In an Uberall study of over 1,000 US adults, 40 percent of the respondents said they were interested in chatbot experiences with brands.
“There’s definitely growing interest in branded chatbot experiences, but most consumers still need convincing,” said Florian Huebner, co-CEO and co-founder of Uberall.
“Many are wary, either because chatbot technology in the past was not advanced enough to ensure a good experience, or because consumers worry chatbots could easily become another spam channel. Brands have to do a better job creating AI experiences that customers find personalised, helpful and worthwhile."
While the study showed some hesitation from consumers to embrace the new technology, there are some brands leading the way and convincing the market that chatbots can be useful. Of the respondents who had used chatbots 80 percent said the experience was positive.
Some notable examples of chatbots in the hotel space include Accor who debuted its AccorBot on Facebook in September last year, and IHG who rolled out a chatbot for the Hotel Indigo brand in late 2017.
What this means for marketers is that once consumers try a branded chatbot, the experience can usually be worth it.
The biggest complaints, however, were about chatbot accuracy, with 43 percent of respondents saying that chatbots’ accuracy needs to improve in understanding what customers are asking or looking for.
