{"id":16338,"date":"2021-02-09T09:00:08","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T09:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=16338"},"modified":"2025-04-11T04:18:53","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T03:18:53","slug":"how-to-build-a-chatbot-the-definitive-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/how-to-build-a-chatbot-the-definitive-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Chatbot: The Definitive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

As eCommerce and technology continue to evolve, so too make the demands of consumers. While customers were once happy with a phone call to customer service, now they want their answers online and in real-time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most businesses have recognised this and have integrated live chat options into their website. But live chat can experience the same issues as contacting a company by phone: busy periods and long waiting times can lead to frustrated customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The solution is to <\/span>integrate a chatbot<\/a><\/strong> into your live chat service. A chatbot can advise customers of expected waiting times and their place in the queue. It can also be set up to answer some of the more commonly asked questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many of us already use chatbots in our day-to-day lives, sometimes without realising it. Amazon\u2019s Alexa is a great example of a common – and very advanced – a chatbot. But just what is a chatbot? And how do you go about building one that is customised to your website and brand? This definitive guide will show you how to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is a Chatbot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A chatbot is a computer program that you can use to communicate with customers or site visitors when a human agent is not available. It can use voice communication, but more often uses text chats (or can use a combination of the two).\u00a0 Chatbot conversations are one of many modern features that can enhance your website\u2019s performance while improving the customer experience<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chatbots are a cost-effective solution to an ongoing communications problem. Unless you are a large, global company, it is unlikely that you offer 24\/7 customer support. And if you have international customers, there may also be restrictions because of time zones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chatbots have no such restrictions and can operate 24\/7 with minimal running costs. This can be a major factor when you are considering how to create a chatbot for a website. They\u2019re now so common that many solutions, including RingCentral, feature a range of <\/span>integrations<\/a><\/strong> that let you add a custom chatbot to your website or online workspace.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How do Chatbots Work?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are two main ways in which your chatbot could work. Some chatbots work on strictly set rules and guidelines. This means that it is limited in its conversation flow and will only respond to the questions it has been programmed to answer. These simpler ones are a useful alternative to your FAQ section.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While this sounds restrictive, this sort of chatbot can be useful in a large business with multiple departments. It can be programmed to ask specific questions of the caller that allows it to automate than direct the customer to the required department.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, if you were calling a large hospital, the chatbot could ask you what department you require. It can be programmed to recognise the names of specific departments, ward numbers, or staff members, and, once you respond with a phrase or word it recognises, it can then divert your call to the relevant department. If a customer answers outside of the set of responses the chatbot has been programmed to recognise, it will repeat the question or direct it to a human.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The other and more advanced type of chatbot is AI chatbots that employ machine learning. These are programmed to learn as they experience and will store new words or dialogue flows. This means that as they get \u2018older\u2019 their ability to interact with people increases, just as a human child would.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A good example of a machine learning chatbot is that Facebook offers companies to use through Messenger. This has been in use for several years now and allows users to ask specific questions or make requests. Machine learning chatbots make a lot of sense for companies or sites with large numbers of customers who may not stick to an \u2018agreed script\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chatbots can also be industry-specific. They can be programmed for retail sites, tech sites, healthcare<\/a>, or financial sector sites. Having an efficient chatbot service makes a lot of sense when you have high daily customer inquiries. <\/span>Chatbots are constantly evolving<\/a><\/strong>,<\/span> and we will continue to see better ones available in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building Your Own Chatbot\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first thing you need to decide is exactly what you want and need your chatbot to do. From there, you can decide what method to use in its creation. You have three main choices of how you build a chatbot for your site:<\/span><\/p>\n

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