Chat & voicebots in e-commerce: How IVAs support service

22.09.2021 |

Service automation goes multichannel

By implementing a chatbot that answers incoming inquiries via webchat, many online vendors have successfully integrated IVAs into their service team. Now it’s time to take the next step and make the virtual helpers accessible via another channel as well: The telephone. The popularity of the phone as a contact channel and consumers’ preference for communicating via voice make the use of a phone bot a must-have for a successful customer experience.

 

 

Im telefonischen Kundenservice können Bots – wie auch im Webchat – helfen Prozesse zu automatisieren und Servicemitarbeiter unterstützen. Dabei können sie z.B. klassische Auswahlmenüs via Tastendruck oder IVR (Interactive Voice Response) ersetzen. Man spricht von Conversational AI. Mithilfe modernster Sprachtechnologien wird die Spracheingabe des Anrufers zunächst in Text übersetzt (Speech-to-Text). Der Bot verarbeitet die Anfrage und sendet seine Antwort in Textform zurück, wo die Umwandlung in Sprache erfolgt (Text-to-Speech) und dem Anrufer ausgegeben wird.

In telephone customer service, bots can help to automate processes and support service staff – just as they do in web chat. They may replace, for example, the classic selection menus via keystroke or IVR (Interactive Voice Response). This is called Conversational AI. Using state-of-the-art speech technologies, the caller’s voice input is first translated into text (speech-to-text). The bot processes the request and sends its response back in text form, where it is converted to speech (text-to-speech) and played back to the caller.

 

 

 

 

Phone bots for customer service without queue

By using a phone bot, callers receive round-the-clock phone service without being put on hold. This means that not just a high call volume at peak times can be handled: Inquiries can also be answered automatically outside regular business hours. This is especially relevant for standardized recurring inquiries. These often do not require the support of a human employee and can be completely resolved by IVAs. If this is not the case, the bot can forward the call to a human employee (bot agent handover).

 

Also in the field of e-commerce, there are various use cases that are ideally suitable for processing by a bot, e.g.

• Check stock availability
• Address change
• Password Reset
• Request delivery status
• Invoice request
• Returns management
• Query FAQs

 

When these repetitive requests are answered using IVAs, concerns can be handled without time delay, as callers do not have to wait until a service representative is available. This gives human employees more time to focus on more individual concerns. A win-win situation for customers and employees.

 

Many of these use cases can also be found in other branches: For example, the ERGO Insurance Group is already successfully using voicebots on the phone (see Case Study).

 

 

Voice integration in just a few clicks

If a chatbot is already in use, it can be enabled for the voice channel in just a few clicks by connecting the TENIOS VoiceBot API. This allows the existing bot to accept and process both text-based requests - for example via webchat or messaging - and requests via voice interface on the phone.

 

 

This allows companies to benefit from a greater reach and improved targeting by providing multiple contact channels. Without any effort or cost-intensive implementation: the VoiceBot API is linked via a single request. >> View technical documentation

Extend your bot with a voice channel and make your service team complete!