Introduction – Conversational UI
Conversational UI is defined as the digital interface that allows users to interact with machines in real-life human communication.
We don’t need to build a graphical interface to give information, you can communicate with a machine through verbal communication or writing.
NLP – Natural Language processing – core technology used. NLP clearly understands a human language instead like computers it doesn’t need programming languages to command a machine, NLP is an artificial intelligence that responds to the commands using a human conversational language.
Still unsure? Find out more about User Interface. However, UI and UX are entirely different. Don’t get confused.
Types of Conversational UI
Chatbots
Do you know what’s popular in the E-commerce industry? Chatbots. They are easier to implement than voice assistants. A chatbot is a conversation between a user and a bot that seems very realistic and pops up as chat bubbles. Chatbots have largely influenced the real conversation with a customer.
To find which is suitable for the required field we should compare the bots. There are two kinds of chatbots.
AI-driven chatbots
Artificially Intelligent chatbots analyze the users’ issues and acts accordingly before delivering a proper reply. AI chatbots understand the user’s commands and produce their context according to the question and situation.
They continuously improve and have the capability to make decisions on their own. They understand various languages and learn from the data gained.
Rule-based Chatbots
Rule-based CB- Specially programmed to deliver mapped-out replies before the conversation.
Predefined questions are answered by them. These types of chatbots cannot analyze the user and answer the users’.
It can be trained easier and faster they are cheaper. Highly secure and it can access few media and interactive elements.
Voice Assistants
A voice assistant always responds to a voice command. Voice assistants are AI-based. This works with voice recognition and NLP Technologies.
This uses voice recognition and responses it takes no graphical interface use.
VUI = Voiced User Interface. This term is indeed very much complex and uses AI, Machine learning, and Voice recognition technologies. Only limited companies use voice assistants due to complexities and high costs.
A drastic increase in the number of people using voice assistants over 6 years.
Challenges of Conversational UI
Providing products and services that user expects is a very difficult task. This voice assistant and chatbots provide a human feeling to every need of the users. This leads them to expect much more on this.
A simple example is Alexa and Siri, the most used AI-based conversational user interfaces.
Voice assistants and chatbots are human-like. They only answer in short phrases though. A machine can’t go into the humans’ emotions and understand their needs.
Advantages of Conversational UI
The overall cost for customer support is reduced.
Although the production of chatbots is highly expensive, they are useful on a large scale.
Bots used for chats and voice assistants can quickly solve an issue of a customer without involving customer service officials. It can even pass on the request to the customer support team if needed. So, the cost of hiring people for the customer support team is reduced.
Response to the customers’ issue in a small time period.
A chatbot or a voice assistant can respond to a user quickly, which is impossible sometimes. Delayed responses can frustrate customers.
Text-based or speech-based UI speeds up the process of delivering a solution to the customer in a short period.
Boost user engagement and retention.
Voice assistants and bots help the users to replace work that users need to do manually. They gather information the user intends to get, reducing the user’s work to search and get.
Many AI algorithm functions are based on the needs of the users. In fact, it gathers everything that a user needs and gets the job done.
Tips For a Successful Conversational UI
- A conversations’ page background must be clean and formal to have a good conversation with the user.
- The content displayed should be concise. Have minimum space between the contents Don’t make it too long.
- Use the right commands to respond to the user. Don’t use different phrases every time.
- Give your voice assistant a suitable voice that is low pitch and has a conversational soft tone, which a user might like to hear and use.
- Train your bots with synonyms as well.
Principles of Conversational UI
Compassion: The bot must advance notice the user if it has any over drafting issues.
Character: This doesn’t mean a bot should talk and work as a human, it must just give a feel to users that they are having a simple conversation.
Clarity: The bot must have clarity while responding to the user.
It is absolutely necessary for every bot to be built in a way that other options if one doesn’t work, If a bot doesn’t know to respond it might have back up instead of repeating the same things which will lead to a dead conversation.
Conclusion
A properly built Conversational user interface must be effective in giving the best conversational experience. Bots and voice assistants are indeed growing on a large scale. Follow the trends to keep up.