When you enter a physical store, the sales assistants guide you to shop exactly what you want. But do they stop at that? Well, they show you other things too, that you had no intention to buy, but maybe you will buy it. So the sales person infuses an idea in you.
That’s what sales chatbots do for online stores. They give suggestions, recommend alternative products if the original one you were looking for isn’t available, do cross-selling easily, and more.
What is a Sales Chatbot?
It’s an AI-powered conversational interface built specifically to support and accelerate your sales process.
We live in a world of fierce competition, where time management has become a key. Customers want everything fast and the process to be smooth.
Companies using sales chatbots? They’re seeing an average 67% increase in sales revenue
So, the sales chatbot engages every visitor, qualifies every lead, and leads them to buy. And yes, it handles multiple customers at once.
Why do sales chatbots have high potential?
What is to admire is the way it interacts. Again coming back to the brick and mortar story, the sales person tries to get to know you first, so he asks questions. And sometimes you will answer, sometimes you won’t.
See, the sales person doesn’t really have your information. Contrasting to it, the sales chatbot already has all the information about you, so it would start the conversation in a personalized way.
Offer you all the things that you will actually like, recommend products that are based on your profile. What does this all do? It increases the chance of conversion.
What Can Sales Chatbots Do for Your Revenue?
Sales chatbots work with 55% higher efficiency around the clock. This helps you build your business as an international brand. They are faster and more consistent than human sales reps.
On an average the companies that have deployed lead qualification chatbot see an increase of 67% in sales. Reason being, it captures more leads, responds instantly to inquiries and engages with potential customers at just the right time.
It reduces the sales cycle by 20-30%. Well, it speeds up the buying process by answering common questions and providing correct information to customers that need to make decisions.
It’s also worth noting that advanced chatbot analytics allow businesses to measure which conversations drive sales, optimize scripts, and continuously improve customer interactions.
What is to be considered: the cost per lead has reduced to 50-70 % compared to traditional sales methods. While human sales reps require salaries, benefits, and training, chatbots work for a fraction of the cost.
How Sales Chatbots Work?
1. Greeting New Visitors
Similar to a friendly store clerk greeting you when you arrive, chatbots pay attention to clues that show someone is ready to buy. They pay attention to things like:
If someone checks prices a lot, the chatbot thinks, “They might want to buy!” Then, it pops up to offer help.
When people check out various products, they’re often comparing options. So, the chatbot steps in to answer their questions.
When it moves to the X button, the chatbot will pop up and display text, ‘Wait, Can I help you find what you’re looking for?’
When someone comes back to visit again – The chatbot remembers and says “Welcome back! Ready to pick up where we left off?”
2. Having Smart Conversations
One of the key things to win customers is to ask the right questions at the right time. You don’t have to overwhelm the customers by asking so many questions at once, just focus on one or two important ones. So the urgency of customers is kept as priority.
They provide useful information when you need it. If you ask about pricing, they don’t just share a number. They explain what’s included and why it’s valuable.
They tackle common worries. When someone says, “This seems expensive,” the chatbot clearly explains the value and benefits.
They gather your contact info easily. First, they build trust instead of asking for your email immediately. Then, they kindly ask if you want updates or special offers.
3. Connecting Everything Together
Chatbots are powerful because they connect with all your business tools. They fit together like puzzle pieces.
They save customer information automatically. When someone shares their name and email, it gets saved in your customer database right away. No one needs to type it in manually.
They begin helpful email sequences. If someone isn’t ready to buy today, the chatbot can sign them up for emails that may persuade them later.
They schedule meetings easily. The chatbot shows your available times, so others can choose what suits them best. This way, you avoid the hassle of playing phone tag.
They track what works. The chatbot notes which conversations lead to sales and which don’t. This way, you can make improvements.
4. Sending People to the Right Place
Think of the chatbot as a clever receptionist. It knows who should connect based on a person’s interest and readiness to buy.
Super interested customers connect straight to your top salesperson. This helps close deals fast.
Somewhat interested customers – They are scheduled for a follow-up call when they can talk and learn more.
Not quite ready customers – They go on a list to get helpful info until they’re ready to buy.
Just browsing customers – These people receive helpful resources and tips. They stay connected until they’re ready to buy.
The amazing thing is this happens instantly, 24/7, even when your sales team is asleep or busy with other customers!
Benefits that are dominating business:
1. Competitor Intelligence Gathering
Your chatbot can subtly discover which competitors’ prospects are evaluating without seeming pushy.
When visitors say they’re “looking at other options,” the chatbot can ask questions. This helps it understand the competition better.
The chatbots will now gain insights into pricing strategies, feature gaps, and market positioning before they reach a decision. So your sales teams can have a more intelligent approach.
2. Multi-Language Market Expansion
You don’t need to hire multilingual sales staff. Over the budget, right?
Sales chatbots are built with the capability of talking in many languages. This assists you in reaching global markets easily.
A prospect from Germany gets the same quality as one from Texas.
This opens the door for new revenue streams that were previously too costly to reach. So you get a global sales team that works for the cost of one employee.
3. Upselling and Cross-Selling Existing Customers
Smart chatbots can spot returning customers. They can then suggest complementary products or upgrades.
This is based on what customers have bought before and what they are currently looking at.
The chatbot helps create mini-sales opportunities during the customer lifecycle. This boosts revenue per account without needing extra sales effort.
