Millennials hate talking on the phone. In fact, millennial phone phobia is so pervasive that 81% of millennials have to summon the courage to make a phone call. So when we have questions, we always search for answers online before calling a phone number for assistance.
Nevertheless, sometimes we need administrative support and surrender to the phone call. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll speak to a real person. Instead, we’re more likely to listen to a robot drone on, listing 17 generalized options that don’t even target our original question. At that point, we do what we hate the most, screaming into the receiver, “SPEAK TO A REPRESENTATIVE!”
Bad robots can ruin customer experience (CX). However, I recently used a robot messaging service with artificial intelligence (AI) so advanced that I couldn’t even tell if I was talking to a person or a robot.
When the technology is that good, millennials like me prefer to communicate with a bot. So let’s discuss why millennials favor chatbots over human interaction and how you can better reach your millennial base by offering sophisticated messenger services.
What are Chatbots?
Chatbots are software programs that use AI technology to simulate natural conversation by phone or text in real-time. Chat robots vary in complexity; some offer only basic, one-line responses, though others can learn and adapt as they receive information.
Due to their many benefits, chatbots dramatically improve customer experience, especially for online shoppers.
The Benefits of Chatbots for eCommerce
- Streamline interactions. Customers want quick answers to their questions. But automated customer service lines are often the antithesis of quick, as callers must first wait and listen to menu items that don’t apply to them.
Chatbots, however, are driven by customers’ needs. People can immediately ask their questions and, in turn, receive immediate responses. Impressively, most modern chatbots can answer 80% of standard questions. And if they don’t have an answer, they’ll transfer the call or text to a human who can help.
- Reduce support costs. Businesses can significantly lower support costs and increase operational efficiency with chatbots. For instance, chatbots are available in a wide range of price points and can run for 24 hours a day, providing round-the-clock coverage that humans can’t. Plus, chatbots can communicate with thousands of customers at once.
- Offer extensive consumer data. There’s only so much data a human can track from a phone call. A person can record call location, purpose, and outcome, for instance, but they can’t easily generate data on purchasing patterns or track sophisticated user information.
Chatbots, however, communicate directly with customers and catalog their data to help organizations understand common shopping obstacles and better market their products and services.
Why Chatbots are Popular with Millennials
Aside from preventing our phone anxiety, chatbots also accommodate a range of millennial needs.
Because we have constant access to information via the internet, millennials expect organizations to be equally available. And in addition to 24/7 service, 60% of millennials also believe that they shouldn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes to speak to someone on a customer service line.
That’s no easy feat for most businesses operating without automation! But by implementing chatbot technology, companies can better meet digital-natives where they are, creating a much more customer-centric experience.
Simply put, people under the age of 40 don’t want to call in for support. They want answers fast! Are you meeting the needs of your millennial customers? Contact Sophelle for help implementing millennial-focused strategies today.
