In our contemporary society, technology has become intertwined with our daily lives. From the apps we use on our smartphones, to the simple express checkouts we use at the grocery store, advanced technology is paramount. In regards to its trajectory, we can only look to the rise of chatbots in our lives, to see how integral they’ve become to business operations.
Chatbots are increasingly proving to be a viable addition to companies in all respects. Customers have to have a friendly user experience when navigating a business directory. Chatbots, therefore, are regarded as an amicable way to do that. If you are a business owner, or simply want to build your own chatbot, here are the seven best ways to develop chatbot from scratch:
1. Determine the purpose of the chatbot
Chatbots are, in a general sense, an artificial intelligence. The AI chatbot is designed to interact with human beings for various purposes. This can be, for example, in regards to helping individuals with directions while they are in a mall. However, the purpose of a chatbot must be identified and effectively defined first before building commences.
When you develop a chatbot from scratch, you’ll first have to brainstorm all the ways in which you can envision a chatbot working for you. What tasks can a chatbot automate and simplify? Where do you want this AI to be implemented? Once you have identified the answers to these questions, you’ll be well on your way to develop the chatbot.
2. Find ways to help the users
Once the brainstorming on a whiteboard has been more or less complete, you’ll next have to focus on the user. The individual engaging with the chatbot is the most important part of the process. As such, it has to be meticulous enough to answer all questions they have, as well as being simple enough to interact with.
Depending on the platform you are implementing the chatbot into, the experience will differ slightly. Develop chatbots that can be employed onto an email system, through text messaging, and even social media. So, the user experience will be unique with every platform the chatbot is being used on. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes; simplicity supersedes complex engagement!
3. Develop structured interaction
Every chatbot’s inherent structure will be different. However, most of these systems have one of two configurations that dictate how a user will engage with it. Structured interaction is one of the primary forms of structural arrangement, and is designed to give direct answers to straightforward questions.
For example, Frequently Asked Questions, or FAQs, can be related to a structured interaction. Information provided by this type of chatbot will give a user the most pertinent data requested, such as contact information. This is generally the most common type of chatbot to build, and is useful in many respects, in regards to simplicity.
4. Create unstructured interaction
On the other hand, sometimes a company may require a more complex system of user engagement. In that case, developing a chatbot with an unstructured interaction will be able to find answers to multifaceted modes of communication. The AI equipped with this system will, through freestyle plain text, be able to simulate open-ended conversations.
Of course, the answers to the questions posed by a user will only be found through what the AI is given. Context in the freestyle plain text is, therefore, key. Remember, it is pivotal to keep the purpose of developing the chatbot in mind, when going the route of an unstructured interaction-styled AI.
5. Add non-coding structure
After you have decided on the chatbot’s mode of interaction, you’ll have to next decide on how its framework will be developed. Using a non-coding structure is one of two ways in which you can move ahead with this. Essentially, non-coding frameworks can be used to develop a chatbot with a simple interface, without the need for intricate lines of code.
There are a myriad amount of platforms in which you can fully develop a chatbot from scratch using this structure. Chatfuel and Botsify are the most popular ones, and come equipped with great, basic tools such as drag-and-drop templates. You don’t have to be an expert software engineer to get yourself a workable chatbot!
6. Insert code-based structure
While non-coding frameworks can work effectively, code-based structured chatbots are even more elaborate. By combining various programming languages with machine-based learning, a chatbot will be able to solve complex issues. Generating daily analytics will assist you in more ways than one, when using this type of chatbot structure!
7. Outsource development
If you are not adept at basic programming, you are always encouraged to outsource the chatbot’s development to a third-party. Chatbot developers can build these systems in more viable ways, allowing them to solve complex problems through much simpler techniques. It may cost a bit more, but is definitely worth it if you can afford it.
To take your business to the next tier of success, automation is key. Chatbots are one such way that you can do this, allowing you to program menial tasks, so you can focus on other operations. Plus, building one from scratch can be a worthwhile experience as well!
