Your customers expect instant, seamless communication. We all recognise it, yet our path towards seamlessness can vary.
Messaging apps have become the primary way they interact with businesses, making it crucial for companies to establish a strong presence in these channels. As you consider your options, one critical decision looms: Do you build your chatbot in-house, or do you partner with experts who specialise in conversational AI?
Building a chatbot in-house might seem like the ultimate power move. After all, who knows your business better than you do? But before you start pulling your team together for that monumental task, let me paint a picture of what’s really at stake.
In this blog post, you'll get answers to some of the critical questions you might be grappling with, including:
- What are the key challenges of building an in-house chatbot?
- How do high development costs and extended time-to-market affect the success of chatbot deployment?
- What are the risks of talent shortages in developing and maintaining chatbots?
- What are the benefits of partnering with an expert vendor for chatbot development?
- How can partnering with a vendor accelerate time-to-market for a chatbot?
- Why is partnering with a conversational designer crucial for creating an effective chatbot?
High development costs and time-to-market: Developing a chatbot in-house sounds good on paper, but the reality? It’s a beast. Nearly 70% of respondents to the S&P Global survey expressed that they are facing high costs and delays, with many companies struggling to move beyond the pilot phase. The problem isn’t just financial—outdated data infrastructure and unprepared IT systems are major roadblocks. Companies are finding that their data is scattered, unorganised, and not ready for conversational AI, leading to delays and added complexity.
In-house development can quickly become a costly, time-consuming endeavour that leaves you with a solution that’s outdated before it even launches.
Maintenance and scalability challenges: Let’s say you’ve conquered the first hurdle. Your chatbot is live, and it’s… okay. Now comes the fun part: keeping it relevant. Remember, conversational AI isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of deal. It needs constant nurturing, updates, and enhancements to stay sharp. This is especially true when dealing with advanced technologies like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs), which power much of the chatbot’s ability to understand and respond to user inputs.
By now, it’s clear to everyone that with the hype around LLMs (GenAI) skyrocketing, this technology is evolving faster than ever. As these models evolve, so do the demands on your system. Many businesses admit they struggle to scale their conversational AI and GenAI solutions post-launch, particularly as NLP and LLMs require ongoing fine-tuning and retraining to maintain accuracy and effectiveness. You built this thing for customer service, but now your marketing team wants in on the action, and suddenly, you’re looking at a mountain of new requirements. Your team is already stretched thin, and now they’re drowning in maintenance work—trying to keep the chatbot up-to-date with the latest language models while also integrating new features and use cases.
Talent shortages: Here’s another twist in the plot: finding the right people to build and maintain your chatbot. Spoiler alert: it’s tough. Nearly 80% of companies report difficulties in hiring qualified AI talent. And let’s face it—IT resources are always the bottleneck in most companies.
Any improvement that requires IT involvement can quickly become a roadblock. You might have a rockstar team, but do they have the chops to navigate the complexities of conversational AI? Do they have the experience? If not, you’re left with a solution that’s outdated before it even sees the light of day—or worse, one that never fully realises its potential.
Accelerated time-to-market: Imagine shaving 40-60% off your time-to-market. That’s what companies partnering with the right conversational AI vendors are doing. While your competitors are stuck in development limbo, you’re already live, capturing leads, engaging customers, and driving revenue. Speed is key, and teaming up with a seasoned partner gives you the agility to not just keep up but to lead.
Access to specialised expertise: Let’s talk about expertise. When you partner with a vendor, you’re tapping into a goldmine of knowledge. Businesses that work with conversational AI vendors report improved solution performance and higher customer satisfaction. Experts from conversational designers to front-end engineers have seen it all—they know what works, what doesn’t, and how to make your chatbot not just good, but exceptional. They’re not just building a bot, but rather a future-proof solution tailored to your specific needs.
Future-proofing through innovation: By partnering with the right vendor, you’re not just buying a product—you’re investing in innovation. Companies that collaborate with conversational AI vendors are more likely to stay ahead of the curve by utilising GenAI for more business functions. For starters, GenAI high performers are using GenAI for an average of three business functions, while others are using it for less than two. Think about it—while others are scrambling to catch up, you’re already on to the next big thing, thanks to a partner who’s as committed to your success as you are.
Conversational designers possess the expertise to create chatbots that understand how to speak with your customers while embracing the values and knowledge of your organisation. At Hubtype, we bring together a team of experts who are passionate about conversational AI and have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this space. What this allows is an opportunity to tailor solutions to meet the specific needs of your company, ensuring that your chatbot is a step ahead of the competition.
Whether it’s reducing time-to-market, improving customer engagement, or future-proofing your conversational AI strategy, our solutions are designed to grow with your business, offering scalability, and flexibility that keep you at the forefront of the industry.
Making the smart choice
Building a chatbot in-house is a risky, resource-intensive endeavour that could leave you struggling to keep up with an ever-changing landscape. On the flip side, partnering with an expert vendor like Hubtype gives you the tools, expertise, and agility to not just compete but to dominate in the world of conversational AI.
The stakes are high, and the pace of change is relentless. But with the right partner by your side, you can turn these challenges into opportunities, delivering exceptional experiences that keep your customers coming back for more. Don’t just build a chatbot—build a future-proof solution with a partner who’s as committed to your success as you are. The choice is yours.
Speak with an expert today about crafting a custom beyond text and AI chatbot solution that accelerates your time-to-market boosts customer loyalty, and keeps your company ahead of the curve in the rapidly advancing world of conversational AI.
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