We already know that conversational user interfaces (CUIs) are an important opportunity for businesses, but we still have a ways to go to make interacting with a CUI a delightful experience. Today, most voice or chatbot interactions are very mechanical and their usefulness is limited to functional requests. With smart speakers and chatbots growing at the rate they are, it’s important that businesses consider these technologies as a primary digital touchpoint for their customers versus a quick add on to their existing digital experiences.
So, in a world where we are all asking our devices for support, how can brands create meaningful and differentiated experiences that deliver on their brand promise and personality?
Getting your CUI to sound more human
I believe conversational user interfaces (like a good friend) can connect at a personal level and build truly deep relationships between people and brands. Voice and chat are unique digital touchpoints where the brand’s persona can really shine. With that in mind, it’s important to think of these interactions as human interactions. If the brand was a person I was meeting for the first time, what would my impression be? What would this person sound like? How would talking to them make me feel? Are they curious, helpful, insightful? Getting these details right can be the difference between a trusting relationship and one that is cut short.
The answer to creating a good CUI lies in understanding the challenges we need to overcome designing for voice and chat. When my team and I were working with RBC VoiceLabs, we developed some design principles that helped us tackle the challenges of a CUI.
The challenges of a conversational user interface
With web design, the interface is visual, providing graphic cues, imagery, and navigation. If done well, this reduces the cognitive load for the viewer by creating a fixed framework in which they can move about. In a conversation there is no interface, meaning the customer needs to create a mental model of navigation. This requires a much greater cognitive effort from the customer.
The fact that there is no interface makes CUI a challenging concept, but if we think of user interfaces historically, two come to mind for me: books and storytelling. In both instances, what makes a great story or storyteller, is the ability to present information in a way that allows you, the recipient, to build a mental image. Since there are no visuals, the images are created in your mind, and as new pieces of information are presented or revealed your understanding of the picture evolves. Because of this, the pacing of information can either hinder or aid a listeners ability to understand and create an accurate mental image.
CUIs are no different than a good story. I’d like to propose that we approach CUIs from the perspective of ‘what makes for an effective conversation’. Think of your CUI as a support agent, a brand ambassador, and an assistant all in one. Ask yourself, what are the attributes that make for effective, memorable, and even delightful conversation, and how would it sound coming from your brand? If you can figure this out, then you’ll be able to create a CUI that truly engages with your customers and guides them to what they’re looking for with ease.
Three things that make a great conversational user interface
The following three principles are necessary in a CUI for the conversation to feel natural and conversational. In my next article, I’ll talk more about experience principles that will aid in creating a delightful interaction, but it’s important to first get these core capabilities down pat. These lay the groundwork for starting a conversation and building a relationship with your customer.
1) Navigating a CUI
Like I mentioned above, CUIs have no physical interface for a user to interact with, making it difficult for someone to know what they can actually get out of the technology. Additionally, voice and chatbot technology is new and completely foreign to many people, so figuring out how to begin navigating the technology to find the right information is a pretty daunting task. A good CUI should take this into account when starting an interaction with someone so that they can get the most out of the conversation.
When you design your conversational user interface, make sure you keep the customer relationship status in mind. With a strong customer profile, your CUI can pick up where the conversation left off, or strike up new conversations based on past interactions.
There can be multiple ways customers can interact with your CUI, including:
First-time user experience (don’t know the customer)
Welcome back messages (know the customer)
Introduction/promotion of new products/services
Introduction of products/services related to a line of questioning
To help illustrate the above, here are a few examples taken from our project with RBC VoiceLabs. The project was a CUI that would help welcome new immigrants to Canada by orienting them with RBC’s financial services and resources through a product called ‘Arrive’. If you’re interested in learning more about Arrive and the tools and resources they provide, you can check out their blog here.
Good Examples
First-time experience: Hi, welcome to Arrive. I can guide you on questions around finding a job, a place to stay, budgeting and much more. How can I help?
Welcome back experience: Hi, welcome back Maria. Before we get started, I just want to let you know that we recently launched a new High-Interest Savings Account. Since you asked about investments last time we spoke, I thought you might be interested.
Poor Examples
First-time Experience: Hi, welcome to Arrive. How can I help?
Welcome back experience: I can guide you on questions around finding a job, a place to stay, budgeting and much more. How can I help?
2) Personalizing a CUI
Having to repeat and explain yourself in every separate interaction you have can make you feel like you are not being heard. When was the last time you had a conversation with someone, and the next day they forgot all the details? It’s hard to build a relationship that way.
If we want to build relationships with our customers we need to show them that we are listening. In order to do this with a conversational user interface, we need to build and maintain a customer profile. The more we know about a customer the more in tune with them we can become.
You can then use this customer profile to better tune the way the CUI interacts with a customer. With a strong customer profile, your CUI can pick up where the conversation left off, or strike up new conversations based on past interactions.
3) Teaching a CUI to really listen
Ever feel like you and the person you’re talking to are speaking two completely different languages? Aside from a literal language difference, we all have ranges in our vocabulary that can affect how we understand one another. Some of us are verbose in our language while others are short and concise. A lot can be communicated in the way something is said. Chances are if I respond to your questions in single word answers I may be in a rush, or preoccupied with other activities.
It’s important to meet people where they’re at emotionally to create reciprocity and likeness with the customer. CUI experiences can do this by matching the vocabulary, cadence, and details of a customer’s language.
Good Examples
Client (verbose): Hi, I think I need help finding a job and a place, but I don’t know where to start.
RBC Voice: Finding a job is a great place to start. I’m here to make that easy for you. What kind of job are you looking for?
Client (analytical): I need a job and a place.
RBC Voice: What kind of job are you looking for?
Poor Examples
Client (verbose): Hi, I think I need help finding a job and a place, but I don’t know where to start.
RBC Voice: What kind of job are you looking for?
Client (analytical): I need a job and a place.
RBC Voice: Finding a job is a great place to start. I’m here to make that easy for you. What kind of job are you looking for?
Up Next
In the next, and final article of this series, I’m going to highlight some additional design principles that build on top of the three essential ones I just covered. These principles will showcase the types of customer interactions that are possible with a CUI and are what will bring your CUI to life.
