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This report is a collaboration between Drift, SurveyMonkey Audience, Salesforce, and myclever. Weve teamed up to shed some light on how chatbots are changing the way people buy from and communicate with businesses. The survey referenced throughout this report was conducted using SurveyMonkey Audience from October 30 through November 6, 2017 in the United States with a sample of 1,051 adults ages 18-64. The sample was balanced by age and gender according to the US Census and is representative of the adult online population.2018 State of Chatbots Report2491425314700 Introduction: Rise of the Chatbots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .01 The Problems With Traditional Online Experiences . . . . . . . 02 Chatbots: Predicted Uses and Potential Benefits . . . . . . . .03 Blockers to Using Chatbots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04 Chatbots vs. Other Communication Channels . . . . . . . . . . . 05 Conclusion & Key Takeaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table of Contents2018 State of Chatbots Report300Introduction: Rise of the Chatbots2018 State of Chatbots Report4The way people communicate with businesses has been evolving at a rapid pace. For years, in-person meetings and phone calls were the dominant means of communication. Then, with the rise of the internet, a multitude of new options became available, from email, to social media, to mobile apps, to filling out a form on a website and waiting for a follow-up. More recently, the rise of real-time messaging has led to a fundamental shift in how people prefer to connect with businesses. Drifts State of Conversational Marketing report, for example, found that people from all 195 countries are using online chat to start conversations on business websites. And that includes people who work at companies of every size, sector, and nearly every industry, as well as key decision-makers (41% of people starting online chat conversations with businesses are executives).2018 State of Chatbots Report559%41%What all of these communication channels have had in common, including online chat, is that theyve traditionally relied on humans to do the communicating. But now that chatbots have arrived on the scene, this dynamic is starting to change. Chatbot | noun. A computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet.Many chatbots rely on artificial intelligence (AI) in order to simulate how humans communicate. More specifically, intelligent chatbots often rely on machine learning, which is when a computer program can automatically improve with experience, as well as natural language processing (NLP), which is when machine learning is applied to the problem of simulating human-produced text and language. And while chatbots have been in development since the 1950s, only in recent years have businesses started using them for communicating with customers and potential customers.2018 State of Chatbots Report6 2018 State of Chatbots Report0.6TelephoneEmail WebsiteFace-to-faceOnline chatMobile appSocial mediaChatbots Other2%15%28%30%38%39%54%60%60%Business Communication ChannelsHow have you communicated with businesses in the past 12 months?7In our survey, we found that 15% of consumers have used chatbots to communicate with businesses in the past 12 months. While thats one quarter of the amount whove used phone and email to communicate with businesses over the same time period, its still a significant number. And in the months and years to come, we expect that number to grow considerably. Keep reading to find out why.2018 State of Chatbots Report801The Problems With Traditional Online Experiences2018 State of Chatbots Report9Just like any emerging technology, chatbots will only become widely adopted if its shown that they can solve real problems. Otherwise, the novelty will eventually wear o. So in order to better understand where the opportunity lies for chatbots, we asked our 1,000+ survey participants to think about the online services they use today, such as search engines, product/service websites, and mobile apps. Then we asked them: What frustrations have you experienced with these online services in the past month?2018 State of Chatbots Report10 2018 State of Chatbots Report10%16%18%22%23%24%26%27%28%31%34%Problems With Traditional Online ExperiencesWhat frustrations have you experienced in the past month?Sites hard to navigate Can't get answers to simple questions Basic details about a business are hard to find Takes too long to find services Poorly designed smartphone apps Search options on a brand's website not useful Services not accessible on mobile devices Poor quality online forms Services feel impersonalBrand is unresponsive on TwitterNo service outside normal operating hours11The most common frustrations reported by consumers included websites being hard to navigate (34%), not being able to get answers to simple questions (31%), and basic details about a business - like address, hours of operations, and phone number - being hard to find (28%). The takeaway: The online experiences businesses are providing no longer match the way people prefer to buy.2018 State of Chatbots Report12In the on-demand, real-time world we live in, where everything seems to be just one click away, consumers expect to be able to find the information theyre looking for quickly and easily. When they cant, they get frustrated, and could end up turning to competitors who are providing the type of online experience theyre looking for. 2018 State of Chatbots Report1302Chatbots: Predicted Uses and Potential Benefits2018 State of Chatbots Report14Now that we understand the main problems consumers have with traditional online experiences, lets look at if (and how) chatbots can actually solve these problems. Predicted Uses In our survey, we provided a brief description of how chatbots work and the types of tasks brands and businesses use them for. Then we asked our participants: What do you predict you would use a chatbot for?2018 State of Chatbots Report15 2018 State of Chatbots ReportGetting a quick answer in an emergencyResolving a complaint or problemGetting detailed answers or explanationsFinding a human customer service assistantMaking a reservation (e.g. restaurant or hotel)Paying a billBuying a basic itemGetting ideas and inspiration for purchasesAdding yourself to a mailing list or news serviceCommunicating with multiple brands using one program(none of these things)Buying an expensive item0.413%14%18%22%22%27%29%33%34%35%35%37%Predicted Use Cases for ChatbotsWhat do you predict you would use a chatbot for?16The most common predicted uses for chatbots that consumers reported included getting quick answers to questions in an emergency (37%), resolving a complaint or problem (35%), and getting detailed answers or explanations (35%). Its also worth noting that 34% of consumers predicted that theyd use chatbots as a means for getting connected with a human.2018 State of Chatbots Report17The takeaway: Theres alignment between consumers frustrations and their predicted use cases for chatbots. Consumers want to be able to use chatbots to surface information and get answers quickly and easily. And if a chatbot doesnt have all the answers, consumers would like that chatbot to be able to connect them with a human.2018 State of Chatbots Report18Potential Benefits Beyond how consumers predict theyll use chatbots, we also wanted to know about the specific benefits they think chatbots will be able to provide. So we asked our survey participants the following question: If chatbots were available (and working eectively) for the online services that you use, which of these benefits would you expect to enjoy?2018 State of Chatbots Report19 2018 State of Chatbots Report0.78%32%35%37%43%43%51%55%55%64%Potential Benefits of ChatbotsIf chatbots were available (and working eectively) for the online services that you use, which of these benefits would you expect to enjoy?24 hour service Getting an instant response Answers to simple questions Easy communication Complaints resolved quickly A good customer experience Detailed / expert answers Answers to complex questions Friendliness and approachability (none of these)(none of these)20By far, the most common potential benefit of chatbots that consumers pointed to was the ability to get 24-hour service (64%). That was followed by getting instant responses to inquiries (55%), and getting answers to simple questions (55%). The takeaway: Its clear that consumers see chatbots as being able to provide that real-time, on-demand experience that theyve been craving. 2018 State of Chatbots Report21However, that doesnt mean chatbots are poised to replace humans. Because when it comes to getting expert answers, answers to detailed questions, and overall friendliness/approachability, chatbots ranked much lower. Those are areas where humans will continue to shine. Potential Benefits: Millennials vs. Baby Boomers Heres something that might surprise you: The benefits of chatbots that consumers expect to enjoy dont vary too widely between age groups. More specifically, it isnt just young people who see the potential benefits of chatbots.2018 State of Chatbots Report22 2018 State of Chatbots Report24 hour serviceGetting an instant responseAnswers to simple questionsEasy communicationComplaints resolved quicklyA good customer experienceDetailed / expert answersAnswers to complex questionsFriendliness and approachability(none of these)0.713%29%38%36%38%46%52%64%61%58%5%33%33%37%45%38%48%52%51%66%MillennialsBaby BoomersPotential Benefits of ChatbotsMillennials vs. Baby Boomers23When we compared responses from Millennials (age 18-34) and Baby Boomers (age 55+), we found that Baby Boomers were 24% more likely to