This report is a collaboration between Drift, SurveyMonkey
Audience, Salesforce, and myclever. We've teamed up to
shed some light on how chatbots are changing the way
people buy from and communicate with businesses.
The survey referenced throughout this report was conducted
using SurveyMonkey Audience from October 30 through
November 6, 2017 in the United States with a sample of 1,051
adults ages 18-64. The sample was balanced by age and
gender according to the US Census and is representative of
the adult online population.
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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00 Introduction: Rise of the Chatbots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

01 The Problems With Traditional Online Experiences . . . . . . .

02 Chatbots: Predicted Uses and Potential Benefits . . . . . . . .

03 Blockers to Using Chatbots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

04 Chatbots vs. Other Communication Channels . . . . . . . . . . .
05 Conclusion & Key Takeaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Table of Contents
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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00
Introduction: Rise of the Chatbots
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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The way people communicate with
businesses has been evolving at a
rapid pace.
For years, in-person meetings and
phone calls were the dominant
means of communication. Then, with
the rise of the internet, a multitude of
new options became available, from
email, to social media, to mobile apps,
to filling out a form on a website and
waiting for a follow-up.
More recently, the rise of real-time
messaging has led to a fundamental
shift in how people prefer to connect
with businesses.
Drift's State of Conversational
Marketing report, for example, found
that people from all 195 countries are
using online chat to start
conversations on business websites.
And that includes people who work at
companies of every size, sector, and
nearly every industry, as well as key
decision-makers (41% of people
starting online chat conversations
with businesses are executives).
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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59%
41%
What all of these communication
channels have had in common,
including online chat, is that they've
traditionally relied on humans to do
the communicating.
But now that chatbots have arrived on
the scene, this dynamic is starting to
change.
Chatbot | noun.
A computer program designed to
simulate conversation with human
users, especially over the internet.
Many chatbots rely on artificial
intelligence (AI) in order to simulate
how humans communicate. More
specifically, intelligent chatbots often
rely on machine learning, which is
when a computer program can
automatically improve with
experience, as well as natural
language processing (NLP), which is
when machine learning is applied to
the problem of simulating human-
produced text and language.
And while chatbots have been in
development since the 1950s, only in
recent years have businesses started
using them for communicating with
customers and potential customers.
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
0.6
Telephone
EmailWebsite
Face-to-face
Online chatMobile app
Social mediaChatbots
Other
2%
15%
28%
30%
38%
39%
54%
60%
60%
Business Communication Channels
How have you communicated with businesses in the past 12 months?
7
In our survey, we found that 15% of consumers have used
chatbots to communicate with businesses in the past 12
months.
While that's one quarter of the amount who've used phone
and email to communicate with businesses over the same
time period, it's still a significant number. And in the months
and years to come, we expect that number to grow
considerably.
Keep reading to find out why.
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01
The Problems With Traditional
Online Experiences
2018 State of Chatbots Report
9
Just like any emerging technology, chatbots will only become
widely adopted if it's shown that they can solve real
problems. Otherwise, the novelty will eventually wear off.
So in order to better understand where the opportunity lies
for chatbots, we asked our 1,000+ survey participants to think
about the online services they use today, such as search
engines, product/service websites, and mobile apps. Then
we asked them:
What frustrations have you experienced with these online
services in the past month?
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
10%
16%
18%
22%
23%
24%
26%
27%
28%
31%
34%
Problems With Traditional Online Experiences
What frustrations have you experienced in the past month?
Sites hard to navigate
Can't get answers to simple questions
Basic details about a business are hard to find
Takes too long to find services
Poorly designed smartphone apps
Search options on a brand's website not useful
Services not accessible on mobile devices
Poor quality online forms
Services feel impersonal
Brand is unresponsive on Twitter
No service outside normal operating hours
11
The most common frustrations reported by consumers
included websites being hard to navigate (34%), not being
able to get answers to simple questions (31%), and basic
details about a business -- like address, hours of operations,
and phone number -- being hard to find (28%).
The takeaway: The online experiences businesses are
providing no longer match the way people prefer to buy.
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In the on-demand, real-time world we live in, where
everything seems to be just one click away, consumers
expect to be able to find the information they're looking for
quickly and easily.
When they can't, they get frustrated, and could end up
turning to competitors who are providing the type of online
experience they're looking for.
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02
Chatbots: Predicted Uses and
Potential Benefits
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Now that we understand the main problems consumers have
with traditional online experiences, let's look at if (and how)
chatbots can actually solve these problems.
