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The era of online payment chatbots has arrived, revolutionizing customer service, providing convenient transactions, and significantly increasing business efficiency, including stimulating spontaneous purchases. Let's explore the possibilities of accepting online payments in messengers and customizing this process, either independently or with the help of third-party specialists.
How and why to accept online payments in messengers?
Chatbots are not new to users who actively use automated systems to get answers and place orders for goods and services. Many potential customers clarify information in advance in a dialog with a chatbot, which is easier and faster than calling a call center or waiting for a connection to an operator. According to a study by Gartner experts, ~85% of customers prefer to communicate independently without involving store or company representatives. In many cases, this is made possible by the widespread availability of smartphones and high-speed Internet. This approach opens up the possibility to consider a chatbot as a full-fledged platform for payment transactions.
Online payments via chatbots: advantages and disadvantages
From the user's point of view, payment via chatbots is convenient and fast: they can make a payment without leaving the messenger. If the user is already registered in the payment system, he or she will be able to make a transaction in just 1-2 clicks. The chatbot is already built into the messenger, so it doesn't need to be installed or configured separately, which increases customer satisfaction and trust in the seller.
The messenger payment system provides businesses with several significant advantages:
- Ease of use: Automatic transaction processing, transparent reporting, and access to payment history provide comfort and efficiency in financial management.
- Universality of application: Accepting payments in messengers can be customized for various types of businesses, including online stores, services, hotel reservations, courier delivery, and other areas of activity, making this tool suitable for a variety of industries.
- Economic benefits: The costs of developing and maintaining a chatbot are small compared to the potential growth in customer activity and the increase in transaction volume, which makes the messenger payment system profitable for businesses.
- Easy implementation: The ability to develop a chatbot independently gives entrepreneurs a flexible tool for integrating payment functions into their business without the need to turn to third-party developers.
There are several notable drawbacks associated with the use of payments in messengers. One of them is that the systems often do not provide the ability to customize the interface design according to user preferences. This means that users cannot customize the appearance of payment processes to suit themselves, which can reduce their usability and attractiveness. In addition, there is a significant number of users who are still unaccustomed to make payments via messengers. This may be due to their caution or preference for using traditional payment methods such as credit cards or bank transfers. Thus, despite the advantages, convenience, and time savings, payments via messengers may still raise doubts among some users
How does online payment acceptance work in messengers?
A payment chatbot is an innovative automated communication environment integrated into various messengers, including Telegram, Facebook, and others. This tool interacts with an online payment system (or online payment system), providing the ability to conduct various financial transactions. To better understand the process of payments through messengers, let's imagine the following scenario: a seller has a specific product or service, for example, an exclusive video course on learning foreign languages. The seller offers this course through their business account on a social network, website, or specialized page. When a potential customer clicks the button to contact, he or she is automatically redirected to the messenger, where a dialog and possibly the purchase process begins. A payment chatbot is not only an automation tool, but also a new approach to the interaction between customers and sellers, providing comfort and convenience in the process of making payments and purchases.
The process is developing according to the following scenario:
- Interacting with interactive features, the user receives additional information about a product or service, which helps them make an informed choice.
- In case of unusual questions, the client can request a conversation with a live operator or leave a request for a callback, if such a function is available.
- When a customer is ready to make a purchase, they select the appropriate option, which allows them to stay in the messenger and proceed directly to the payment process through the connected online payment system.
- If the customer already has an account in the payment system, they just need to log in and click the button to complete the transaction. Sometimes it is necessary to confirm the action with a password or a one-time code.
- If the client does not have an account, you will need to enter payment data, such as bank card details.
- After successful completion of the payment, the client returns to the messenger, where they receive a link to the receipt and other additional materials, such as a link to the paid course or other important materials.
The above example represents only an initial model of interaction, which can be much more complex in reality. Let's say that a customer has familiarized himself with the price of a product and has stopped his activity. In such a situation, a customized chatbot can automatically offer the customer a discount or a loyalty program to attract them back and encourage them to make a purchase. This approach, based on an individualized approach to each customer, increases the likelihood of a successful transaction and effective interaction with the audience.
How to accept online payments in messengers?
The ability to accept payments in messengers can be implemented in various ways, including the involvement of qualified developers, self-customization, or the use of ready-made solutions.
- Setting up payments via API is an ideal solution for projects and online stores that already have their own chatbot. By integrating the functions of accepting payments via the payment service API, you can add this feature directly to the bot. To do this, you need a unique code that the company receives after registering with the chosen payment system. However, it is not always possible to set up this process on your own: it often requires the involvement of specialists or contractors.
- Setting up payment in messengers without using programming is a great alternative for companies that have their own channel or account in a messenger but do not have a chatbot. In this case, the company can easily add a special link or button to the channel interface that activates the payment process. Some payment systems provide special services that can be used to set up this feature in just 15-20 minutes.
- Setting up payment systems in a chatbot using a chatbot builder is the best solution for companies that cannot invite a specialist to customize the payment function. This approach provides various options, including building a chatbot from scratch or adding a payment module to an existing one. Chatbot builders are designed to meet the needs of ordinary users who don't require special programming knowledge to set up and integrate. Many services provide detailed instructions in the form of text and video tutorials. Of course, most builders cost a fee to use.
Conclusion
Payment bots are modern solutions that provide mobile users with convenience and ease of financial transactions. Offering this method of interaction to your customers is becoming an integral part of modern business. Online payment bots not only offer ease of use, but also ensure a quick and efficient transaction, which makes them attractive to modern users. Although the initial investment in developing and launching a bot in a messenger may seem small, it will pay off in the long run through increased spontaneous purchases and higher customer satisfaction. The use of payment bots not only provides convenience and an innovative approach to customer service, but also contributes to the efficiency of the business as a whole.