to expect benefits from chatbots in five of the nine categories we looked at. The takeaway: Chatbots arent just for Millennials. This a technology that has the potential to improve online experiences for all consumers, regardless of age. 2018 State of Chatbots Report2403Blockers to Using Chatbots2018 State of Chatbots Report25Despite the many uses and benefits that consumers predict chatbots will be able to provide, the mass adoption of chatbots isnt a foregone conclusion. Especially when you consider how new the technology is, its understandable that consumers would have some concerns. So, we felt it was important for us to ask our survey participants the following question: What would stop you from using a chatbot?2018 State of Chatbots Report26 2018 State of Chatbots Report3%15%24%26%27%30%43%Id prefer to deal with a real-life assistant I'd worry about it making a mistake If I could only access it through Facebook Id prefer to use a normal website If it wasnt able to chat in a friendly manner Nothing would stop me from using a chatbot OtherNothing would stop me from using a chatbotOtherPotential Blockers to Using ChatbotsWhat would stop you from using a chatbot?27The most common potential blockers to using chatbots that consumers reported included preferring to deal with a human instead (43%), worrying about the chatbot making a mistake, such as during a purchase or while making a reservation (30%), and being locked into using chatbots only through Facebook (27%). However, its also worth noting that 15% of consumers said nothing would stop them from using chatbots. And that figure was consistent across all age groups. 2018 State of Chatbots Report28The takeaway: Not all consumers are ready to abandon human-to-human interactions entirely, and some arent sure they trust the technology to perform certain tasks without making mistakes. Also, if consumers could only access a chatbot through a specific social network, that could be a deterrent to adoption. But heres the thing: As a business, it doesnt have to be either/or2018 State of Chatbots Report29You can use chatbots where they make sense (e.g., for providing quick answers to simple questions) and then have humans step in when theyre needed. Whats more, you dont have to rely on a specific social network like Facebook in order to provide customers and potential customers with access to a chatbot. These days, you can have chatbots operating directly on your website, and you can use hyperlinks to make it easy for people to trigger chatbot conversations from any social network.2018 State of Chatbots Report3004Chatbots vs. Other Communication Channels2018 State of Chatbots Report31While not all consumers are ready to trust chatbots entirely, most still acknowledge that chatbots are poised to provide several benefits that can enhance their online experiences. And its clear that one of the major benefits consumers see when it comes to using chatbots is speed: They believe that chatbots will be able to respond to their inquiries more quickly.2018 State of Chatbots Report32From a business perspective, theres a massive upside to providing speedy response times. As research from InsideSales and the Harvard Business Review shows, even if you wait just five minutes to respond after a lead first reaches out, theres a 10x decrease in your odds of actually getting in touch with that lead. After 10 minutes, theres a 400% decrease in your odds of qualifying that lead.2018 State of Chatbots Report33So as part of our survey, we wanted to see how expected response times for chatbots compared to expected response times for other communication channels. The question we asked: How soon would you expect to get a response on each of these communication channels?2018 State of Chatbots Report34 2018 State of Chatbots ReportResponse Time by Communication ChannelHow soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?0.8Online chat Chatbots Face-to-faceTelephoneApps Social mediaWeb formEmail Letter16%27%34%40%55%64%73%75%77%Instant Response35 2018 State of Chatbots ReportResponse Time by Communication ChannelHow soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?0.7Online chat Chatbots Face-to-faceTelephoneApps Social mediaWeb formEmail Letter24%62%52%50%37%31%20%19%18%Within 24 hours36 2018 State of Chatbots ReportResponse Time by Communication ChannelHow soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?0.6Online chat Chatbots Face-to-faceTelephoneApps Social mediaWeb formEmail Letter60%12%14%9%8%5%7%7%5%After 24 hours37Ultimately, consumers expect to get instant responses from online chat more than any other channel (77%), but chatbots came in a close second (75%), and were followed by face-to-face meetings (73%). Meanwhile, email (62%), web forms (52%), and social media (50%), were the top channels when it came to expecting respo
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