Bots for Business

4 Ways Chatbots Help Reduce Carbon Footprint of Your Business

Chatbots can do a lot to benefit your business. Explore four use cases for chatbots that can reduce energy consumption and help save you money.

Going green has become more than a buzz phrase that businesses throw around. Companies are making serious efforts to reduce their environmental impact on the world, like powering their operations with solar or wind.

Although not all businesses can afford to take such drastic measures, recent chatbot developments make it possible for companies of all sizes (and capabilities) to move toward green initiatives while also improving their business practices. Take a look at four ways chatbots can help your organization protect the environment and, at the same time, save your company some money.

1. Bots answer questions 24/7

Chatbots can be scripted to answer frequently asked questions (FAQs). Rather than staffing customer service representatives after business hours, integrate a bot on your site to answer customer inquiries 24/7. The ability to shut down the office when you go home not only protects the environment by cutting down on wasted energy but also reduces overall utility costs and employee overhead. Turning off your computers and lowering your heating and cooling usage significantly contribute to sustainable energy practices.

2. Bots keep files digital

Paper adds to 35 percent of the waste in the world. Embracing paperless billing allows your company to protect the environment from excess waste and transportation pollutants. Plus, paperless billing contributes to substantial savings. Some major companies even give their customers paid incentives when they switch to electronic billing.

Bots can also fetch information, like travel stubs and concert tickets. This capability eliminates the need for customers to print paper copies of itineraries and tickets, which can easily get misplaced. Instead, chatbots allow users to access critical information with ease. Additionally, digital filing cuts back on the need for wasteful paper receipts.

3. Bots generate leads

If you strategically place a bot on your website, you can gather enough information from potential clients to help you understand what they are looking for and whether they are ready to make a purchase.

You can script your bot to ask leading questions about which products and services a customer may be interested in. Contact information and consumer insights are then stored in a database for your staff to access. The ability to passively generate leads alleviates some of the pressure of making cold calls and allows your employees to focus on closing sales.

Remotely capturing leads can also cut back on costly travel expenses. Taking an airplane or driving a car to meetings, which may not even yield a lead, wastes time and money and contributes to your company’s overall carbon emissions. Save the environment and spare yourself a trip to and from your prospects by having a bot generate your lead information.

4. Bots advertise effectively

With a chatbot, you get to shape how you advertise to your customers—in real time. Physical advertisements, like flyers and billboards, are too general and lack the effectiveness of personalized advertising methods. Instead of relying on one marketing message, your bot can convey multiple messages, created to fit a wide range of individual consumers.

As the customer interacts with your bot, they can find the exact information they need. They ask the bot a series of questions, and it delivers individually curated content that feels personalized to the user. When you replace posters and mailers with bots, you eliminate the need for fossil fuels, paper products, and land to advertise your brand. Plus, achieving high digital conversion rates can help transform your entire marketing process into a carbon-neutral operation.

Other ways bots help sustain a business

Sustainable business behavior can yield lasting benefits for all industries. In addition to saving money, ecologically responsible practices bolster your company’s image. The reduction of your organization’s ecological footprint can be tied to business goals and company vision. The philanthropic endeavor of reducing your carbon footprint can make your business appealing to future employees, customers, and investors.

With the global movement toward green practices, your concern about the environmental impact your company has on the world can also help your business save money and gain clients.