BLOG: A quick overview of Conversational AI, chatbots, digital assistants, virtual assistants, and live chat… what’s the difference and where should I start?

Conversational AI, chatbots, digital assistants, virtual assistants, and live chat… the terms often interchange and it can feel overwhelming - like you’re in a maze of jargon and buzzwords. This quick blog should help you to understand some key differences and get a handle on what could be best for you as you kick off your chatbot (or whatever you call it!) journey… are all related technologies that can be used to engage with customers, but they have some key differences. Read on…

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Conversational AI, chatbots, digital assistants, virtual assistants, and live chat are all related technologies that can be used to engage with customers, but they have some key differences.

• Conversational AI is a broad term that refers to the use of natural language processing (NLP) and other technologies to create systems that can understand and respond to human speech or text. This can include chatbots, digital assistants, and virtual assistants.

• Chatbots are computer programs that simulate conversation with human users through text-based or voice-based interfaces. They can be used for a variety of tasks, such as customer service, lead generation, and e-commerce.

• Digital assistants and virtual assistants are chatbots that are designed to assist users with tasks such as scheduling, sending messages, and providing information. They can be integrated into smart speakers, smartphones, and other devices.

• Live chat is a real-time, text-based communication between a customer and a customer service representative. It can be integrated into websites or mobile apps to provide customer support and answer customer questions.

When it comes to deciding where to start with these technologies, it depends on the specific goals and needs of your business. If you are looking to improve customer service and support, then live chat integration could be a good starting point. You’ll still need human agents to run your live chat, but it means your customers can get quicker replies than perhaps they would via email or telephone. Live chat isn’t necessarily a way to cut costs in your business because of the human driven nature of the channel.

If you are looking to improve the customer experience and make some cost savings across the business, then chatbots could be right for you. Whilst they can’t completely replace human agents, they can automate the answers to some of the more repetitive enquiries, and give your teams some time back to focus on more complex tasks and/ or customer issues.

If you are looking to automate repetitive tasks as well as the answers to customer enquiries, then really you should consider digital or virtual assistants. Typically they’re more powerful, make better use of conversational AI, and can often do the job of a human agent - answer questions, take payments, make bookings, provide personalised recommendations… this kind of thing.

Ultimately, all of these tools are there to improve the customer experience and support your teams. How deep you want to dive is dependant on your objectives; do you want to lighten the load on your teams? Delight your customers? Drive operational efficiencies? All of the above?

Our consultation service can help you figure out what’s best for your business, and help you understand where you’ll derive the most value in the short, medium and longer term. Why not book a call today and we’ll help you get started!