The use of AI Chatbots in New Zealand has risen dramatically over the past few years. More and more businesses, especially larger ones, are using them as standard practice. The primary use of these chatbots is for customer service purposes, providing inquirers with all of the necessary information they need to know. Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming a common feature in these bots. AI is far more efficient and, if trained properly, can instantaneously answer any questions.
The creative agency industry is one industry where AI chatbots have yet to be used. No creative agency website actively uses an AI chatbot. Instead, the industry-standard feature is an FAQ page, a contact page, and/or a ‘Services’ page explaining exactly what the agency provides. This whitepaper will examine the use of AI customer service chatbots, their benefits, and how they answer a key issue prospective clients will usually have
As mentioned in the executive summary, AI customer service chatbots are slowly but surely becoming more common on company websites. As of August 2024, there are several sectors where these chatbots are utilised more and more. Research from NZTech shows that banking, insurance, and telecommunications are among the industries where AI chatbots are becoming prevalent. “The banks, insurance companies, Spark, Vodafone, energy companies and councils all have chatbots to deal with people’s inquiries” (NZTech, 2022). What is noticeable about these sectors is that they are all dominated by larger businesses/entities. Because of their size, many, if not all of them have the resources necessary to implement an AI chatbot effectively on their website. As a result, these companies can save time and money with a cost-effective resource that not only cuts out work needed by humans but raises productivity levels within that organisation.
Branding and marketing is a vital contributor to the financial viability of small and medium businesses. Often, however, day-to-day operations take precedence, leading to the focus of the SME owner being put on that instead. This leads to the marketing side of the business being neglected, which means a key opportunity to promote it gets missed. Consequently, whatever chance there was to increase a small business’ potential customer base (thus resulting in higher revenue) no longer happens. According to a study carried out by Constant Contact for SMEs across both New Zealand and Australia, “Marketing is the most likely activity ANZ SMBs will delay undertaking, with 13 per cent saying they always procrastinate on marketing tasks - the highest among all polled regions - and 46 per cent saying they “regularly” procrastinate. Fifty-nine per cent of local SMBs always or regularly procrastinate; the most among polled regions.” (Constant Contact, 2024)
For an SME with no idea who has never done any marketing before, it can be hard to know where to start. That is where creative agencies come in. “Creative agencies develop and implement imaginative solutions to help businesses increase brand awareness, better showcase products or services, and, ultimately, increase profits. These agencies may assist in branding, design, advertising and public relations.” (De Santiago, 2024) The various services these agencies provide can be immensely beneficial to SMEs and the needs they have.
Creative agencies can help SMEs in a variety of ways. Some of these include the following:
As already stated in the executive summary, it’s industry standard for creative agencies to provide a services or packages page. Being presented with all of that information has the potential to be overwhelming. An SME may not even know which service or package best suits its needs. That’s where an AI customer service chatbot comes in to help.
At That Creative Agency, we have developed an AI-powered customer service chatbot named Emily. Integrated into our company website, Emily instantly answers prospective clients’ queries, such as what services the agency provides and what package suits them. Our new AI chatbot will be trained to answer prospective clients’ customer service inquiries. This will be done by providing relevant information (such as from our website’s FAQ section). Once Emily’s training is complete, we also intend to incorporate it into our agency’s onboarding process so it can answer specific questions by recommending specific packages that fit the needs of potential SME clients based on the questions asked. An AI chatbot can be classified as a disruptive innovation solution within the wider SME creative agency industry in New Zealand. No creative agency in New Zealand currently uses an AI customer service chatbot, regardless of the size or type of business they serve. Implementing one makes That Creative Agency a leader, providing a competitive advantage.
Where Should I Fly?
Resend my booking confirmation
Check my Airpoints Dollars™ balance” (Air New Zealand, 2024)
The other well-known company that is implementing a unique AI-powered chatbot is Simplicity, which manages KiwiSaver funds and investments. Their bot, named Artie, provides customers with information about Simplicity’s services, just like Emily does for That Creative Agency. “Artie will appear on both our KiwiSaver and Investment funds websites and will answer questions online. Questions that cannot be immediately answered will be handled by our customer service team.” (Simplicity, 2018) These bots provide customers several benefits, giving these businesses a competitive advantage. Those benefits are exactly outlined in the dedicated section below.
