Chatbots are artificial intelligence human-computer dialogue systems that rely on natural language processing and can therefore behave like a human. Nowadays, these interactive software platforms include apps, live chat, email, and SMS. The first conceptualization of chatbots dates back to the 1950s, but their adoption has accelerated dramatically following the launch of chatbot platforms by Facebook, Skype, WeChat, and other leading industry players.
Today, almost all companies have chatbots to engage their users and serve customers by answering their queries. We have chatbots practically everywhere, but that doesn't mean they all work well. The challenge here is not to develop a chatbot, but to develop one that works well.
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Types of Chatbots
There are many types of chatbots available. Some of them can be mainly categorized as follows:
- Text-based chatbot: In a text-based chatbot, the bot answers user queries through a text interface.
- Voice-based chatbot: In a voice or speech-based chatbot, the bot answers user queries through a human voice interface.
There are mainly two approaches used to create chatbots, which are explained below:
- In a rule-based approach, the bot answers questions based on some rules it has been trained on. The rules defined range from very simple to very complex. Bots can handle simple queries but fail to handle complex ones.
- Self-learning bots use some machine learning-based approaches and are definitely more efficient than rule-based bots. These bots can be classified into two types: retrieval-based or generative.
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There are many different types of chatbots available depending on the complexity. Some of them can be mainly categorized as follows:
- Traditional chatbots: They are driven by system and automation, mainly with minimal functionality through scripts and the ability to manage only system context.
- Current chatbots: They are driven by back-and-forth communication between a system and a human. They are capable of managing both system and task contexts.
- The chatbot of the future: They can communicate on multiple levels with automation at the system level. They have the ability to manage systems, work, and people contexts. It is possible to introduce master bots and eventually a bot OS.
6 Basic Steps of Chatbot Development:
1. Goal identification- The first thing you need to do is identify your goal. One of the ways to achieve this is by finding exactly what you're looking for. Having your goal with you will help you prepare a strong chatbot.
If this is your first project, we recommend setting a modest goal of answering customer questions and moving forward. You can prepare a FAQ of 10 to 25 questions and their answers. These answers can be a liner or two. But if you want a detailed answer to the question, you should be ready with it.
2. Choose a channel- Now that you know what your AI chatbots will be looking at, the next step is to choose the right channel, such as a mobile carrier channel USSD, a messaging app like Facebook Messenger, or an embedded chat on a website. Make sure the channel you're picking up has an open API that makes it easy to embed chatbots.
3. Focus on creating a conversational structure- Choosing a conversational structure is important to ensure better interaction. To make it work better, you must focus on designing dialogue or creating a storyboard. This means you create a dialog that highlights how the chatbot will answer a specific question. You focus on each step of answering.
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4. Data Collection- Regardless of the type of medium, it is important to have a wide collection of data that can be fed into the system. Well, this may sound easy, but you need to collect a series of questions that will make it easy for your chatbot to understand and answer accordingly.
5. Implement the dialog flow and engineer the NLU- This is the most important step in chatbot development. Based on the platform type, you need to feed in the inputs accordingly.
For example, if you choose a platform based on machine learning, you need to provide example sentences for the specified task, if the person wants to inquire about the order status, you need to provide all the details like what. My order status, my order status, can you help me with my order or track my order? There may be other variations of the same.
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6. Testing and Deployment- Once you have put all the pieces together, the next step is to test and deploy the chatbot. Finally, make sure you do beta testing before starting beta testing on your chosen platform.
The End
Chatbots are becoming crucial for businesses to reach a wider audience and serve their needs more efficiently. They are at the heart of AI technology's symbiosis with the business world by reducing human intervention in brand experiences.
At the same time, chatbots have the potential to evolve into effective information-gathering tools. Implementing them into your organization's processes can result in significant savings in customer service and sales operations. And the quality of chatbot interactions will only increase with advances in AI and ML.
Let's say you want to know your audience better, connect with them, help them solve the challenges they face, and make it cost-effective for your business and satisfying for your customers at any time of the day or night. Then, Chatbot Application Development Company in Newyork is right for you! At USM, we offer comprehensive software development services. We always aim to provide the best solutions to our clients across various industries and domains. Contact us today and we'll be happy to discuss your chatbot development idea!
