Facebook Launches Messenger Platform With Chatbots; A Feature That Allows Businesses To Use Facebook as Their Customer Care Service

Companies can now use Facebook Messenger to deliver automated customer support, e-commerce guidance, content and interactive experiences through chatbots. You might be wondering what chatbot is? I also wondered! Lol. According to Wikipedia, A chatterbot (also known as a talkbot, chatbot, Bot, chatterbox, Artificial Conversational Entity) is a computer program which conducts a conversation via auditory or textual methods. Such programs are often designed to engage in small talk with the aim of passing the Turing test by fooling the conversational partner into thinking that the program is a human. However, chatterbots are also used in dialog systems for various practical purposes including customer service or information acquisition. Simply put; chatbots give automated responses to enquires or request put to it, that is why it can be used by business for their customer care services. On stage at F8( where the app was launched), Mark Zuckerberg supported 1-800-Flowers, which is a partner at launch. You can order flowers from 1800Flowers directly within Messenger. "To order from 1800Flowers, you never have to call 1800Flowers again," CEO Mark Zuckerberg joked.

Users can block brands if they do not want to receive further messages from them. Brands can also buy ads that link to Messenger so that users can start a conversation.
Chatting with businesses via bots is not a new trick, but is fast becoming a popular one. Will it serve in term of customer services better than human?