Why Choose Emily?
This unique selling point attracts new clients and reinforces TCA’s reputation as a forward-thinking and client-centric agency. Emily is more than just a chatbot; she embodies TCA’s commitment to innovation, client satisfaction, and operational excellence. By choosing Emily, clients are not just selecting a service—they are partnering with an agency that prioritises their needs and is dedicated to delivering exceptional results through the latest technological advancements.
Effectively and properly implementing an AI customer service chatbot can bring a range of benefits to a company that does just that. The four biggest benefits are explained below:
These are just some of how adopting an AI customer service chatbot can benefit a business.
A second survey was also conducted after having participants do some user testing of our chatbot. Overall, Emily was viewed positively in answering more basic questions because of its efficiency and navigation. Most found that it responded well to its questions and provided good quality information for the most part. Several improvements could still be made, including improving the chatbot’s personalisation, making it more human-like in its interactions and enhancing Emily’s capability to handle more complex inquiries. Respondents also highlighted the need for potential prompts about how to phrase questions and add the ability to contact a human instantly.
An AI customer service chatbot can be a powerful tool for a business in any sector. It can be available 24/7 to answer any questions and provide unique experiences for each user, helping boost customer satisfaction while lowering business costs and increasing productivity. For prospective SME clients looking for information or help, Emily is the solution that can provide the answers they seek.
That Creative Agency is helping lead the way in the New Zealand creative agency industry, where we align our business values with predicted innovation arch. We remain committed to refining our AI customer service to provide better services and information for potential clients and smooth the onboarding process. Are you looking for an SME-focused creative agency to help your business but unsure where to start?
An AI customer service chatbot can be a powerful tool for a business in any sector. It can be available 24/7 to answer any questions and provide unique experiences for each user, helping boost customer satisfaction while lowering business costs and increasing productivity. For prospective SME clients looking for information or help, Emily is the solution that can provide the answers they seek. That Creative Agency is helping lead the way in the New Zealand creative agency industry, where we align our business values with predicted innovation arch. We remain committed to refining our AI customer service to provide better services and information for potential clients and smooth the onboarding process. Are you looking for an SME-focused creative agency to help your business but unsure where to start? Test Emily today and get all the information you need! ReferencesAir New Zealand. (2024). Say ‘kia ora’ to Oscar! - Digital experience - Experience | Air New Zealand. Air NZ. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/oscar-chatbot-virtual-assistantCapaldi, D. (2024, August 13). How AI Chatbots Boost User Experience (UX). https://www.dante-ai.com/. https://www.dante-ai.com/article/how-ai-chatbots-boost-user-experience-uxConstant Contact & PR Wire. (2024, May 01). A study finds that 83% of Australian and New Zealand SMBs are concerned about economic conditions. https://prwire.com.au. https://prwire.com.au/pr/115487/study-finds-83-per-cent-of-australia-and-new-zealand-smbs-concerned-about-economic-conditionsDe Santiago, E. (2024, April 18). What Is a Creative Agency? (Plus How To Work for One). Indeed. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-is-a-creative-agencyDonnelly, I. (2023, November 13). AI-Powered Chatbots: The Benefits and Essential Features. Bloomreach. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.bloomreach.com/en/blog/ai-powered-chatbots-the-benefits-and-essential-featuresGuide, s., & Selvaraj, S. (2023, October 18). Benefits of AI Chatbots for Businesses & Customers. Yellow.ai. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://yellow.ai/blog/benefits-of-chatbots/iMonitor. (2024). How AI-Powered Chatbots Revolutionise Customer Service. iMonitor. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.imonitor.net/blog-posts/how-ai-powered-chatbots-revolutionise-customer-serviceNZTech. (2022, June 15). Chatbots are taking over big NZ business inquiries. NZTech. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://nztech.org.nz/2022/06/15/chatbots-taking-over-big-nz-business-inquiries/Simplicity. (2018, March 16). Simplicity takes the first steps towards Artificial Intelligence with the new chatbot Artie. Simplicity. Kiwi. https://simplicity.kiwi/learn/updates/simplicity-takes-first-steps-towards-artificial-intelligence-with-new-chatbot-artieWOO Agency. (2023, January 23). How Marketing Agency’s Can Help SMEs. LinkedIn. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-marketing-agencys-can-help-smes-windowofopportunity