More companies turn to chatbots to automate customer conversation. So, it’s only critical to hire the best chatbot developers with first-class skills in building bots.
“Hi! I’m Pop Geo and I’m a bot powered by National Geographic to test your knowledge of the world.”
This is the message that welcomes you to Nat Geo’s Facebook Messenger profile. Upon reading the message, you might think that a person is promptly sending you a message on the other end. But, it’s actually a chatbot, a digital assistant that’s programmed to fill a variety of needs.
Thanks to chatbots, people can manage their magazine subscriptions, order pizza, hail a cab, or report an issue right through their messaging apps. Chatbots make it possible to do all these without talking to a live human being.
Today, more and more brands are warming up to chatbot technology. It’s simple, easy, and cost-effective way to communicate with customers. But a question looms ahead. How do you build a chatbot that understands the nuances and context of a typical message?
This is a problem that chatbot developers aim to solve. They develop chatbots that respond like how a human would. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the fascinating world of bots and provide tips for finding the best chatbot experts for your business.
What is a Chatbot?
Whether you’re aware of it or not, you’ve probably encountered a chatbot before. It comes as a simple “Hi there. How may I help you?” message that pops up when you visit a website. Or, a message from the social media of your favorite restaurant saying, “Hi, Joel! Are you craving something today?” These are just a few chatbot examples that companies use to simplify interaction with their customers.
Simply put, a chatbot is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software designed to mimic human conversation using natural language processing (NLP). As virtual or digital assistants, they interpret user requests and respond with relevant answers.
These user requests can range from restaurant reservations, price comparison, event planning, and ordering products online. Bots come as texts or voice, usually implemented on websites, mobile apps, and messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Twitter, and Slack.
Chatbot technology may seem new and exciting, but they’ve been here for a while. In 1966, Joseph Weizenbaum developed the first chatbot named, ELIZA. He designed ELIZA to simulate human interaction by recognizing patterns. However, it wasn’t smart enough to answer questions in their full context. Instead, it followed a pre-made script that copies a Rogerian psychotherapist.
Over the years, chatbot development has come a long way. Chatbot developers learned from the limitations of previous chatbots. Today, chatbots are highly innovative, enhancing the interaction between people and machines.
Creating a Chatbot
You’ll find tons of articles on Google that claim to help you build a chatbot even without coding experience. While this is great, it’s important to first understand the purpose of creating the bot, and what problems it must solve. Doing so will lead you to the right chatbot development process.
Additionally, know your target audience. This is essential as this will define the use case scenarios. For example, if most of your target audience uses Twitter, then base your decision on that platform.
Say, you’re fine with a simple chatbot. This can be a virtual assistant with limited conversation flow or one that acts on one-step, predetermined tasks. Then, using a DIY chatbot builder platform is good enough.
Beep Boop, Chatfuel, Motion AI, and Flow XO are examples of non-coding frameworks to build chatbots. These easy-to-use chatbot builders are designed for non-developers. You’ll find a host of chatbot templates so you can create rule-based chatbots in a few hours.
If you want your chatbot to handle more complex tasks or inquiries, a code-based framework can deliver that for you. This, along with a team of chatbot developers can help you manage the frameworks and the inner workings of AI and Machine Learning.
As a result, you have a smart chatbot that is able to solve difficult tasks and direct an unregulated conversation. IBM Watson, Microsoft Azure Bot Service, and Wit.ai are some examples of code-based frameworks.
Choosing between the two depends on your purpose. If you don’t need to build an extremely smart chatbot, the rule-based chatbot builders are an affordable option that answers this need.
As for the complicated part of chatbot creation, it’s best to hire professional chatbot developers. This ensures that you have a chatbot that delivers the most value for your company.
Chatbot Developer Essential Skills & Qualities
To successfully build a smart chatbot, your chatbot developer should have an in-depth understanding of different programming languages and technologies. These are some of the chatbot developer skills to take note of.
- Chatbot development frameworks – proficiency at using any of these frameworks in building chatbots from scratch: IBM Watson, Wit.ai, Microsoft Azure Bot Service, API.ai, etc.
- Programming languages – a multi-language background is highly recommended. A solid experience working with Python, PHP, Java, Ruby, and Clojure is a must.
- Technologies – a deep understanding of how AI, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing works.
- Mobile and chat messaging apps – A skilled chatbot developer should be familiar with different platforms to integrate your chatbots. Popular examples are Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Skype.
Top Qualities of Chatbot Developers
When hiring for chatbot development, companies should look for specific technical skills. However, the ideal candidate should have other stellar qualities to stand out.
While not required, the ideal chatbot developer is someone with adequate knowledge in certain liberal arts. Those with a background in sociology, linguistics, or psychology have a profound perspective in analyzing human conversation, thus making them efficient in creating bots that imitate natural conversations.
An effective communication skill is a great plus, too. Since the idea behind chatbots is to streamline communication with humans, it’s only reasonable that your chatbot developer masters this skill as well.
Another intangible skill is the ability to learn quickly. As innovations in chatbot technology move fast, your chatbot developer should be steps ahead of the curve. Also, he or she should have an inquisitive nature, someone who can find solutions to difficult problems. Even with limited resources, they can think creatively and provide innovative solutions.
Experts in Chatbot Development
Building a fully functional chatbot may seem easy to do. Yes, you can—to a certain extent—build one without any programming skills. However, the complexities of implementing the natural language and decision trees need high-level logical techniques as coding software.
This is why it’s recommended to work with the best chatbot developers. They have the right mix of skills to work with tools and processes to building chatbots.
If you’re a business owner looking for valuable opportunities that chatbots can bring, look no further. At Full Scale, we have chatbot experts with senior-level expertise in chatbot technology. They help you build your ideal chatbots from scratch, creating the most cost-effective value for your business.
Contact us today so we can help you build something awesome for your customers.
