A chatbot, or so-called online conversational agent, is a concept that is not new in itself. For a long time, it went unnoticed and, as a result, was not very popular. Leading social media platforms, such as Facebook, were the first to introduce this solution and promote chatbots, making them popular on a global scale.

Like most of you, I suppose, my personal experience of conversations with chatbots is that it’s impossible to shake off the impression of artificiality – of unnatural responses linked to keywords, where context and nuances are lost, and the focus is solely on conveying basic information. Fortunately, where this is crucial – for example, in banking – you can always use the option to type in a word #human, so that a human can take over the conversation. In fact, I usually start most of my conversations on online banking chat platforms by asking, „Am I talking to a chatbot or a real person?” 😉 This usually makes it easier to resolve the issues I’m raising.

What exactly is a popular chatbot?

A chatbot is a type of application that allows us to chat with a virtual interlocutor. During an online conversation, the chatbot answers questions, makes bookings, provides specific information or even takes orders. As we can see, there are many possibilities; it all depends on your expectations and requirements.

The introduction of chatbots by social media platforms has shown businesses a new, innovative way of engaging with customers. A well-designed chatbot can hold a fully-fledged conversation and also resolve customers„ issues. However, we must not lose sight of the context. A chatbot in an organisation that ‘cannot be contacted in any other way than by sending an email (to which we might receive a reply in a month’s time, if at all)’ is a kind of lesser evil. It is a solution where this form of conversation is better than none at all. This, of course, leads to the key question, which is:

Is it worth introducing a chatbot into your loyalty scheme?

Communication is one of the factors that influence the success of a loyalty programme. Regular contact with the customer strengthens their attachment to the brand, which in turn fosters their loyalty. It is also worth bearing in mind that today’s consumers prefer text-based communication to telephone calls. It is simply easier and more convenient, as customers do not always have time to wait for a call from a customer service representative (and, as we know, the wait can sometimes be very long). For the user, the time it takes to receive an answer to their query is also important. A chatbot is the ideal solution in such situations. Placing it on a website or within a loyalty programme’s mobile app allows participants to contact the organiser quickly and easily.

However, before we go so far as to claim categorically that every modern loyalty programme should invest in a virtual chatbot, it is worth bearing in mind the potential negative consequences. Any errors, mistakes or slips of the tongue resulting from the fact that chatbots do not understand humour or the specific context of a statement will have a negative impact on the image built up over the years. It is therefore crucial to carry out comprehensive testing of the solution before its implementation.

However, if we do decide to implement a chatbot, it is true that it will enable participants to get instant answers to many key questions, such as the validity or balance of their points.

It is also valuable to analyse the issues raised by consumers who are members of the loyalty programme. This is an important source of information about what is lacking in the organiser’s current communications. The data collected enables the brand, amongst other things, to tailor the loyalty programme’s offerings to consumer expectations, making it even more attractive to users.

Analyses show that consumers most frequently use three main types of information on loyalty programme websites. These include, amongst other things, checking their points balance, searching for current promotions and verifying available discount vouchers. It is therefore worth focusing on the issues described above and ensuring that consumers can obtain satisfactory answers quickly and easily.

Ultimately, as well as providing quick access to support, chatbots can offer consumers a form of entertainment. Examples of this include all sorts of gamification initiatives.

A chatbot in a loyalty scheme – yes!

Effective communication should be one of the cornerstones of any loyalty programme. Today’s consumers prefer written contact to telephone contact. Why is this? Firstly, it saves the user a great deal of time, as they do not have to spend even several dozen minutes on a helpline waiting to speak to an advisor. Another reason is simply the barriers on the customer’s side, which prevent them from making contact by telephone.

It is worth bearing the issues described in mind and introducing the option of text-based communication. Customers also expect an immediate response to any questions they may have. However, this is often simply not possible. The sheer volume of enquiry emails makes it impossible for a customer service representative to respond immediately. In this situation, the human factor falls short. A chatbot is the kind of innovation that comes to the rescue. Properly programming a virtual assistant allows for smooth conversations with even thousands (!) of customers at once. As a result, the customer immediately receives the information they are interested in, whilst feeling „looked after” by the brand. Regular and efficient communication helps to strengthen the bond between the customer and the company – and after all, that is what every business owner cares about most.

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