Need directions? Ask Siri, and she’ll help. Want to know the weather? It’s as simple as pinging Google Now for the details. Want a pick-me-up? Intelligent devices can even tell jokes on demand. The Joaquin Phoenix-starring film Her might have seem far-fetched back when it was released in Australia in 2014, in which the starring character falls in love with his operating system, but conversational-powered assistants like Cortana and Amazon Echo have already made it possible for humans to develop not-so-one-sided relationships with their machines.

Perhaps the most significant new development in the rise of conversational user interfaces comes from Facebook, which unveiled last week its Messenger Platform bots, which allow developers to create personalised interactions for targeted users within the Messenger app, negating the need for the creation of standalone apps. While Messenger initially angered users, some of who refused to download an app just to message their Facebook friends on their phones, the social network reports it is now used by 900 million people per month.

Part of the Facebook bot features include natural language assistance, allowing developers to make bots that can chat with users. The bots are already helping people manage their flights and assisting people who are shopping for clothes. The Wall Street Journal reports Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg envisions the bots anticipating user needs and delivering them information to immediately make their lives easier. Helping customers should be a part of any brand’s strategy, which is why the rise of conversational UI has massive implications for brands big and small.

Conversational UI is Here to Stay

It’s no surprise bots are trending, as today’s consumers are more on-demand than ever. A March 2016 report by market research company Forrester found 53 percent of people will abandon an online purchase if they don’t find an answer to their question quickly, while 73 percent say the most important factor in exemplary customer service is when businesses value their time.

Consumers want personalised, quick, effective help when searching for answers. Since the Forrester report also noted more people are consulting a website for help rather than talking to someone on the phone, refined and reliable bots may soon eclipse consumers resorting to interacting with another human for customer service needs.

Bots still have a long way to go in delivering accurate assistance, though. In March 2016, Microsoft released a bot named Tay to interact with millennials on social media, so future customer service bots would be better able to relate to the age group. Much to Microsoft’s—and the rest of the world’s—dismay, the bot spewed racist and misogynistic Tweets. This month, the company released its CaptionBot, which automatically creates image captions. It still has a lot of learning to go to accurately caption pics correctly the first time, but despite the massive backlash Microsoft felt with Tay, the negative sentiment didn’t discourage the company from launching new artificial intelligence developments mere weeks after the offence.

What You Can Learn from the Power of Bots

If your brand hasn’t already developed conversational UI in an app or created a bot for Facebook, don’t panic yet. While conversational UI is certainly the future (and we can help), brands still currently have a distinct advantage over bots: accuracy in messaging. Bots that take long to respond or consistently deliver inaccurate information may frustrate users who then head back to apps that deliver information instantly.

Still, the instant gratification that bots provide and increasing prevalence of voice-powered design do give brands key insights now. Consider:

• Personalisation powers conversions. Conversations with robots involve a machine, but they make people feel special. That appeal translates to marketing and web design user experience, where consumers respond more strongly to content that is tailored to them. Entrepreneur magazine names personalised messages and interactive content as top 2016 marketing trends. Look for opportunities to make each person visiting your website or mobile app feel like they’re your top customer.
• Web users want help immediately, or they’ll bolt. Every second counts to consumers. If content takes too long to load (nearly half of users expect it to load within 2 seconds), 44 percent switch devices, and 39 percent stop engaging, according to the October 2015 Adobe report The State of Content: Expectations on the Rise. The same report found more than 70 percent of people say content must display well on a device for it to be engaged with. If images don’t load, 46 percent of users switch devices, and 39 percent stop engaging. Make sure your site and images load on any device as quickly as possible. Website content should be responsively designed to ensure it reads well on all devices.
• Conversation drives design. Conversational UI means brands must rely on clear communication versus images to please customers and boost conversions. Everything from tone of voice, to word choice, to storytelling techniques will help to shape brand image in the future. Cultivating a brand “voice” now is more essential than ever.

As businesses work to develop their own conversational UI or work with third parties such as Facebook, they should be delving into their brand identity and identifying ways to make their brands more ‘humanlike’, relatable, and authentic for their customers. Brands should also constantly be perfecting their website’s load time and responsive design to retain customers who haven’t embraced bots… yet.

What’s your opinion on the rise of bots and the increasing prevalence of conversational user interface? Talk to us on our Facebook page. Want recommendations on how your website can keep up with new tech developments like these? Contact us here.

This article has been tagged in: conversational UI, Design, Facebook, Marketing, Mobile, Web