ChatBot Winner! Truly, the HubSpot chatbot has hit the mark when it comes to chatbots that talk like a human. I have been designing, building, studying and testing web-based chatbots since 2017. In that time, I have seen a few close calls. However, nothing has checked all the boxes like a recent visit to the HubSpot website.
HubSpot is a client relations management system (CRM). Most likely, CRM’s are the most important software for any business because communication is the heart of ALL business.
Why did it take so long to create a ChatBot Winner?
Basically, the early CRM’s could handle lead generation; outreach and outbound marketing such as email campaigns; internal messaging and support. Specifically, CRM’s centralized the work that sales and support teams were doing via Gmail or MS Outlook and bespoke emailers. Then, they added some basic analytics.
Looking into this, we can guess that the simplicity was generated by two lacking issues: computing power and a clear set of requirements. There may be one more catch as discussed below. Regardless, software can do anything imaginable with enough memory, processing power and a clearly defined problem.
The solution is small…
Maybe that’s why we didn’t see it!
Critically, everyone was leaving out the most important part of any relationship: the small-talk! Invariably, the best lead generating tools offered by CRM’s have been pop-up email squeezes and spy-cookies. No handshake…no “how are you?”…no “how can I help?” You show them some attention and they reach for your wallet! Plainly, it’s known as stalking (or mugging?) and it is frowned upon almost everywhere.
Most importantly, with this chatbot winner, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The HubSpot chatbot has proven that you can have a polite and helpful web application. Also, there may be others. With the current AI surge, everyone will be piling on. Let us all hope that ALL the AI marketeers can fold the greed up and put it in their shoe. Then, concentrate on offering products that people really want and need.
With that said, let’s look at how HubSpot hit their mark:
Anatomy of a ChatBot Winner
I tested HubSpot’s AI chatbot while preparing for a job interview. Pointedly, I look at web applications as a web designer and as an average user. Perhaps, I had low expectations from both points of view. Conversely, the HubBot impressed me in every way…except for one…
When the HubBot opens, you are offered a list of options. You can see this in the featured image for the blog page (above). To me, that is a little too pushy. Conversely, it is a quick way to help people navigate if they already know what they want. I want a chatbot to be more stealthy but this is commonly what you get in any retail setting.
Crucially, the HubBot adds a dialog that you have to click past (as I did). The dialog tells you they will be collecting information in order to help you. They include a link to their privacy page. Legally, this is what everyone should be doing. According to Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California’s California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have to get permission before you start collecting information about people. Regardless, it is an important first step in generating trust and converting users to customers.
Testing the HubBot
With that out of the way…the first test! The easiest way to break a chatbot is to say Hi!…repeatedly! They will usually fold and offer you an email signup. Now, if we wanted to send an email and wait for a response, we would have just went to their contact page! The chatbot winner handles this gracefully by recognizing the repetition then restates the intro. I’ve tested this to 5 iterations and it even gets a little cheeky like an annoyed shopkeeper…yay!
Want to learn more about HubSpot? I'm an AI chatbot here to help you find your way. Ask me or select an option below.
Hello! How can I assist you with HubSpot today? Are you looking for specific information or support?
Hi again! How can I help you today with HubSpot? Do you have any specific questions or needs?
No problem! If you have any questions as you explore or need help with something specific regarding HubSpot's products and features, feel free to ask. What area are you most interested in?
Really, chatbots don’t get tired and they don’t give up. This one asked me 5 questions before I bothered to respond. Importantly, the HubBot seems to shift after I play hard to get. Carefully, it offers the indifferent shopkeeper’s standard line for shoppers “If you see anything you like, just ask.” The last question opens the door wider. Also, this is classic salesmanship; a post hypnotic suggestion that I would be “…most interested in” anything. Flippantly, I answer and the HubBot registers interest (a conversion!).
Again, what follows is classic A1 salesmanship: compliments or encouragement – offers of service or products – a question to keep you engaged
That’s great to hear! HubSpot offers a variety of tools across Sales, Marketing, Service, Content, and Operations hubs. Are you looking to achieve specific goals for your business, or are there particular challenges you're facing that I can help you address?
That's exciting! If the company you're applying to uses HubSpot, it could be beneficial to familiarize yourself with its features and capabilities. Are there specific areas of HubSpot you would like to learn more about that might help you in your job application or interview process?