Predicted Uses
In our survey, we provided a brief description of how
chatbots work and the types of tasks brands and businesses
use them for. Then we asked our participants:
What do you predict you would use a chatbot for?
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
Getting a quick answer in an emergency
Resolving a complaint or problem
Getting detailed answers or explanations
Finding a human customer service assistant
Making a reservation (e.g. restaurant or hotel)
Paying a bill
Buying a basic item
Getting ideas and inspiration for purchases
Adding yourself to a mailing list or news service
Communicating with multiple brands using one program
(none of these things)
Buying an expensive item
0.4
13%
14%
18%
22%
22%
27%
29%
33%
34%
35%
35%
37%
Predicted Use Cases for Chatbots
What do you predict you would use a chatbot for?
16
The most common predicted uses for chatbots that
consumers reported included getting quick answers to
questions in an emergency (37%), resolving a complaint or
problem (35%), and getting detailed answers or explanations
(35%).
It's also worth noting that 34% of consumers predicted that
they'd use chatbots as a means for getting connected with a
human.
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The takeaway: There's alignment between consumers'
frustrations and their predicted use cases for chatbots.
Consumers want to be able to use chatbots to surface
information and get answers quickly and easily.
And if a chatbot doesn't have all the answers, consumers
would like that chatbot to be able to connect them with a
human.
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Potential Benefits
Beyond how consumers predict they'll use chatbots, we also
wanted to know about the specific benefits they think
chatbots will be able to provide. So we asked our survey
participants the following question:
If chatbots were available (and working effectively) for the
online services that you use, which of these benefits would
you expect to enjoy?
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
8%
32%
35%
37%
43%
43%
51%
55%
55%
64%
Potential Benefits of Chatbots
If chatbots were available (and working effectively) for the online services that
you use, which of these benefits would you expect to enjoy?
24 hour service
Getting an instant response
Answers to simple questions
Easy communication
Complaints resolved quickly
A good customer experience
Detailed / expert answers
Answers to complex questions
Friendliness and approachability
(none of these)
(none of these)
20
By far, the most common potential benefit of chatbots that
consumers pointed to was the ability to get 24-hour service
(64%). That was followed by getting instant responses to
inquiries (55%), and getting answers to simple questions
(55%).
The takeaway: It's clear that consumers see chatbots as
being able to provide that real-time, on-demand experience
that they've been craving.
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However, that doesn't mean chatbots are poised to replace
humans. Because when it comes to getting expert answers,
answers to detailed questions, and overall friendliness/
approachability, chatbots ranked much lower. Those are
areas where humans will continue to shine.
Potential Benefits: Millennials vs.
Baby Boomers
Here's something that might surprise you: The benefits of
chatbots that consumers expect to enjoy don't vary too
widely between age groups. More specifically, it isn't just
young people who see the potential benefits of chatbots.
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
24 hour service
Getting an instant response
Answers to simple questions
Easy communication
Complaints resolved quickly
A good customer experience
Detailed / expert answers
Answers to complex questions
Friendliness and approachability
(none of these)
0.7
13%
29%
38%
36%
38%
46%
52%
64%
61%
58%
5%
33%
33%
37%
45%
38%
48%
52%
51%
66%
Millennials
Baby Boomers
Potential Benefits of Chatbots
Millennials vs. Baby Boomers
23
When we compared responses from Millennials (age 18-34)
and Baby Boomers (age 55+), we found that Baby Boomers
were 24% more likely to to expect benefits from chatbots in
five of the nine categories we looked at.
The takeaway: Chatbots aren't just for Millennials. This a
technology that has the potential to improve online
experiences for all consumers, regardless of age.
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03
Blockers to Using Chatbots
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Despite the many uses and benefits that consumers predict
chatbots will be able to provide, the mass adoption of
chatbots isn't a foregone conclusion.
Especially when you consider how new the technology is, it''s
understandable that consumers would have some concerns.
So, we felt it was important for us to ask our survey
participants the following question:
What would stop you from using a chatbot?
2018 State of Chatbots Report
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
3%
15%
24%
26%
27%
30%
43%
I'd prefer to deal with a real-life assistant
I'd worry about it making a mistake
If I could only access it through Facebook
I'd prefer to use a normal website
If it wasn't able to 'chat' in a friendly manner
Nothing would stop me from using a chatbot
Other
Nothing would stop me from using a chatbot
Other
Potential Blockers to Using Chatbots
What would stop you from using a chatbot?
27
The most common potential blockers to using chatbots that
consumers reported included preferring to deal with a human
instead (43%), worrying about the chatbot making a mistake,
such as during a purchase or while making a reservation
(30%), and being locked into using chatbots only through
Facebook (27%).
However, it's also worth noting that 15% of consumers said
nothing would stop them from using chatbots. And that figure
was consistent across all age groups.
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The takeaway: Not all consumers are ready to abandon
human-to-human interactions entirely, and some aren't sure
they trust the technology to perform certain tasks without
making mistakes.
Also, if consumers could only access a chatbot through a
specific social network, that could be a deterrent to adoption.
But here's the thing: As a business, it doesn't have to be
either/or
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You can use chatbots where they make sense (e.g., for
providing quick answers to simple questions) and then have
humans step in when they're needed.
What's more, you don't have to rely on a specific social
network like Facebook in order to provide customers and
potential customers with access to a chatbot. These days,
you can have chatbots operating directly on your website,
and you can use hyperlinks to make it easy for people to
trigger chatbot conversations from any social network.
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04
Chatbots vs. Other
Communication Channels
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While not all consumers are ready to trust chatbots entirely,
most still acknowledge that chatbots are poised to provide
several benefits that can enhance their online experiences.
And it's clear that one of the major benefits consumers see
when it comes to using chatbots is speed:
They believe that chatbots will be able to respond to their
inquiries more quickly.
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From a business perspective, there's a massive upside to
providing speedy response times. As research from
InsideSales.com and the Harvard Business Review shows,
even if you wait just five minutes to respond after a lead first
reaches out, there's a 10x decrease in your odds of actually
getting in touch with that lead.
After 10 minutes, there's a 400% decrease in your odds of
qualifying that lead.
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So as part of our survey, we wanted to see how expected
response times for chatbots compared to expected response
times for other communication channels. The question we
asked:
How soon would you expect to get a response on each of
these communication channels?
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
Response Time by Communication Channel
How soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?
0.8
Online chatChatbotsFace-to-face
Telephone
Apps
Social mediaWeb form
Email
Letter
16%
27%
34%
40%
55%
64%
73%
75%
77%
Instant Response
35
2018 State of Chatbots Report
Response Time by Communication Channel
How soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?
0.7
Online chatChatbotsFace-to-face
Telephone
Apps
Social mediaWeb form
Email
Letter
24%
62%
52%
50%
37%
31%
20%
19%
18%
Within 24 hours
36
2018 State of Chatbots Report
Response Time by Communication Channel
How soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?
0.6
Online chatChatbotsFace-to-face
Telephone
Apps
Social mediaWeb form
Email
Letter
60%
12%
14%
9%
8%
5%
7%
7%
5%
After 24 hours
37
Ultimately, consumers expect to get instant responses from
online chat more than any other channel (77%), but chatbots
came in a close second (75%), and were followed by face-to-
face meetings (73%).
Meanwhile, email (62%), web forms (52%), and social media
(50%), were the top channels when it came to expecting
responses within 24 hours, and letters were far and away the
number one channel when it came to expecting responses
after 24 hours (60%).
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The takeaway: Online chat is the channel that most
consumers expect a real-time response from. However,
chatbots came in a close second -- higher than face-to-face,
telephone, or apps.
And here's something to consider: As a business, by using
online chat in combination with chatbots, you can deliver
response times and resolve issues faster than ever before.
When employees are online, they can take the lead in
responding to incoming chats. But if chat volume gets too
high, or if there are no employees online at the moment,
chatbots can step in to assist so your response times don't
suffer.
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In addition to looking at response times, we also wanted to
see how chatbots compared to more traditional business
communication channels in terms of perceived benefits.
Specifically, we wanted to hone in on how chatbots
compared to apps, email, and phone calls.
So we asked our survey participants:
Which of these benefits do you most associate with
communicating with businesses and organizations?
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2018 State of Chatbots Report
Quick answers to simple questions
Getting 24 hour service
Convenience for you
Quick answers to complex questions
Ease of communication
Ability to easily register a complaint
Getting detailed / expert answers
A good customer experience
Friendliness and approachability
Having a complaint resolved quickly
None of these
0.7
7%
18%
22%
30%
27%
24%
41%
28%
57%
54%
51%
6%
15%
22%
28%
28%
33%
35%
38%
53%
62%
69%
Chatbots
Apps
Chatbots vs. Apps
Which of these benefits do you most associate
with communicating with businesses?
