Tapping the Perfect B2B Communicator – Omnichannel Chatbots

In today’s digital age, effective communication is key for businesses to thrive, especially in the B2B (Business-to-Business) domain. Here on home-ground, Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in Malaysia’s B2B landscape, forming the backbone of the economy, contributing to job creation and innovation. SMEs often collaborate with larger companies be it Multi-National Companies (MNC) or Government Link Companies (GLC) as suppliers or service providers. Thus laying the foundation, and creating the web of robust eco-system for local businesses to thrive.

Malaysia has a diverse range of industries participating in the B2B landscape. Some prominent sectors include manufacturing (electronics, automotive, chemicals), oil and gas, construction, technology, financial services, logistics, education and especially healthcare.

To meet the growing demands of B2B communication, companies are turning to innovative solutions like chatbots. Among the various chatbot options available, omnichannel chatbots have emerged as the perfect B2B communicators.

Let’s further explore the concept of omnichannel chatbots, and their significance in enhancing B2B communication.

Omnichannel chatbots are virtual assistants designed to interact with users across multiple communication channels seamlessly. Unlike traditional chatbots that operate within a single channel, omnichannel chatbots are capable of providing consistent and personalized experiences across various platforms, including websites, messaging apps, email, social media, and more.

The pandemic has taught a valuable lesson to many businesses. Especially to the many SMEs who have borne the brunt of the two years blip. Building up a strong foundation in CX support is important, isn’t that why during the pandemic international companies leverage their advertising budget on digital technology instead of “above-the-line” strategies? It’s because they know the importance of brand presence, target marketing, and robust customer service to support these inquiries.

“The B2B eCommerce market size is estimated to reach $7907.04 billion in 2022.

Such exquisite results come from the fast adoption of new technologies in the B2B eCommerce sector. Companies have become more open to integrating online channels to increase revenue, especially after COVID-19.(Source: Research and Markets)”

An omnichannel chatbot is able to allow this flexible functionality in reaching out to both B2B and B2C customers on the same platform. Helping SMEs to excel in both verticals.

Communication is the key to business growth, a fact which doesn’t take rocket science! Here in Malaysia, B2B Agents are underserved and rely heavily on the principal companies appointed “employees” to give updates on new products or services, the terms and conditions of sales, pricing and etcetera. Sometimes, there’s miscommunication between the principal and agents which might result in revenue loss. Principal companies must bear in mind that these B2B Agents might not be loyal only to your brand. Should they find it hard to reach for information on your products or services updates, they might then turn to a competitor instead. After all, they are the bridge in serving the B2C customers. Therefore, one mustn’t rule out automation of an omnichannel based customer service.

B2B communication involves multiple touchpoints, ranging from lead generation and customer support to sales and post-sales engagement. Omnichannel chatbots play a vital role in streamlining these interactions by offering the following benefits:

a. Unified Customer Experience: With omnichannel chatbots, businesses can ensure a consistent experience for their B2B customers across different channels. The chatbot remembers past interactions, allowing users to pick up conversations seamlessly, regardless of the channel they choose.

For example, with so many drinking water providers and the latest improvement of technologies for these dispensers, it’s vital to be able to connect and remember the customers’ inquiries. Chatbots not only serve new customers, but also service the existing ones. Existing customers are more than glad to have an integrated CX system that enables them to recall their purchase history and timely service at any time of the day or night. Chatting with a smart bot will help to eliminate your company’s reliance on human agents and at the same time save time and cost. Customer retention is key in maintaining brand standards.

b. Enhanced Lead Generation: Omnichannel chatbots can be deployed on various platforms to capture leads. By engaging potential clients in personalized conversations, chatbots can qualify leads, gather relevant information, and provide instant responses, thereby expediting the sales process.
The perfect enhancement for Marketing or Digital Marketing agencies. Now with digital marketing taking flight, there is a need among many SMEs who are looking to engage in these services such as web-content marketing services, or Google ads, SEO, and even for web optimizations’. However, in the market alone, there are many choices. Some Marketing agencies are credible, while others might not be. Why should one lose out to those?

With an omnichannel chatbot in place, you can help by answering potential clients questions, introducing your company’s forte and gaining the right data while assisting in crafting out the right budget towards their needs. A win-win situation!

c. Proactive Customer Support: B2B customers often require immediate assistance. Omnichannel chatbots equipped with natural language processing (NLP) capabilities can understand complex queries, provide relevant information, and escalate issues to human agents when necessary, ensuring prompt and efficient support.

d. Sales Enablement: By integrating with CRM systems and sales tools, omnichannel chatbots can assist sales representatives in lead nurturing, sales follow-ups, and product recommendations. Chatbots can provide real-time insights on customer preferences and buying behaviors, enabling sales teams to personalize their approach.

The perfect tool for the Financial/Insurance/FinTech sectors! These sectors which rely heavily on both B2B agents and B2C customers. Yes, no doubt many finance and insurance institutions have bolstered their main webpage with compact information. However, it’s a fact that there’s just too many different products and services to choose from. An information overload, might cause confusion.

That’s where B2B agents are still very much relevant in this sector. With an Omnichannel chatbot this helps both type of customers to streamline. For B2B agents, with so many products, a chatbot helps in aiding to receive correct information. As for B2C customers, it’s an avenue for them to bolster their trust in the product and confirm the sale through chatbots. Rather than losing it to a competitor.

Omnichannel chatbots rely on advanced AI and NLP technologies to deliver effective B2B communication. These capabilities include:

a. Natural Language Understanding (NLU): Omnichannel chatbots leverage NLU to comprehend user queries, extract intent, and generate accurate responses. This allows for more meaningful conversations and reduces the chances of misinterpretation.

b. Contextual Understanding: By maintaining conversation context across channels, omnichannel chatbots provide a seamless user experience. They can remember past interactions, understand user preferences, and personalize responses accordingly.

c. Sentiment Analysis: Omnichannel chatbots can analyze the sentiment behind user messages, enabling them to gauge customer satisfaction, detect potential issues, and proactively address concerns.

This holds true for healthcare providers both private and government. When patients are trying to reach out seeking assistance, most time the number one habit is to dial in to an agent. One, it’s pertaining to their health or someone close whom they care for. Speaking to a human agent, would be the first in mind. However, traditionally human agents are limited to a certain time of the day. This always resulting in fear and frustrations.

Educating patients to reach out by utilizing omnichannel chatbot services can save both parties time and emotion. Patients do not require to drop by hospitals for a long wait, it can all be communicated efficiently through chatbots re-visiting history. Timely payments or additional payments for services, medication and insurance coverage information. What’s more, chatbots can service 24/7 and 365 days a year, even on public holidays.

Why wait to tap the full potential of omnichannel chatbots, integration with existing systems and platforms? It is crucial. These chatbots should seamlessly integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) software, help desk solutions, marketing automation tools, and other relevant systems to provide a holistic view of customer interactions. Moreover, businesses should choose scalable chatbot platforms that can handle increasing volumes of conversations without compromising performance.

In the B2B landscape, effective communication is essential for building strong customer relationships and driving business growth. One should not be waiting any longer to ponder investing in an Omnichannel Chatbot solution. Let the DEMO speak for itself, book a date with Accordia Experts to get the right diagnosis and advice!