A new chatbot, IMIChatBot, developed by Archer Digital, will help to cut the need for lengthy and endless conversations with call centre agents, according to Jennifer Venter, the company’s head of financial services.
The Cloud-based application will allow contact centres to offer their clients live two-way conversations via text or social media which can take place across SMS, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, internet and email from a desktop or mobile platforms.
“Chat-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a personalised support service,” said Ms Venter and added that worldwide there are more than 100 000 active chatbots online.
Archer Digital has been operating in South Africa since 2006 and is an active member of the country’s Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA) and Direct Marketing Association.
Archer Digital’s messaging platforms capture every message sent or received by customers which enables them to “effectively interrogate response rates”.
Depending on the company chatbots are usually free and the companies would train the agents.
Public relations consultant, Ivan Booth of Cape Town, said he used his insurance company’s chat service to ask about his car excess.
“It was excellent! Lots of us work in coffee shops these days and it is great not having to phone an agent from a public place while working on our laptops,” he said.
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