Every sales person knows that the time it takes to close one deal greatly impacts how much you can earn in a week or month. Unless a company is selling extremely expensive items, keeping the sales cycle reasonably short is pretty much imperative. Technology offers a smart way to accomplish this while keeping the customers happy at the same time, as conversational chat bots based on AI are great for streamlining marketing and sales.
The impact of bots on the sales cycle is felt immediately and manifested with increased conversion rate and shorter time from first contact to a finalised transaction. We will list some of the essential ways in which smart bots affect the sales procedures and lead to more favourable outcomes.
More responsive and attentive communication
A chatbot always remains alert to the incoming queries and provides an accurate answer within seconds. This eliminates the waiting time and allows the interested user to proceed with his search for the right deal while still highly motivated to buy. Additionally, by reacting quickly the brand prevents the possibility that the user will turn to a competitor while he is waiting. An attentive company that replies quickly stands a better chance of winning the customer over with its professionalism, driving him to make a purchase. Social media bots can also alert human operators to cases where immediate action is needed, further expediting communication and alleviating key pain points for the consumers.
Instant recognition of high-value leads
The quality of leads is one of the decisive factors for successful implementation of any sales strategy, and smart bots are very effective at categorising contacts based on user actions and demographic data. They can automatically weed out inactive e-mail addresses and duplicate content, while selecting the most valuable leads for priority treatment. This allows the sales team to allocate more time and resources to a smaller batch of contacts that have a realistic chance of turning into closed deals. Chat bots can learn from previous interactions and gradually become better in predicting which customer deserves the most attention from the sales people.
Personalisation of the offer
A great salesman always knows which product to offer and how much to ask for, but chat bots could be even better at customising their conversations and directing the potential buyer towards the deal he is looking for. Based on real-time input in the chat and its previous training, the bot can determine the user’s priorities and activate the most optimal sales scenario. For example, cost-aware buyers could be presented with discounted products while those seeking maximum performance can receive early warning about newly released products. Buyers generally enjoy more personal communication and may be willing to shorten the consideration period if they get an offer tailored exactly to their needs.
Non-invasive reminders
Social messaging chatbots on Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram can be set up to periodically send updated offers or other content, keeping the company and its offer on prospective buyer’s mind. This can be done in a conversational way, without a hard-sell approach that could antagonise the client. Some customers may be waiting for a more favourable deal or just hesitate to make the final decision, and a well-timed SMS message with the right offer could tip the scales. This is why SMS can be a great tool for follow up communication and an inexpensive conversation rate booster. Since SMS is delivered directly to the user’s phone and requires no user action to open, it’s very convenient for gently reminding customers about the currently available offers and thus shortening the sales cycle.
