working and employment law. No one knows how to deal with the new Covid-19 situation.” The upshot was that my severance consultant spent the whole day answering the same, mostly simple questions over and over again on the phone.
The solution
It quickly became clear to me that a chatbot would probably help most customers and my tax advisor in particular. We have integrated the most frequently asked questions with the appropriate answers into a chatbot and informed all customers that simple questions are now answered by the bot. My trustee now has enough time again for complex questions and the preparation of important applications. Furthermore, he no longer needs to worry that customers who do not receive an immediate response will go to another service provider. The chatbot can answer everyone at the same time and around the clock.
The special feature here was that we not only integrated the chatbot in Facebook Messenger, but also on my trustee’s website. Although we have only developed one bot, we can use it in several places at once. The chatbot can be tested here.
Conclusion 2
Chatbots are also suitable for service providers such as trustees, lawyers or doctors. You can now answer simple questions automatically and have more time for complex customer conversations. You can also integrate the chatbot on your own website.
Chatbots for beauticians
When are you actually open? How much does your manicure cost? How much does a men’s haircut cost? These are questions that come up again and again from customers or potential customers. And the provider who responds first will probably get the customer. But can you cut hair and answer chat inquiries at the same time?
The solution
A chatbot can answer all these questions automatically and you have time again for the tasks that bring you direct sales – cutting hair, painting fingernails, plucking eyebrows, etc.
All you have to do is enter all questions and answers once in the chatbot system and then the bot can respond around the clock, giving providers more time for their core business. Facebook also automatically ranks companies that respond quickly at the top of the search results. With a Facebook Messenger bot, you are one of those who always respond immediately to every question.
Conclusion 3
Chatbots in Facebook Messenger signal to Facebook that you belong to the fast company that always responds immediately. In return, Facebook will reward you with a high positioning in the search results. And of course you can also accept appointment bookings directly via the chatbot.
If you liked this article and now want a Facebook Messenger chatbot yourself, take a look at this offer.
And of course I also have a Facebook page incl. Messenger bot. You can find both here.
