Stefania Solivardi - 11 septembre, 2024 - 4 ’ read

How are Virtual Agents transforming e-commerce support?

AI automation, Customer Service, Virtual Agents

The e-commerce landscape is changing at lightning speed, fueled by new technologies and ever-evolving customer expectations. And leading this revolution are virtual agents— chatbots and voicebots—transforming how businesses connect with customers.

These AI-powered tools offer more than just efficiency; they bring personalization and round-the-clock support to the table, creating seamless customer experiences.

In this article, we’ll dive into how virtual agents are reshaping e-commerce customer support and why embracing this technology is a game-changer for your business. Let’s jump right in!

What are Virtual Agents and why does your e-commerce business need them?

Virtual agents are AI-powered assistants of human agents that help manage customer interactions, assist with purchases, and provide personalized support—without human intervention, but in a human-like way, via phone call or chat. These bots can engage with customers in real-time, answering questions, suggesting products, and even aiding in the checkout process, taking over human agent tasks when they’re repetitive and freeing them to focus on critical issues.

And they’re a hit with customers! 51% of consumers say a business needs to be available 24/7 according to this article, and a Salesforce reportreveals that 58% of customers use chatbots for quick and simple interactions, underscoring the growing importance of instant, efficient support.

If that’s not enough, here are 6 good reasons why your e-commerce customer support can’t afford to miss out:

1. 24/7 Customer support

Virtual agents ensure your business is always on. They’re available 24/7, giving customers instant answers, even during off-hours. This not only keeps customers satisfied but also helps lower cart abandonment rates, which is a big win for any e-commerce site.

2. Personalization at scale

For example, if a customer frequently purchases a particular brand or style of product, the virtual agent can suggest new arrivals in that category or offer relevant promotions. The result? Tailored recommendations that make shopping more engaging and increase the likelihood of conversion. Personalized experiences aren’t just a nice touch—they’re essential to driving loyalty and sales.

3. Faster problem esolution

Gone are the days of waiting on hold. Virtual agents can swiftly address common issues, such as product inquiries, order tracking, and returns, streamlining the process and leaving your human agents to focus on the more complex customer challenges. If they really can’t solve the issue, they escalate to a human agent. Faster resolutions equal happier customers!

4. Boosted conversion rates

Virtual agents guide users through the buying journey, answering key questions along the way. By reducing friction, they help turn window shoppers into loyal customers, increasing conversion rate.

5. Multilingual support

Serving a global audience? No problem. Virtual agents are fluent in multiple languages, making it easy to assist customers from different regions without needing a large team of multilingual agents. This opens up new opportunities for businesses to expand internationally with ease.

6. Seamless omnichannel experience

Customers interact with businesses across a range of platforms—whether it’s via a website or mobile app. Virtual agents enable an omnichannel approach, offering consistent support across multiple touchpoints. A customer might start a conversation with a chatbot on a website and later switch to voice interaction via voicebot, maintaining a seamless flow of information. This creates a unified customer experience, eliminating the need for customers to repeat themselves, regardless of how they choose to engage with your brand.

Real-world benefits in action

User can’t find a product

Imagine a customer browsing an online store is struggling to locate a specific product. Instead of manually searching through multiple categories, the chatbot can pop up and ask, « Can I help you find something? » The customer types in, and the chatbot immediately displays the relevant products.

User want to know shipment status

The customer calls in to inquire about their order status. The voicebot in a human-like manner retrieves the order details by requesting the tracking number or order ID, providing real-time shipment updates responding: « Your package is currently in transit and is expected to arrive by Wednesday. »

User wants to make a return

An e-commerce that allows a return is always appreciated, even more so if the customer can do it quickly and easily. With a chatbot, it’s possible! The customer starts a chat by saying, “I’d like to return a product,” and the bot guides them through the return policy, collects the necessary details (such as the order number and reason for return), and even generates a return label instantly.

User has technical issues with the account

A customer has trouble logging in to his account. Instead of waiting for a human agent, they call the support line and interact with a voicebot that helps them reset his password securely by verifying his identity through security questions or multi-factor authentication.

These are just some of the practical examples; the fields of use are countless, given the endless possibilities of customizing virtual agents.By implementing Virtual Agents, human agents are free to focus on more complex and high-value interactions, such as handling escalations or building long-term customer relationships. This ultimately leads to a more efficient operation and a significantly improved customer experience.

Ready to elevate your e-commerce customer support with Imagicle Virtual Agents?

The future of e-commerce is here, and Imagicle Virtual Agents are leading the charge. We offer two cutting-edge virtual agent solutions tailored to meet your needs:

Voice Virtual Agents – voicebot – a natural voice interaction assistant designed to handle voice-based requests efficiently.
Digital Virtual Agents – chatbot – perfect for managing customer requests across website and popular digital platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, and more. And the best part, human agents – if the conversation is escalated to them – will see all messages from different platforms on a single console.

Want to see it in action? Book a meeting today to discover how Imagicle Virtual Agents can transform your business.

Before you talk with someone would you like to test it out for yourself? No problem! Try our self-service demo and see firsthand how our AI-powered chatbot can help you revolutionize your e-commerce strategy.