App fatigue sounds like the quintessential first world problem doesn’t it? “Oh I have way too many apps to open and close on my iPhone 6s. My thumb is sore and I’m burning…like many seconds opening and closing all these things. This is unacceptable.”
And yet, in a productivity driven world, we constantly want faster, more efficient lives. Combine the rapid growth of messaging apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat with the maturity of social apps like Facebook and Twitter and throw in texting and emailing and you could literally hold 10 conversations on 10 different platforms with just a single person. Imagine then the challenge brands face. How best to reach and engage customers in the era of everything? The answer? Robots. Or bots to be exact. 
A great article by the Teamchat CEO in TechCrunch this morning on the rise of messaging bots which could be just what the doctor ordered to cure us from our suffering.
Messaging bots can understand and create messages just like people do and can tap into any data cache to answer questions and actually execute actions automatically. Which for brands, creates automated, accurate and incredibly quick service responses to customers who prefer text and messaging interaction anyway.
Bots can automatically respond to questions like “Where is the power cord I ordered?” or “Can I add international roaming to my plan next month?” Aspect calls this technology “Interactive Text Response” because it automates conversations, transactions and workflows over text-based channels. Consumers get faster answers using channels they prefer and companies deliver convenient service at an ultra low cost.
As I wrote back in July, messaging apps are rapidly becoming a greenfield engagement opportunity for brands. The user bases are growing by the millions and these consumers are increasingly looking for easy self-service options for engaging the companies they do business with. An automated customer service bot that can handle all simple transactions and service queries may just be the perfect addition to your customer service team.
