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October 14, 2020

How Direct Calls Are Still Better Than Chatbots



The personal touch will never go out of fashion. Artificial intelligence and the convenience it brings is evolving at a rapid rate. As long as human nature remains a part of the human race, there will always be a preference for personal interaction.



Chatbots may be more convenient, but direct calls still get the best response. Here are five reasons why keeping the personal touch is important.

Conversation is still important

Artificial intelligence and chatbots or, for that matter, even text message systems may save time, but they are very one-sided. A direct call allows for conversation. A back and forth dialogue between the two parties that will help achieve the goal of the call more efficiently.

Many modern-day businesses tend to opt for the chatbot systems for convenience sake. A chatbot system removes the need for the old switchboard telephone system and a person to man it. But nowadays, we have many options that still allow convenience as well as the personal touch.

Technology has advanced business phone systems to include all forms of communication that will allow for conversation and convenience. TalkRoute is one of the many providers of such systems.

Direct responses

A direct call allows for a direct response. When a client is calling with a query that needs an immediate response or solution, they want to speak to someone directly. Direct responses are an important part of maintaining and building a business brand.

Again, it's about the personal touch. People like to be heard. When we feel that we are being heard, we feel that our situation is appreciated and respected. A direct call allows for this because it keeps that all-important conversation element.

A direct response will always be better received then having to leave and email or text message and wait in line to be heard. A direct response is the best form of public relations.

Market research is more of a possibility

If your calls are specifically for the purpose of cold-call selling, then direct is always going to be the better option. The conversation element that a direct call allows gives you the opportunity to find out more from the person you are calling.

If the receiver of your call is not interested in what you have to sell, you have the opportunity to ask why. This gives you the opportunity to understand your target market and their needs more succinctly. You are able to get immediate responses to your product or service that you are selling.

A lot can be learned from the tone of voice that the receiver of your call is using. This will help you gauge how they feel on a more personal level.

Context

No matter how well a chatbot or artificial intelligence system is programmed, they will still lack context. This again comes back to the necessity of conversation. There are a number of ways to solve a problem but you need to understand the context of the problem.

A direct call allows you to find out the context of the situation. Understanding the context allows for the application of the most efficient response or solution. A direct call removes the possibility of a complete disconnect between business and customer.

Misunderstandings will always happen. A direct call allows for a back and forth communication that will clear up any misunderstandings.

Decisions making is more possible

Even the most advanced chatbot or artificial intelligence setup is not capable of making a decision. They are programmed to receive a certain number of possible problems and then equipped with solutions to apply to those problems. It's a binary method.

Unfortunately, things are not always as simple as ones and twos. Some problems are not textbook problems. Some are completely unexpected and, therefore, don't have textbook solutions. A decision needs to be made in these situations.

Only an actual human has the ability to cognitively solve a problem and make a decision based on information surrounding that problem.



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