4. Social Proof and Urgency Creation
Chatbots can share case studies, customer testimonials, and real-time social proof. For example, they might say, “15 companies like yours signed up this week.”
This builds trust and creates urgency. They can mention limited-time offers or any constraints on availability.
It’s important to do this in a friendly way. This helps avoid sounding like pushy sales tactics.
5. Sales Team Performance Optimization
Chatbots analyse thousands of chat conversations. They find out which questions, objection-handling methods, and conversation flows get the best conversions.
This data is a treasure for sales reps. It shows them which words and methods work best. It’s like having a sales coach that learns from every single prospect interaction.
Best Practices for Implementing Sales Chatbots
Time Your Messages Right
Wait for about 30 seconds if someone is looking at your prices. Then, the chatbot can say hello. This shows real interest, not just casual browsing.
Make your chatbot remember past visitors with personalized greetings like “Welcome back! Ready to continue where we left off?”
When someone visits, let them scroll for sometime. Do not pop up the chatbot immediately.
Instead of sending ‘how can I help you?’ Try this one, ‘I see you are checking our prices. Want me to explain what’s included?’
Follow Up in Different Ways
Send helpful emails if someone started chatting but had to leave suddenly. Text reminders for scheduled meetings are essential since people forget appointments.
Display retargeting ads to visitors who engaged but haven’t converted. Also, connect with valuable prospects on LinkedIn to keep the conversation personal.
Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity
Track how many visitors start meaningful conversations rather than just counting total chats.
Track how many interactions lead to real potential customers. Also, note how many of them book meetings or demos.
Pay attention to user satisfaction – do people enjoy the experience or get frustrated? Most importantly, find out where conversations go wrong. This way, you can fix those issues.
Be Honest That It’s a Robot
Let customers know that they are chatting with a smart, helpful bot instead of giving false information.
Make it easy to connect with a real person when needed. People like knowing they’re talking to a bot. This takes away social pressure.
It also makes them feel comfortable asking basic questions without fear of judgment.
Make Your Chatbot Really Smart
Modern chatbots can look up companies during chats. They can also check LinkedIn profiles to make conversations more personal.
They save conversation data to your customer database automatically. They even adjust their questions based on the types of customers you need most.
With integrations, you can eliminate manual work and ensure smoothness across different departments.
Know When to Bring in Humans
Escalate immediately when someone might spend significant money or asks complex technical questions.
Use humans for price talks because bots can’t manage complex deals yet. When situations become too complicated, escalate the customers to human agents.
Understand What People Really Mean
Train your chatbot to interpret common phrases correctly. “What’s this gonna cost me?” means they want pricing, not a value speech.
“We’re using your competitor” signals a sales opportunity. “Just browsing” means nurture them for later, while “I need this yesterday” indicates urgency and potential for a quick sale.
Make Sure Your Chatbot Helps Your Business Goals
Generate real potential customers with genuine buying intent, not just contact form fillers. Help deals move faster by qualifying prospects thoroughly upfront.
Attract valuable customers by asking targeted questions about their budget and needs. Also, keep acquisition costs down by automating costly early-stage qualification processes.
Which type of businesses can implement sales chatbots?
Software Companies
Sales chatbots offer free trials and demo bookings instantly on pricing pages. They respond to common questions about features. They also help customers pick the right software plan based on their business size.
Online Stores (E-commerce)
They suggest products based on the browsing of customers. So if you have selected any size previously or any color, then this data is used. Even the abandoned carts are recovered by offering discounts.
Real estate
Real estate agencies use chatbots to book property viewings. They also gather buyer preferences, such as budget and location. They provide instant property details and neighbourhood information to help buyers decide faster.
Insurance companies
Chatbots provide quick quotes. They ask simple questions about your age, coverage needs, and location. They explain various policy options clearly. They also set up calls with agents for complicated coverage.
Car dealership
Sales chatbots help customers find cars. They ask about budget, favourite features, and family size. They schedule test drives. They also share financing information to help speed up buying.
Case Study: How Starbucks Made Ordering Coffee Super Easy
The Problem
Previously the customers had to wait in long lines to order coffee. This caused frustration and some of them even switched to different brands.
The Solution
Starbucks made ‘My Starbucks Barista.’ A chatbot that works in their app, also integrates with voice assistants like Siri and Alexa. So now, customers can talk or type to order drinks and food.
What It Does
It does wonders! It remembers favorite orders and even suggests new items that you might like. So kind of increasing cross-selling.
The payment process has become easy, it even tracks reward points and shares news on new menu items and any special offers.
Amazing Results
By 2019, the chatbot handled 10% of all mobile orders in the US. Customers who used the chatbot spent 20% more than those ordering other ways. The app earned a 4.8 out of 5-star rating from happy customers.
Benefits for Starbucks
The chatbot increased sales and customer loyalty while making ordering more convenient. It also reduced store lines, making everyone happier – both customers and employees.
Conclusion
Customer service chatbots help with questions or issues. In contrast, sales chatbots aim to boost sales and guide customers to make purchases. Both work together, for building a proper business strategy.
Many businesses lose money daily. Their websites act like costly digital brochures. This is a problem, especially when visitors arrive at 11 PM on weekends.
While you decide if chatbots are “worth it,” your competitors who embraced them six months ago are already booking demos. These are prospects who would have left your site in just 10 seconds.
The hard truth is that buyer behaviour has changed for good. People prefer quick answers and personal stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
