If using a robot to add a personal touch sounds like the biggest oxymoron, hold on tight. An AI assistant may be exactly what your business needs to reach customers on a more personal level.
In a world where personalization has become a major selling point and increased productivity is a major pain point, AI technology has ensured that AI assistants have the potential to connect with customers, even when your workforce is busy or asleep.
There’s no doubt that AI writing assistants to perform various tasks like creating social media posts have become a focal point for individual knowledge workers and company leaders. In fact, recently, I received an email from a marketing leader in which the CEO of a $1B company identified that the use of generative AI and conversational AI must be a focal point for every department.
In this article, we’ll examine how AI assistants and virtual assistant productivity apps can transform your operations and engage customers in a whole new way. We’ll cover everything you need to know about virtual assistants, including 10 of the best options available for different types of businesses.
What does an AI assistant do?
AI assistants can respond to voice and text commands. They can perform tasks like reading text and email messages aloud, sending text messages, taking dictation, placing phone calls, reminding users about appointments, ordering products, managing calendars, and even creating travel itineraries and scheduling meetings.
If an AI assistant is a voice assistant, it doesn’t require a visual cue and can automate, improve, and streamline manual processes with a simple voice command activated by saying Hey Google, or similar. They can also understand voice interaction’s context to create more conversational interplay and have a natural language understanding, too.
What is the best AI assistant?
Siri and Google Assistant currently lead the way, with a monthly average of user figures sitting at over half a billion. However, this doesn’t mean they are the best voice assistant for your needs, just that they are the most utilized.
The best personalized helper will be the one that suits your business and has the AI features you will use the most.
What is the AI in Google Assistant?
The AI in Google Assistant transforms spoken commands or voice queries into actions. The hands free speakers used in Android devices and other devices in the Google ecosystem are ideal for accessibility purposes or multitasking with a busy schedule.
How much does an AI virtual assistant cost?
You can choose between a free plan or paid plans, depending on the digital assistant and its features. The average cost starts at around $20 for a basic plan, and a team plan may be more expensive if you add more users.
What are AI assistants?
AI assistants are also sometimes referred to as digital assistants or voice assistants. They are applications that use natural language processing, natural language generation, Generative AI, and machine learning to interact with humans in a human way. Many businesses are turning to specialized AI development services to create custom AI assistants tailored to their specific industry needs and customer base.
Which is the best AI assistant?
This comes down to user requirements and your business operations.
What is the best AI to use as a personal assistant?
Based on user numbers, Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant are considered the best for personal use.
What is Google’s AI assistant called?
Google’s AI assistant is aptly named Google Assistant.
Top 10 AI Assistants For Business
1. Google Assistant for Business
Features: Voice commands, calendar management and recording task details, email management, task automation, and integration with G Suite and other Google services, making it an ideal choice for users seeking the best AI email assistant.
- Pros: Seamless integration with Google Meet and other services, advanced voice recognition triggered by saying Hey Google, and extensive third-party app support.
- Cons: Limited customization and privacy concerns.
Pricing: Free with a G Suite subscription (starting at $6/user/month).
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses that rely on Google Workspace for collaboration.
2. Microsoft Cortana
Features: Email management, scheduling, reminders, integration with Microsoft Teams and 365, and voice commands.
- Pros: Deep integration with Microsoft 365 and powerful task automation.
- Cons: Limited third-party integration with messaging apps and lesser accuracy compared to competitors.
Pricing: Included with Microsoft 365 subscription (starting at $5/user/month).
Best For: Enterprises and businesses heavily invested in using a Windows operating system and working within the Microsoft ecosystem.
3. Amazon Alexa for Business
Main Features: Voice commands, meeting room management, task automation, integration with AWS and third-party apps.
- Pros: Robust voice recognition, extensive third-party integrations, and customizable skills.
- Cons: Can be expensive with device costs, and concerns over data privacy.
Pricing: A free tier is available, and a paid plan starts at $7/month per shared device and $3/month per enrolled user.
Best For: Businesses looking for voice-enabled office management and those using AWS.
4. IBM Watson Assistant
Main Features: Conversational AI, customer support that creates human like responses, multi-channel integration, analytics, customizable workflows.
- Pros: Highly customizable, powerful analytics, excellent voice interaction, and strong natural language processing.
- Cons: Can be complex to set up and expensive for small businesses with multiple devices in use.
Pricing: Lite plan free; Standard plan starts at $140/month.
Best For: Large enterprises needing advanced customer support and analytics.
5. x.ai
Main Features: Meeting scheduling, calendar integration, team coordination, and email management for every team member.
- Pros: Simplifies scheduling, saves time, and integrates with major calendar systems.
- Cons: Limited to scheduling tasks and has no voice recognition.
Pricing: Professional plan at $8/user/month; Team plan at $12/user/month.
Best For: Professionals and small teams focused on improving scheduling efficiency.
6. Clara
Main Features: Email-based scheduling, setting reminders, calendar management, and meeting coordination.
- Pros: High accuracy in scheduling and reduces back-and-forth emails.
- Cons: Limited to email communication and relatively high cost.
Pricing: Starting at $99/month per user.
Best For: Businesses that require extensive meeting coordination and high-touch scheduling.
7. Salesforce Einstein
Features: CRM integration, predictive analytics, customer insights, and email and calendar management.
- Pros: Powerful CRM capabilities, AI-driven insights, and strong integration with the Salesforce ecosystem.
- Cons: Expensive with a complex setup.
Pricing: Pricing varies; generally starts at $25/user/month with additional AI features at higher tiers.
Best For: Sales and marketing teams using Salesforce CRM.
8. Zoho Zia
Features: CRM integration, sales insights, anomaly detection, and workflow automation.
- Pros: Affordable, integrates well with Zoho suite, and is easy to use.
- Cons: Limited to Zoho ecosystem and less advanced than some competitors.
Pricing: Included with Zoho CRM (starting at $12/user/month).
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses using Zoho CRM.
9. SAP Conversational AI
Features: Chatbot builder, integration with SAP ecosystem, multi-channel support, and analytics.
- Pros: Strong integration with SAP products and powerful automation features for various tasks.
- Cons: Best for SAP users and has a high learning curve.
Pricing: Free tier available with basic AI features; enterprise pricing on request.
Best For: Enterprises using SAP products looking for advanced chatbot capabilities.
10. Drift
Features: Conversational marketing, lead qualification, customer support, and chatbot integration.
- Pros: Effective for marketing and sales, and has robust chatbot capabilities.
- Cons: Can be expensive, primarily focused on marketing and sales.
Pricing: Standard plan starts at $400/month.
Best For: Marketing and sales teams focused on lead generation and customer engagement.
The Use of AI Assistants to improve Service
Virtual assistant technology provides support by collecting information about customers’ issues and directing the client to the appropriate potential solution.
Virtual voice assistants can provide immediate service across a range of touchpoints, too, including apps, social media ads and posts, and websites. Customer information is collected to provide personalization, and an AI virtual assistant can automate mundane, repetitive tasks like tracking queries and issues.
AI virtual assistants can improve responses by learning from past interactions to offer increasingly relevant and accurate assistance. Digital assistants can also predict future trends by making proactive recommendations to customers. What’s more, a Google assistant, for example, can improve agents’ efficiency by providing automation and tools that simplify workflows.
Maximizing Convenience
Artificial intelligence can maximize convenience by meeting customers’ needs for help in getting answers quickly and efficiently. As many as 70% of consumers are willing to pay a little more for convenience, and with a virtual assistant, they won’t have to kill time in interminably long phone queues or wait ages for an email response. Virtual assistants mean that answers to FAQs are almost immediate, and consumers will experience swift resolutions without having to leave your app or website.
If a customer’s problem becomes too complicated for the AI assistant to resolve alone, natural language processing can intelligently hand the issue off to the most appropriate human representative. The agent can then take over from the intelligent virtual assistant in the best medium for the situation, whether live or video chat. Using the AI personal assistant in this way creates a seamless, convenient customer experience that ensures that your clients will receive the best possible service and keep coming back.
Unlike human employees, the best personal digital assistants don’t need time off to schedule appointments or sleep! They are always active and can provide instant help to your clients at any time.
By deploying AI virtual assistants that respond to text and voice commands, you can give your customers engagement and support 24/7.
Personalizing Chats
Nowadays, AI virtual assistants are increasingly being deployed to personalize chats. In the same way that AI chatbots development enhances customer interactions and foster stronger relationships, AI assistants can add a more human touch without feeling like a bot.
Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning, these virtual assistants can understand user preferences, context, and intent, enabling them to tailor responses and recommendations accordingly. Collaborating with an AI development company can help businesses create customized virtual assistants tailored to their specific industry needs and customer base.