That makes sense! HubSpot can be used in various ways across different departments. For instance:
- Marketing: Automating email campaigns, managing social media, tracking leads.
- Sales: Managing contacts, tracking deals and sales activities, generating reports.
- Service:Handling customer support inquiries and managing tickets.
- Content:Creating and managing content for blogs and websites.
- Operations:Analyzing performance metrics and optimizing processes.
Arguably, the HubBot is just responding with their standard offers; i.e., a list of features included in every CRM for the last decade. On the other hand, the HubBot is doing it in a conversational manner. Sales conversations are about getting people to talk about themselves. Likewise, I am still toying with the chatbot and when a couple keywords bubble into the conversation, the HubBot pounces…
I apologize for the confusion! Let's simplify it.
Are you interested in learning about how one specific hub (like Marketing, Sales, or Service) functions in HubSpot? That way, I can provide targeted information that might be relevant to the role you're applying for. What do you think?
Understood! Conversations around sales and marketing often overlap. HubSpot is designed to integrate various functions to better manage customer relationships and streamline workflows.
With that in mind, what are your main interests or areas you want to explore further regarding HubSpot in a general sense? This could include things like CRM, marketing automation, or reporting tools.
Great focus! HubSpot offers numerous integrations with various tools and services to create a cohesive ecosystem for managing customer relationships and streamlining workflows. Some key areas of interest might include:
- CRM Integrations: Connect other customer management tools to HubSpot for a unified view of customer interactions.
- Marketing Automation: Automate marketing tasks while integrating with email platforms, social media, and analytics tools.
- Reporting and Analytics:Utilize business intelligence tools to analyze data from different sources for holistic insights.
I’m glad to hear that! To help you further, could you specify which types of integrations or holistic practices you're most curious about? For instance, are you looking for specific tools that integrate well with HubSpot, or are you interested in strategies for using HubSpot to create a more unified approach across your marketing, sales, and service efforts?
Got it! Here’s a breakdown:
Types of Integrations:
- CRM Integrations: Sync data with other CRMs like Salesforce or Zoho to maintain a single source of truth.
- Email Marketing: Integrate with tools like Mailchimp or Constant Contact for enhanced email campaigns.
- Social Media:Connect social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for managing posts and tracking engagement.
- Customer Support: Integrate support tools like Zendesk or intercom to streamline customer inquiries and ticketing.
- Customer Support: Integrate support tools like Zendesk or intercom to streamline customer inquiries and ticketing.
- Analytics:Use tools like Google Analytics or Tableau for in-depth analysis of data across platforms.
Holistic Practices:
- Unified Customer Profiles: Use HubSpot to combine data from various sources into a single customer profile for personalized communication.
- Automation Across Hubs: Automate workflows that span multiple departments (e.g., lead generation from marketing automatically creating tasks for sales).
- Performance Tracking:Establish KPIs that measure effectiveness across marketing, sales, and service to better align team efforts.
- Regular Reviews: Use HubSpot reporting to regularly evaluate how well integrated practices are performing and adjust strategies as needed.
Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you found the experience helpful. If you have any more questions in the future about HubSpot or anything else, feel free to reach out. Good luck with your job hunting, and have a great day!
You're welcome! Bye, and take care! If you need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Notably, the HubBot lets me slip away…
Or did it?
Most likely, the HubBot collected some important data. For example, the chabot’s owner knows a person visited their website who is interested in chatbots, CRM’s, CRM integrations, holistic marketing and they are currently looking for a job.
With a little imagination, you can see how this might populate an interest survey. Additionally, integrations such as Google Analytics (GA) will collect an IP address and your first hop server. In other words, the HubBot has a pretty good chance of knowing where you are and who you are. Conversely, that information is not needed at this point in the process.
Maybe, the most important part of scaling a sales operation is not sales. Tools that create leads and search for new areas to expand are crucial to growth. Chatbots are an opportunity to turn all the No’s into a bunch of little Yes’s. People will engage with a chatbot when they would otherwise exit quickly from an email squeeze popup. Eventually, all the little No’s and Yes’s create a clear picture of your market. Literally, a clear view of the past and present gives you a more accurate view of the future. Yes! Chatbots that will do all of your light work and help you predict the future have finally arrived!
Go to the HubSpot site and try their chatbot here HubSpot.com
