Introduction: The Rise of Automated Customer Interactions
With 80% of customer interactions expected to be automated by 2025, businesses need tools that can engage customers effectively while minimising response times. Voice bots and chatbots have become two of the most popular options for automating communication, but choosing the right tool—or using both—requires careful consideration.
In this article, we’ll explore the differences for a voice bot vs. chatbot, their best applications, and how 8×8’s tools can help businesses create efficient, scalable interactions.
What is a Voice bot?
A voice bot is an advanced AI-driven tool that engages users through voice commands, enabling hands-free communication. By using Natural Language Processing (NLP), voicebots interpret and respond naturally to spoken inquiries, making interactions smooth, conversational, and highly engaging. Voicebots excel in hands-free environments where customers need a verbal way to access information without physical interaction.
Voice bots are widely used across various industries, including:
- Automotive: Drivers can request navigation assistance, check weather updates, or book vehicle services while keeping their hands on the wheel.
- Healthcare: Patients can schedule appointments, receive medication reminders, or access health information via voice commands.
- Banking: Customers can check account balances, receive transaction confirmations, or inquire about loan details through voice interactions.
What is a Chatbot?
A chatbot is a digital assistant that engages users through text-based messaging on platforms such as SMS, web chat, and social media. Chatbots are ideal for managing structured, transactional conversations, allowing customers to inquire about order statuses, request information, or ask common questions. Most chatbots operate on predefined scripts or workflows, making them particularly effective for handling repetitive, text-based inquiries.
Chatbots are widely used across industries, such as:
- Retail: Managing customer queries on product availability, order tracking, and returns.
- Finance: Assisting with basic account inquiries, balance checks, and payment reminders.
- Travel: Handling booking confirmations, itinerary details, and rescheduling requests.
Voice bot vs. Chatbot: Core Differences
Interaction Style
- Voice bots: Enable hands-free, spoken communication, creating a conversational experience.
- Chatbots: Operate through text, ideal for structured, transactional interactions.
Processing Complexity
- Voice bots: Manage open-ended conversations like appointment scheduling and in-depth inquiries.
- Chatbots: Excel at predefined queries, such as FAQs, order statuses, and quick updates.
Customer Preferences
- Voice bots: Ideal for hands-free interactions, such as driving or multitasking.
- Chatbots: Suitable for quick, on-the-go text-based support for simple queries.
When to Use a Voice bot?
1. Hands-Free Convenience
Voice bots are particularly valuable in environments where customers benefit from hands-free interaction. Powered by NLP, voice bots allow customers to engage effortlessly through speech, making them especially useful in settings where multitasking or safety is essential.
In the automotive industry, for instance, voice bots enable drivers to request directions, check traffic, or schedule services—all without removing their hands from the wheel. This feature has become a driving factor for 60% of new car buyers, showing how voicebots enhance safety and user experience.
2. Localised Services with Dialects or Languages
Voice bots with advanced NLP can handle regional dialects and nuanced language patterns, delivering personalised customer experiences in areas where local language is critical. Businesses serving diverse linguistic regions, like telecommunications providers or regional service centres, benefit from voice bots’ ability to understand and respond in the customer’s preferred language or dialect.
3. Industries with High Call Volumes and Debt Collection Needs
Industries such as banking, telecommunications, healthcare, and debt collection can leverage voice bots to handle routine inquiries and high call volumes efficiently. Voice bots can efficiently handle routine queries, freeing up agents for more complex cases.
For example, the 8×8 Debt Collection Solution optimises this process by allowing businesses to automate personalised payment reminders, follow-ups, and interactive negotiations using advanced text-to-speech technology. This solution also features 24/7 availability, meaning customers can respond at convenient times, improving engagement and resolution rates.
Every interaction within the 8×8 Debt Collection Solution is recorded and analysed with sophisticated speech recognition, ensuring compliance and capturing debtor responses accurately. Additionally, follow-up SMS confirmations reinforce reminders in writing, making the communication seamless and compliant while reducing operational costs.
When to Use a Chatbot?
1. Cost-Effective, Text-Centric Communication
Chatbots excel at managing repetitive tasks without requiring human intervention. They are perfect for handling FAQs, order tracking, and troubleshooting inquiries, providing real-time updates that enhance the customer experience
For businesses where cost control is essential, chatbots also provide an affordable alternative to voice bots. With minimal infrastructure demands, chatbots integrate seamlessly into websites, apps, and social media channels, allowing businesses to manage inquiries at scale without significant resource investment.
2. Appeals to Younger Audiences
Younger customers are more inclined towards text-based communication, particularly when interacting with brands online or on social media. Businesses in e-commerce, gaming, and digital services find chatbots highly effective for meeting the preferences of a tech-savvy audience who values instant, text-based support.
3. Integration with Messaging Channels
Chatbots are ideal for businesses that leverage popular messaging channels like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber and more. Through these channels, chatbots handle asynchronous conversations, allowing customers to engage at their convenience without needing immediate responses.
The Benefits of Using Both: A Blended Approach
Combining voice bots and chatbots allows businesses to offer a flexible, customer-centric experience. Voice bots are well-suited for hands-free, conversational interactions, while chatbots excel in handling quick, transactional inquiries. By integrating both, businesses create an omnichannel experience, enabling customers to interact using their preferred method, whether voice or text.
For instance, a financial institution might use a voice bot for complex loan consultations while deploying a chatbot for account inquiries or payment reminders. This dual approach ensures comprehensive support, allowing businesses to cater to diverse customer needs efficiently and at scale.
How 8×8 Supports Automation with CPaaS Solutions
8×8 provides businesses with powerful tools for automated customer interactions – here’s how:
- 8×8 Connect: Automate customer communications across SMS, WhatsApp, voice and more, delivering messages through customers’ preferred channels.
- 8×8 Connect Automation Builder: Build customised workflows for handling inquiries, scheduling messages, and engaging customers consistently without manual intervention.
- 8×8 Voice Bots for Debt Collection: Optimise debt management with automated voice calls, sophisticated speech recognition, and follow-up SMS messages.
- Scalable and Secure: With high compliance standards and robust infrastructure, 8×8 ensures that customer communications are reliable, secure, and adaptable to business growth.
By leveraging 8×8’s communication solutions, businesses can seamlessly automate interactions and streamline customer engagement, achieving efficiency, scalability, and improved customer satisfaction. Reach out to an expert at cpaas-sales@8×8.com to find out more.
