Post on 07-Apr-2017
Chatbot 101 By Robert McGovern
“…bots are the new apps”
Microsoft CEO,
Satya Nadella
“First there were websites,
…then there were apps,
…now, there are chatbots”
Kik CEO
What is a Chatbot?
“…a program designed to simulate conversation with human users on messaging platforms”.
They’ve been around for years…
Microsoft
Office Assistant
Instant
Messenger
What is a Chatbot?
Today, emphasis on Artificial Intelligence.
Think...
– Apple’s Siri
– Amazon Alexa
– Google Assistant
But on mobile messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, WeChat, WhatsApp etc.
What is a Chatbot?
From multiple-choice decision trees
…to more complex Artificial Intelligence
...Mobile Functionality location-based services, payments, loyalty programmes, push notifications...
Trend #1
People are moving away from traditional social networking channels & onto messaging apps instead
Why now?
Trend #1
People are moving away from traditional social networking channels & onto messaging apps instead
Why now?
Trend #1
People are moving away from traditional social networking channels & onto messaging apps instead
Why now? Trend #2
It’s harder to get users to download and use your standalone app.
Messaging apps provide a central hub for all of these services:
…with no new app for users to download
…using a familiar interface chat
Bots to the rescue!
Far East is 2yrs ahead…
On apps like WeChat, Line, QQ, you can…
– Order a taxi
– Make a restaurant reservation
– Grocery deliveries
– P2P / eCommerce payments
2016 was a big year!
• April ‘16 – Facebook launched its API - developers can create chatbots in FB Messenger.
– 33,000+ bots released in first 5 months!
• Kik, Telegram & Twitter soon followed
2016 was a big year!
• April ‘16 – Facebook launched its API - developers can create chatbots in FB Messenger.
– 33,000+ bots released in first 5 months!
• Kik, Telegram & Twitter soon followed
• WhatsApp is next!!!
Types of chatbots
M-Commerce Customer Support News & Utilities & Subscriptions Entertainment
Business use cases
Customer Service
• Technical support (troubleshooting)
• Product information
• Customer notifications
• Account enquiries
m-Commerce
• Promotions + up / cross-selling
• Billing + payments
• Fraud protection
• Bookings + appointment management
F&B / Hospitality
Retail
Utilities
Media
Who is getting involved?
F&B – Burger King
• Order meals via chat.
• Click & Collect service.
• Uses your location to suggest the nearest Burger King to pick-up your order.
• Get flight info within a conversation:
– Itinerary
– Boarding pass
– Check-in confirmation
– Delay notifications
• Choose to receive info via Messenger when you book tickets through their website.
Airlines – KLM
Retail – 1-800-Flowers
• Buy flowers directly via a conversation.
• Gift suggestions + previous orders remembered.
• 10,000s of users in first 2 months.
• >70% of chatbot orders have been from new customers (Messenger users are typically younger than current customers).
Retail – H&M
• Gives style recommendations & suggests looks.
• Teach it about your style through a series of questions, then it recommends outfits.
• If you like an article of clothing, it links to the website to buy it.
• Soon – “Charge it to my Visa and ship it overnight to my home address.”
Hotels – Mondrian
• Acts as a tour-guide + showcases the range of F&B options and entertainment services:
– Browse facilities
– Browse room options
– Help with the booking process
– Look at menus from the hotel’s various bars and restaurants.
– Make dining / drinks reservations
Retail – NotOnTheHighStreet
• Gives users gifting ideas for Christmas.
• Input some basic information, and then a carousel of related products pops up and the user can scroll though them.
• Click on a product to purchase, or ask for another list of products to be displayed.
F&B – Pernod Ricard
• The ‘Cocktail Coach’ is an A.I. bartender that offers recipes and mixing instructions for people hosting parties.
• Recommending cocktails based on taste preferences, type and size of event
• Directs users to online supermarket Ocado where they can purchase the ingredients.
F&B – Pret A Manger
• The bot allows people to explore the new Christmas menu – find out about ingredients.
• More info about Pret’s charity scheme, which sees 50p of profits on sandwiches donated.
• People are averaging 4 mins in the chatbot and each user averages 10 messages.
Chevrolet
• Launched back in December.
• Gives users tips and encouragement for completing their New Year’s resolutions.
• Lifestyle campaign – not about the car.
• Send you daily messages / videos.
Mercedes-Benz ME
• Launched back in August.
• First motor brand in the Middle East to launch a chatbot on FB Messenger.
• Book A Test-Drive.
• Explore new models.
Ogilvy’s “Roombot” New London office on the River Thames
1,600 staff / 13 Floors / 80 meeting rooms
Ogilvy’s “Roombot”
Why ‘Roombot’ works well:
– Easy to use – type in your room name, it gives you directions.
– It answers a very specific user need
– There’s a finite number of rooms, the names and locations of which are all known
Ogilvy’s “Roombot”
Why ‘Roombot’ works well:
– Easy to use – type in your room name, it gives you directions.
– It answers a very specific user need – question is specific
– There’s a finite number of rooms, the names and locations of which are all known – answer is specific
May the bots be with you!