Jan 24, 2020 04:49 PM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Customer support and sales might be separate departments, but if you want to run a successful e-commerce business, then you need to learn how to stand out from the crowd while providing both. After all, many companies likely sell similar products or services as your business and could be just as hungry as you are.

While there are many ways to stand out and increase sales, let's focus on chatbots. Here are three powerful ways this technology can improve your e-commerce sales.

Digital Coupons and Promo Codes

Whether the software triggers on Facebook or your website, a chatbot can send your customers digital coupons and promo codes that incentivize them to spend money on your site. While coupons and promos decrease the amount of money you make, you can still make a profit if priced correctly. Buying your product (what you sell and/or parts to make your product) in bulk can also help to increase your profit.

Purchasing your product in bulk isn't only monetarily beneficial-it ensures you never run out of an item. And liquidation pallets are a great way to fill your inventory as a business owner. You can get the best prices on well-known brands and items via bidding. This all leads to stocked inventory at a cheaper price, allowing you to push coupons and promo codes to your customers.

Deals can also lead to an influx of customers who might have never made it to the shopping cart if a deal wasn't available. You can also incorporate upselling and cross-selling techniques via chatbots, possibly leading to more sales. The intention of your chatbot software isn't to push a product and trick customers into spending more money-it's to provide relevant options for your customers. Upselling and cross-selling methods work for everyone involved when the product is relevant to what the customer is purchasing. Businesses make more sales and customers get everything they want and need.

Management and 24/7 Availability

Chatbots allow you to manage your services and be available at all times...even when you're not technically available. You can set up your chatbot software to answer common questions your customers have (such as shipping inquiries, information about a product, and more) while purchasing an item on your website.

This allows your chatbot to manage your customers at any time of the day, freeing up your time to focus on other tasks or sleep. How does this increase sales? Chatbots allow you to work on other sales tactics, manage your sales team, etc. They also make the customer experience better, which could lead to retaining and gaining more customers.

Make the Customer Service Experience Better

Going off the point above, chatbots can improve e-commerce sales by making the customer service experience better, which can lead to more customers and customer loyalty. Customers want to know they're being taken care of and they want a good experience throughout the buying process. Many consumers will pay more money for good service.

Some owners might believe welcoming customers, encouraging engagement, and other automated services, which chatbots can provide, are time-consuming and don't lead to results, but companies can increase sales with quality customer service. Companies can't afford to have poor customer service because it can lead to a loss in customers and bad reviews.

As an example, if a customer can't reach a specific department when calling your company or doesn't receive an adequate response, he or she can hang up and search the internet for a similar company. This same situation is why conversational IVR software is invaluable for businesses. Instead of only allowing customers to choose certain menu options, this software utilizes speech technology and automated assistants, allowing customers to choose options via speaking. This, of course, can lead to a better experience for the customer while freeing up your employees.

Chatbots can do an unlimited amount of good for your business. The sooner you incorporate this technology, the sooner your e-commerce sales will see a boost.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit