Internet robots or bots are known by many names — bots, spiders, web bots, robots, and crawlers. What they all have in common is that they are software applications or scripts. Where they differ is in the tasks that they perform.
The purpose of bots is very simple: to quickly complete repetitive jobs. As an IT professional you are more than familiar with bots. You encounter them in a range of applications from computer viruses to search engine spiders.
Some bots are used to handle a variety of customer service requests, which would normally require a telephone call to a human agent. Other bots can help schedule your meetings for you. Bots not only perform tasks, they can also drive revenue.
Revenue opportunities relating to bots include:
Subscriptions: The subscription business model is currently the most common way that bots in a work environment drive revenue. In this model, the bot provides an ongoing service that the user subscribes to and pays for.
Ad Serving: Bots are in a unique position when it comes to ads as they can build a personal relationship with the user, as well as collect a lot of personal information that can contribute to more personal and fine-tuned ads that lead to better click through rate.
Data: Bots can collect a great deal of data from users. Through engaging in a conversation or playing a game, bots can learn about user preferences and interests.
Sales: Bots can also become the channel in which you sell goods and services. These can be tangible goods that the bot sells directly in chat, or a service that the bot exposes through chat.
In the future bots will not only become a way to generate revenue, they will also transform web and mobile business. Now is the perfect time for your organization to look into the power and potential of bots.