Chatbots & AI-Powered Virtual Assistants
Transform your CX with a chatbot/AI-powered virtual assistant!
A chatbot or AI-powered virtual assistant enables automated responses to be provided to customer enquiries received via the website, SMS, Facebook chat, etc.
Capabilities range from handling basic enquiries to complex customer interactions using a combination of other technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Understanding, and Machine Learning.
Whilst a chatbot or virtual assistant can be 100% automated, many are able to transfer calls to a live agent when they are unable to provide a suitable response, so they can still provide you with efficiencies and not negatively impact the customer experience.
5 Benefits of Using Chatbots and Virtual Assistants for Customer Support
There are many reasons why companies and moving towards offering chatbots and virtual assistants as part of their customer support options, including:
- An improved customer experience - customers can quickly get the answers they want. Fast, consistent and accurate.
- Cost savings - Removing either all or some of the human intervention required delivers significant cost savings.
- Extended hours - Customers can get support 24/7 without the need for expensive shift work and penalty rates.
- Data Collection - Easily collate lots of information about customer requests and outcomes to further improve your service delivery
- Improved employee engagement - As chatbots and virtual assistants can handle basic/mundane enquiries it frees up your customer service agents to handle the more complex and interesting conversations.
How Chatbots and AI-Powered Virtual Assistants are Used in Customer Service
There are lots of applications that both chatbots and virtual assistants can be used in customer service/customer support functions with a brief overview below.
Chatbot
A chatbot is a software application designed to simulate conversation with human users, typically through text-based interfaces like websites, messaging apps, or mobile apps.
Functionality:
- Task-Specific: Chatbots are usually designed to handle specific tasks or answer common questions. They often follow predefined scripts or decision trees to respond to user inputs.
- Rule-Based: Many chatbots operate based on simple rule-based systems, meaning they respond to specific keywords or phrases with preset answers.
- Limited Scope: They are generally limited in their ability to understand context or handle complex requests, focusing on narrow, well-defined interactions.
Use Cases:
- Customer Support: Answering FAQs, assisting with order tracking, or providing basic information about products or services.
- Marketing and Sales: Engaging customers with promotional messages or guiding them through a purchase process.
AI Powered Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is a more advanced AI-powered software that can perform a wider range of tasks, often across multiple domains.
Virtual assistants can engage in more natural, human-like conversations and can understand and process complex commands.
Functionality:
- AI and NLP-Powered: Virtual assistants typically use artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to understand context, follow conversations, and respond in a more sophisticated manner.
- Versatile and Adaptive: They can handle a variety of tasks, from setting reminders and managing calendars to providing detailed information, controlling smart devices, and more.
- Learning Capability: Many virtual assistants can learn from interactions, improving over time and offering more personalised responses.
Use Cases:
- Personal Assistants: Managing schedules, sending messages, setting reminders, or providing weather and traffic updates (e.g., Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa).
- Business Support: Assisting with meeting scheduling, managing workflows, providing data analysis, or integrating with other business applications.
Difference between a Chatbot and Virtual Assistants
Although the terms are used somewhat interchangeably, there is a difference between a Chatbot and a Virtual Assistant.
The distinction generally lies in their functionality, complexity, and the scope of tasks they can perform.
- Complexity and Capability: Virtual assistants are typically more complex and capable than chatbots, able to perform a broader range of tasks and understand more natural language inputs.
- User Interaction: Chatbots tend to have more structured, scripted interactions, while virtual assistants can engage in more dynamic, context-aware conversations.
- Integration and Scope: Virtual assistants often integrate with various applications and devices to provide a seamless user experience across different platforms, whereas chatbots are usually confined to specific tasks or environments.
Australian Examples of Using Virtual Assistants
Whilst Australia sometimes lags behind in technology innovation, there are certainly some local examples of companies using virtual assistants as part of their customer/CX strategy.
1. National Australia Bank (NAB)
NAB has experimented with digital humans to assist customers with banking inquiries. Their virtual assistant, "NAB Chatbot," provides answers to frequently asked questions and helps customers navigate banking services online.
2. ANZ Bank
ANZ has integrated AI-driven virtual assistants to help customers with basic banking tasks. 'Jamie' is assisting customers with online banking queries and guiding users through various processes.
3. Westpac
Westpac has implemented virtual assistants to help customers with a range of banking services. These AI-driven assistants 'Red' provide 24/7 support and help to manage common inquiries more efficiently.
4. Telstra
Telstra has integrated virtual assistants to handle customer service inquiries. These assistants are designed to provide immediate responses and assist with technical support, billing inquiries, and more.
5. Medibank
Medibank, one of Australia’s leading health insurance providers, has experimented with AI-driven virtual assistants to help customers with health insurance inquiries, claims, and general support.
6. Suncorp Group
Suncorp, an Australian finance, insurance, and banking corporation, has explored using AI and digital assistants to enhance customer interactions, particularly for insurance queries and claims management.
7. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)
CBA has been at the forefront of integrating AI into its customer service operations. They have used virtual assistants (Ceba) to provide customers with support for everyday banking tasks, such as checking account balances and transferring funds.
8. HCF (Health Care Fund)
HCF has implemented virtual assistants to support customers with health insurance queries, claims processing, and policy information, enhancing customer engagement and support services.
9. Australia Post
Australia Post has used virtual assistants to assist customers with tracking parcels, finding post office locations, and providing information on postal services. This AI integration helps manage high volumes of inquiries more effectively.
10. Tourism Australia
Tourism Australia has explored using digital humans to interact with international tourists, providing information about travel destinations, itineraries, and travel tips in a personalized manner.
And they aren't alone. A number of government agencies, Retailers, Educational institutions, Superannuation Funds, etc, have all implemented virtual assistants and according to the 2024 Australian Contact Centre Best Practice Report, 37% of contact centres are already using AI, and 35% plan to use it within the 12-18 months so its space that is expected to grow.
Search Suppliers of Chatbots and Virtual Assistants
The suppliers below can assist you with chatbot and/or virtual assistant technology from design, implementation and optimisation.
You can also use the filters to find other suppliers that can assist including Outsourcers who provide automation services, consultants who can help with a range of different services and customer management technology.
