The term virtual digital assistant (VDA) sounds like something out of Star Trek. However, you have probably already used one at some point. Ever asked Alexa to order you something? Or tasked Siri with the answer to the question of how many pounds there are in a kilogram? If so, you’ve already experienced a couple of applications of VDAs. It’s estimated over a billion people will use this technology by 2025. Of course, this technology is good for a lot more than just random questions or requests. It’s also feeding the rise of virtual digital assistants in ecommerce.
Better Client Communication
Virtual digital assistants can be extremely handy at facilitating client communications. Interacting with clients can be a tricky business. First, you need to think about manners. If you hire people to interact with your customers, you’re taking something of a risk. There’s a chance they won’t do their best at representing your ecommerce store. This can lead to lower customer satisfaction. VDAs are also much less likely to make a mistake. Human error isn’t inherent in VDAs.
They can also easily handle multi-channel communications. Say you interact with customers through text, email, phone, and other methods. In a typical scenario, you’ll need to restart from the beginning each time you communicate with the consumer. With VDA multi-channel communication, client information is brought up right away—saving people time and keeping them satisfied.
Shipping Updates
There are a lot of things you need to keep on track when you’re running an ecommerce store. Most of these are minutiae centered upon the processes of shipping and fulfillment. Regardless of your sales strategy, you will almost always need to ship or deliver items. Virtual digital assistants can help keep orders under control. They can also be programmed to give consumers automatic, personalized updates. Effective on both the logistical and customer satisfaction fronts, this is a must-have for large-scale ecommerce operations. If you’re considering a new site provider, conduct an enterprise ecommerce platform comparison to see which services offer easy virtual digital assistant compatibility.
Automatic Inventory Updates
Keeping track of your inventory is another involved process. Large ecommerce stores with thousands of items need a systematic protocol. This is often best achieved through automating processes with VDAs. You can set alert specifications so the system will let you know when certain inventory thresholds are met. This will cut down on lost sales opportunities and mistaken sales when you are actually out of a product.
Seamless Marketing
You probably don’t want to spend all your time marketing your ecommerce store. However, this process can be extremely involved. And, it’s critical for ecommerce retailers to utilize online marketing. Unlike physical retail, there’s no intuitive way for shoppers to wander into your site on their own. In the real world, people can be attracted as they drive past your storefront. This doesn’t happen for online stores. Meanwhile, VDAs can bring all your marketing channels together, so you won’t have to spend nearly as much time thinking about them. Wouldn’t it be nice to just post what you want to say one time, and have it appear across all your social media and other outlets? That’s possible with VDAs.
Automate Repeated Task
VDAs can also accomplish the repetitive or formulaic tasks associated with accounting, sales and human resources. Delegating these functions to a VDA can free up both capital and time to allow you to expand into other areas.
There are clearly some highly useful ways to put VDAs to work in the ecommerce space. Get on board with this trend. The rise of virtual digital assistants in ecommerce can help you stay competitive in the ever-evolving environment of online retail.