English
Under the constant pressure of work and multitasking, chatbots have become an essential part of our everyday lives. These are virtual robots, programs with bright interfaces that can easily handle various tasks just as well as humans.
There are a number of chatbots available today, that are fully adapted to the needs and expectations of their developers and can handle a variety of tasks, including searches across certain parameters or even purchases of tours, travel packages, tickets, etc. Many of them are built on complex neural networks and feature some kind of artificial intelligence. These chatbots can not only replicate the functionality defined by developers, but they can go above and beyond the limits of standard operations and can evan broaden their own outlook by learning new things.
The most famous chatbots are Alisa and Siri, which can be rightfully considered to be high-budget masterpieces of modern information technology. These celebrities also have a number of younger siblings - bots that might not be as well organized, but can also perform various tasks on their own. By the way, you can easily develop your own bot, which will interact with other people based on a defined algorithm, and you won't even have to break the bank. Let's take a look at the algorithm you can follow to build your very first chatbot.
Chatbot scripts
First of all, you will need to put yourself in Shakespeare's shoes for a while. We're kidding - but the truth is, you will have to write a script for your character. На самом первом этапе необходимо стать ненадолго Шекспиром. This will make your work much easier and it will also help your new chatbot friend.
When working on questions and answers, remember the most important rule - keep things short and simple. This is especially relevant for chatbots, because the average user doesn't bother reading long text messages. Besides, many services have maximum limits on the amount of text you can insert. What's more, short questions are easier to incorporate into a comprehensive logical structure which can be understood by the chatbot - despite all its advantages, it is still essentially a robot that operates based on a predefined algorithm.
What is the user thinking about when talking to your chatbot?
To ensure that your chatbot becomes a useful instrument, and not just a fun toy, you need to analyze the needs of its potential interlocutors. Essentially, you need to figure out the most popular questions that will be interesting for visitors to your website. If you answer questions about your business address or working hours 20 times a day, then it might be time to trust your chatbot to answer instead. This will free up some time, which is always a valuable resource.
Let's take a look at some instruments that even beginners can use to build unique chatbots. The most convenient tools are Dialogflow, Chatfuel and Robochat.io.
Dialogflow
With Dialogflow, you can build a universal chatbot that can be built into a smartphone, smart watch, any other gadget, and can be integrated with all apps. The platform uses Google features and works with Cloud Speech-to-Text, which helps with voice recognition.
To start, you will need to register in the system and choose a name for your bot (Agent name). With the Default Language feature, select the primary language that the bot will use to communicate with you and your visitors. If everything is correct, you will see a standard greeting, which you will be able to change in the future. Then, you will be able to enter the text of your question and use a new Inters to install Training Phrases, response options that will be available for visitors to your page. Take care and select the right category for each phrase. Then you will need to select the correct answer to the question using the Responses feature. Once this is finished, you will have successfully completed the first 'Q&A' unit. To add more questions, you will need to repeat this process.
To ensure the process is working correctly, launch the demo by clicking on Integration → Web Demo.
And that's it. In just a few clicks, you will have a simple and fully operational bot. The service is extremely convenient: even though the buttons cannot be customized and the interface is in English, it includes everything you need. Even a total beginner will only need 40 minutes to create a bot in Dialogflow. And here's the best part - the service is absolutely free, which means that you won't spend a dime building your bot.
Chatfuel
Chatfuel is a convenient platform that was created specifically with Facebook users in mind - it is instantly activated at login or when opening the linked business page and starts communicating with your visitors. Because of this, we advise you to start by using a test page that is specially created for these purposes, to avoid confusing your visitors.
The platform gives you the option to select the appropriate type of chatbot out of many finished templates or to create your own unique interface. It is extremely straightforward, and the system suggests the right actions as you interact with it. However, please keep in mind that all the information is available exclusively in English. There's also some bad news for owners of pages with over a thousand followers - you will have to pay a monthly fee of $30. If you have less than a thousand followers, the service will be available for free.
Let's take a look at the steps needed to create a custom chatbot on Chatfuel. After sending a request, the system will ask you to set up a starter message and a question. If you select a question that the bot cannot answer, the screen will display the phrase 'Default Answer'. The Pre-Built Flow menu will enable you to install a question with various types of answers, and users will be able to select the most suitable option. The chatbot will analyze this information and follow with an answer or another clarifying question. The Text menu is used to select the right answer, while the combination of Text and Button will redirect the user towards a clarifying question, a link to an online resource or another means of contact, like a phone number or an e-mail address. In addition to a simple chatbot that can respond to incoming questions, Chatfuel can be linked to other features that allow users to carry out advanced actions - filling out documents on company websites, making payments, and more. You are in charge of the script for the bot, but you also have the option of activating the Set up AI function to connect it to artificial intelligence which will analyze unusual or emotional reactions from users. This feature is available in Russian and in other languages.
When your chatbot is ready, you can test it by launching test mode with Welcome Message. This will allow you to see how the digital helper behaves from the very beginning. Naturally, you can start interacting with the bot at any stage. This is particularly convenient when the list of questions is long and there is no need to send the user back to the welcome message to solve their problem.
Chatfuel is especially convenient because it tracks all chats, offering the opportunity to evaluate the nature of the requests, review statistics and much more - the functionality can be expanded indefinitely. The only thing that limits Chatfuel is the fact that it was developed by FB, and is part of the company's ecosystem.
Robochat.io
VK users can use chatbots created on the Robochat.io platform. To start working, you will need a VK page which will be linked with the chatbot.
The user will choose the most appropriate option from a gallery of templates. The service has a Russian interface, which will be a significant advantage for Russian speakers. Step-by-step instructions will make it easy to develop and launch your own bot that is suited to your communication needs. The self-evaluation system will help you control the built-in functionality and equip it with all the available features of Robochat.io. The welcome message and first question are set up in the 'Settings' menu. Additional messages can be added in the 'Scripts' menu, which might be too advanced for beginners. Robochat.io comes with detailed instructions, but it is written in 'fine print' and requires a lot of patience from the chatbot developer. The most frustrating parts are the redirection to already completed points, or when scripts are suddenly stopped. In order to create a new script, you need to spend some time to switch to this new mode, which also creates some difficulties.
Users who manage to master Robochat.io despite all the difficulties can start testing their chatbot in the 'Write to bot' menu, which will redirect the user to a dialog with the bot.
Robochat.io is a convenient and operational service for creating complex and interesting chatbots, but it is not very beginner-friendly. It's also worth noting that the service charges owners of large communities, but it also charges a fee for additional features or buttons. There is a free three-day trial period that you can use to test compatibility with the chatbot.
Thus, we have shared information about the most popular platforms, but there are many others that you can discover online. Just like any new venture, building a chatbot will require additional effort and expenses on your part. However, with time you will see that you made the right decision, as your virtual helper will give you free time to dedicate to more important problems and tasks.