The use of AI writing assistants can also help personalize chats and customer interactions and create content that aligns with customer preferences and requests. FlyEngage is an excellent way to use an AI writing assistant to your advantage here, as it allows you to engage with your audience in a natural and authentic way to build stronger, more personal relationships.
24/7 Service and Support
A virtual assistant offering 24/7 service and support is a pivotal asset in today’s digital landscape, ensuring continuous accessibility for users across different time zones and schedules.
Leveraging advanced AI technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning, these virtual assistants provide round-the-clock support through various channels, including chat, voice, and email.
One of the primary advantages of a virtual assistant providing 24/7 service and support is its ability to ensure availability and accessibility for users at any time of the day or night.
Unlike traditional customer service channels that operate within specific business hours, virtual assistants are always accessible, allowing users to seek assistance and resolve queries whenever they arise, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Smooth Interactions
Through automation and AI-driven algorithms, virtual assistants efficiently handle a wide range of inquiries and tasks, including answering frequently asked questions, providing product information, troubleshooting technical issues, and processing transactions.
By automating routine tasks, virtual assistants reduce response times, increase efficiency, and free up human agents to focus on more complex tasks and high-value interactions.
Moreover, virtual assistants leverage NLP to understand user queries and context, enabling seamless and intuitive interactions through chat or voice commands. Users can communicate with virtual assistants using natural language, making inquiries, or requesting assistance using conversational AI in a manner similar to interacting with a human agent.
In addition, virtual assistants offering 24/7 service and support play a crucial role in enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction by providing consistent and reliable assistance across different channels. Whether resolving issues, answering questions, or guiding users through self-service options, virtual assistants ensure a seamless and uninterrupted experience, regardless of the time or day.
AI virtual assistants can integrate with other systems and platforms, such as CRM software, helpdesk solutions, and b2b e-commerce platforms, into the bargain. This streamlines workflows and provides personalized assistance based on user history and preferences.
By leveraging data analytics and machine learning algorithms, virtual assistants can anticipate user needs, personalize interactions, and deliver proactive support, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Implementing Automation
Virtual web assistants are becoming the best tool for quickly automating day to day tasks. With their built-in AI prompts, they can help you handle almost anything efficiently.
AI virtual assistants are changing automation by making it possible for businesses to automate administrative tasks quickly and easily. They can be used to do many different jobs automatically, like setting up meetings, answering customer service calls, and getting your to-do list done.
Artificial intelligence assistants could change the way automation is done because they make chores easier and take less time. By automating simple, repetitive tasks, business owners can free up their workers to work on more important and complex tasks.
Businesses can be more efficient and productive with the help of AI features in digital assistants that give them correct and up-to-date information using conversational AI.
Furthermore, AI helpers are being used to resolve customer service questions without human interaction. AI assistants can quickly and correctly answer customer questions, which helps companies provide better customer service. An AI virtual assistant can help companies figure out what their customers want and give them personalized suggestions.
AI assistants are being used to do business work for people too. AI assistants can help companies find potential customers and send them content that is useful to them. In addition, Google Assistant, for example, can look at data about customers and give you information about how they act. This can help companies improve their marketing and get a better return on investment.
AI assistants can help automate jobs because they can understand NLP and how to list what they are told. An AI personal or AI virtual assistant app can understand what we want and give it to us. They can be used to do boring things automatically, like making meetings, sending emails, and setting alarms. AI assistants can also be used to do more complicated jobs automatically, like analyzing data and understanding natural language.
How AI Assistants Streamline Workflows & Improve Efficiency
AI virtual assistants revolutionize workflow management, enhancing efficiency across diverse sectors. Leveraging advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence, they automate repetitive tasks, optimize resource allocation, and enhance decision-making processes.
By automating mundane tasks like data entry, scheduling, task management, and document processing, an AI virtual assistant frees up valuable time for employees to focus on strategic initiatives. This streamlines workflows, reduces human error, and increases productivity.
Additionally, AI personal assistants facilitate seamless communication and collaboration. They integrate with communication platforms, manage emails, and schedule meetings, ensuring efficient information exchange and coordination among team members. This fosters collaboration, accelerates project management timelines, and improves overall workflow efficiency.
What’s more, the best AI streamlines customer interactions, improving service quality and satisfaction. It handles inquiries, provides personal recommendations, and resolves issues promptly. This reduces response times, enhances customer experiences, and fosters long-term loyalty.
