These are the droids you’re looking for. It’s 2022, and of course, AI is the talk of the town. As customer demands continue to rise, even business-to-business (B2B) power-players are turning to chatbots to deliver fantastic customer experiences.
Today’s B2B buyers are embracing their independence. Whereas in the past, customers would interact with sales teams to learn more about a product or service, 68% of B2B buyers prefer to research on their own.
This behavioral shift presents new challenges for B2B brands that want to engage customers in a personal way. After a buyer researches a product, your website is often the next touchpoint in their journey. That means first impressions are crucial when moving them through the sales funnel.
By enhancing your sales and customer support teams with chatbots, you can deliver exceptional customer experiences from the start.
The modern B2B buyer
Today’s B2B buyers expect much more from brands than their predecessors did. They want their B2B brand experiences to reflect the same levels of consistency as those provided by their own brands. Furthermore, B2B consumers don’t always interact with sales teams during the initial parts of their journey. They typically prefer to do so only after they have done their own independent research. When they do reach out, consumers want sales reps to understand their pain points and goals.
By integrating AI into your existing customer service strategy, you can consistently provide B2B buyers with personalized experiences from the awareness stage all the way to post-sales.
Here are five ways you can use chatbots to boost customer satisfaction and growth.
5 ways B2B brands can elevate the customer experience with AI
Achieving optimal results with B2B bots requires finding the perfect balance between human and automated touchpoints.
These five best practices for using chatbots will convert website visitors into loyal customers.
1. Personalized experiences
When it comes to quality customer engagements, personalization is critical. Did you know that a lack of customized content in marketing campaigns generates 83% lower response rates? And personalized content will prompt almost 44% of customers to make repeat purchases. Over three-quarters of B2B marketing and sales professionals recognize the value of personalization and believe it improves customer relationships.
B2B brands must personalize their bots whenever possible. Giving the chatbot access to important information about a customer, such as their account details, will enhance the conversation. You can also use analytics to capture valuable insights about a customer, including what product pages they’re visiting. These insights enable your bot to ask relevant questions based on a buyer’s needs and move them further down the funnel.
2. Real-time engagements
Real-time interactions are an essential component of generating demand. B2B brands must engage website visitors when they are the most receptive, like when they’re checking out a specific service page.
Chatbots provide a seamless bot-to-sales handoff and let visitors know that a real person is available for a live conversation. Based on a visitor’s activities or account details, reps can use buying signals or browsing history to personalize the conversation, building trust and connection with the visitor.
3. Adding human elements to the conversation
Despite B2B buyers being seen as logical and data-driven, they’re still human and crave empathy and emotion. While automation can deliver swift responses, it often lacks essential human elements. Program your bot workflow to capture the essence of a human conversation, and make sure it knows when to handoff to a live agent to ensure you make customers feel connected.
Customers that feel connected to your brand are 52% more valuable to your business. Buyers are more likely to sign a deal when they trust your brand.
B2B bots can create humanized experiences for your customers with:
- Real-time reactions to a buyer’s mood and demand
- A unique chatbot personality
- Non-intrusive suggestions and support
4. Lightning-fast lead responses
Conversational marketing has gained a sparkling reputation in the lead generation arena. And chatbots can further maximize your results.
When a prospect takes action on a website, such as downloading a white paper, B2B brands must respond proactively. The faster the reply, the better.
Customers demand instantaneous communications and speedy resolutions. Chatbots enable visitors to get answers to their questions faster with minimal friction. If the bot cannot address more complex inquiries, a live agent is waiting in the wings to offer assistance.
5. Continuing the conversation
Just because a buyer made a purchase or is about to bounce from your website doesn’t mean you should stop engaging them. Your sales reps can leverage previous interactions to capture and keep a customer’s attention. Have your chatbots offer personalized recommendations, shipment details, and product support during the post-sale stage. If you think a visitor is about to bounce, trigger the bot to start a chat-based on previous engagement history. Keep ‘em coming back for more!
Elevate the B2B customer experience with chatbots
Need help setting up the perfect chatbot for your B2B needs? Mitto can help. To get started, contact us today!
