What is a Facebook Messenger bot? On the most basic level, chat bots provide a simplified means for companies to automate many typically low-level consumer support functions. Rather than waiting on hold with a customer service representative, consumers can immediately chat with a bot on Messenger to answer simple questions, or to complete the initial stages of an RMA request. Additionally, these bots provide a unified user experience that simplifies the interaction between different representatives, and allows them to more easily express themselves through the many functions that a Facebook chatbot provides.

Today’s bot platform provides a number of different bot solutions. The most popular of these, like the Facebook Messenger Bot, are focused on areas where customer service and/or sales are concerned. For example, bot platforms provide tools for bot messaging, such as automatic sales follow-up and group follow-ups, as well as advanced messaging routing and tagging options. However, some of the lesser-known bot solutions offer the ability to automate tasks related to Facebook advertising, including creating landing pages, sharing a blog, and publishing posts to fan pages and tagging groups.

Bots on Messenger have recently attracted the attention of both large and small companies, and while they initially appeared to be aimed at Facebook’s six million advertisers and publishers, many believe the bot has a future that extends well beyond that. While the primary goal was to improve the sales experience for Facebook’s six million advertisers and publishers, the bot has found other uses, such as becoming a useful tool for third-party support businesses. Many have been drawn to the bot because it makes communicating with customers much simpler, while simultaneously providing the needed support in a timely manner. As a result, hundreds of business owners have purchased facebook messenger bots that have now become a primary support tool for their organization.

One example of where the bot was initially used is by online retailer Dell. In the Dell Ecover chat application, a bot provides a ready-made, customized welcome message and then kicks off the first conversation with the potential client. In this instance, the bot handled the initial inquiry and provided information about the company, its products and services. From there, the owner could take questions, discuss products more thoroughly and close the conversation on a sales note, all without having to return to the chat application or wait for a response from the user.

The chatbot is also useful for higher-quality brands looking to maintain strong customer relationships. Because chat apps allow for real-time communication between the brand and its customers, Facebook decided that the bot would provide a great way to help make those relationships stronger. Today, as a result of this decision, millions of people have come to rely on this bot as a single point of contact for brand awareness, product updates, news releases and more. This, in turn, has helped boost the brand’s image, especially when it comes to the social media. Additionally, as chat apps continue to expand to provide more functions to users, the bot is making it easier for businesses to strengthen their grip on their fan base.

While the Facebook Messenger Bot is proving to be a boon to many companies, marketers are cautious about jumping onto the bandwagon. While the chat bot is proving to be a highly efficient support tool, it also requires a significant investment of time, labor and money to setup and integrate. Therefore, unless your business has a significant need for the functionality and benefits that an automated bot can bring, sticking with the traditional methods may be your best bet. However, as the integration of artificial intelligence continues to increase and more bots are created to address new functions, the bot could find itself replaced by one of these newer Facebook applications over time.