On top of that, AI assistants optimize resource allocation by analyzing information and predicting customers’ future needs. They track inventory levels, forecast demand, and make the best of supply chain operations, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency.
Utilizing AI Virtual Assistant Insights for Improved Customization
Utilizing AI insights for improved customization involves leveraging AI virtual assistants to gather and analyze data, enhancing personalization in various sectors. These assistants, equipped with advanced algorithms and voice recognition technology, provide tailored recommendations and services based on user preferences and behavior.
e-Commerce
In the realm of e-commerce, AI virtual assistants analyze customer interactions and purchase histories to recommend products suited to individual tastes. Understanding voice commands and employing automatic speech recognition offers a seamless shopping experience, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Marketing
AI insights enable personalized marketing strategies as virtual assistants analyze consumer data to target advertisements effectively. By understanding key points in customer behavior and preferences, businesses can tailor their marketing campaigns, improving conversion rates and maximizing ROI.
Finance
AI virtual assistants assist customers with financial planning and investment decisions. They analyze market trends and customer portfolios using AI tools and artificial intelligence to provide personalized investment advice and strategies. A voice assistant enables users to easily access financial information and execute transactions, enhancing convenience and accessibility.
Telecommunications
AI-powered virtual assistants optimize customer service in the telecommunications industry into the bargain. By analyzing call data and customer inquiries, they offer personalized support and troubleshooting, improving customer satisfaction and reducing churn rates.
Hospitality
In the hospitality sector, AI virtual assistants enhance guest experiences by customizing services and recommendations. They understand guest preferences through text and speech recognition and provide tailored suggestions for dining, entertainment, and activities. Smart home devices integrated with virtual assistants offer additional convenience, allowing guests to control room amenities through voice commands.
Utilizing AI insights for improved customization empowers businesses to deliver individualized experiences across various sectors. By leveraging AI virtual assistants and their advanced capabilities, organizations can optimize customer interactions, drive sales, and foster long-term relationships with their clientele.
AI Virtual Assistants: Nurturing Leads & Existing Customers
The best AI personal assistant will help you create targeted campaigns to boost your business. You’ll be able to develop targeted, lead-nurturing campaigns that speak to the needs and interests of the leads because you’re taking the time to care for them. This will strengthen your relationship with leads and existing customers because it demonstrates that you know what their needs are. This increases the chances of them becoming loyal, paying customers.
As many as 80% of consumers are more likely to buy after a campaign that has been hyper-personalized is launched. So you’re more likely to get a lead response when you send out personalized emails, and your AI virtual assistant can do this for you. What’s more, the best AI assistants can base the personalized email on the specific interests and needs of each of your leads.
Your AI personal assistant can also help you identify problem areas in your business model. The best AI that nurtures leads can help you better understand your customers’ issues by engaging with them and asking the right questions.
Using the information gathered this way, you will see specific content catering to clients’ needs being produced. You’ll be able to provide a customized set of solutions that solve the problems your leads are facing.
Your AI assistant can also boost lead generation from new prospects and referrals. This kind of lead nurturing can bring in new visitors to your website and provide new leads while you’re already emailing lists of existing customers. In the case of a hyper-personalized email, you’ll also usually find that your leads will forward your mail to coworkers and friends, thereby extending your reach and possibly drawing in more customers.
Your AI virtual assistant for lead nurturing will ensure that interesting material and experiences are produced for all your tasks for potential and existing customers. This will keep them engaged, and your conversion rates may be boosted.
Get The AI Advantage – Final Thoughts
In today’s digitally disrupted world, AI voice assistants can be used for everything from opening games in web browsers to making shopping lists and turning on the lights. But they really display their potential in the business sector. You can also hire an AI assistant development company to harness this potential and transform how businesses operate, making processes more efficient and customer interactions more seamless.
Leveraging AI virtual assistant apps will infuse your business operations with a personal touch, something that is highly effective in our modern digital world. By harnessing the power of Generative AI Development Services and AI technology, businesses can enhance customer interactions, streamline processes, and deliver tailored experiences that resonate with individual preferences and needs.
Whether through personalized recommendations, streamlined communication, or intuitive support, virtual web assistants enable businesses to forge deeper connections with their customers. This ultimately fosters loyalty and drives success in an increasingly competitive market landscape.
As AI continues to evolve and innovate, embracing its capabilities to humanize business interactions will undoubtedly remain a cornerstone of successful customer engagement strategies in the future.