41
2018 State of Chatbots Report
Quick answers to simple questions
Getting 24 hour service
Convenience for you
Quick answers to complex questions
Ease of communication
Ability to easily register a complaint
Getting detailed / expert answers
A good customer experience
Friendliness and approachability
Having a complaint resolved quickly
None of these
0.7
5%
27%
19%
25%
41%
36%
49%
29%
51%
38%
33%
6%
15%
22%
28%
28%
33%
35%
38%
53%
62%
69%
Chatbots
Email
Chatbots vs. Email Which of these benefits do you most associate
with communicating with businesses?
42
2018 State of Chatbots Report
Quick answers to simple questions
Getting 24 hour service
Convenience for you
Quick answers to complex questions
Ease of communication
Ability to easily register a complaint
Getting detailed / expert answers
A good customer experience
Friendliness and approachability
Having a complaint resolved quickly
None of these
0.7
3%
35%
40%
43%
51%
35%
52%
56%
47%
31%
63%
6%
15%
22%
28%
28%
33%
35%
38%
53%
62%
69%
Chatbots
Phone
Chatbots vs. Phone Which of these benefits do you most associate
with communicating with businesses?
43
The takeaway: Chatbots are the new apps, but they've yet to
completely replace the need for phone and email when it
comes to communicating with businesses.
Consumers preferred chatbots over apps in five of the ten
benefit categories we looked at, which included not only
getting quick answers to simple questions and 24-hour
service, but also getting quick answers to complex questions
and getting detailed/expert answers.
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When it came to email, consumers once again preferred
chatbots in the categories related to speedy response times
(re: quick answers, 24-hour service). However, email had a
definitive edge when it came to getting detailed/expert
answers.
It's a similar story when we look at chatbots vs. phone calls,
although in this case it's notable that consumers also
preferred using the phone for getting quick answers to
complex questions. Email and phone were also considered
superior when it came to ease of communication, as well as
registering complaints and getting them resolved in a timely
fashion.
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One way businesses can make up for these perceived
limitations of chatbots: Have chatbots give consumers the
option of being able to send an email or schedule a call if
that's how they'd prefer to communicate. Because especially
when dealing with complex technical issues, hopping on the
phone with an engineer is likely going to be the better option.
While chatbots have a lot to offer in terms improving online
experiences, they can't replace the human touch.
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05
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
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These days, consumers expect to be
able to find the information they're
looking for online quickly and easily.
And when a business can't provide
that type of experience, they become
frustrated.
Chatbots are poised to ease these
frustrations by providing the real-time,
on-demand approach that consumers
are seeking out.
The top three potential benefits of
chatbots that consumers reported in
our survey:
1. 24-hour service (64%)
2. instant responses (55%)
3. answers to simple questions (55%)
And that's true across all age groups.
It's not just Millennials who see the
potential benefits of chatbots.
In fact, Baby Boomers were 24%
more likely to to expect benefits from
chatbots in five of the nine categories
we looked at compared to their
Millennial counterparts.
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However, chatbots -- like all
technologies -- aren't without their
limitations: 43% of consumers said
they prefer dealing with an actual
person (that was the number one
potential barrier to using chatbots).
That being said, 34% of consumers
also predicted that they would use
chatbots for getting connected with a
human. So it doesn't have to be
either/or.
As a business, you can use chatbots
to supplement your human workforce
(not replace them).
Compared to other business
communication channels, chatbots
scored the second-highest when it
came to consumers expecting instant
responses, only losing out to online
chat.
But by using chatbots in combination
with online chat, businesses can
deliver a level of real-time service that
they'd be unable to achieve using
either technology on its own.
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And while chatbots can't replace
phone or email when it comes to
providing in-depth answers to
technical questions (some things will
always require a human touch), they
are poised to become the new apps.
As you saw in the previous section,
chatbots outperformed apps in the
following five benefits categories:
1. Quick answers to simple
questions (Chatbots, 69% | Apps,
51%)
2. Getting 24-hour service
(Chatbots, 62% | Apps, 54%)
3. Quick answers to complex
questions (Chatbots, 38% | Apps,
28%)
4. Ability to easily register a
complaint (Chatbots, 38% | Apps,
28%)
5. Getting detailed / expert
answers (Chatbots, 28% | Apps,
27%)
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50
There's been a lot of hype around chatbots recently, and we
hope this report has helped to separate fact from fantasy.
Ultimately, we see chatbots as a technology that can help
bridge the gaps between business communication channels,
and that can help deliver a better, speedier online experience
to consumers.
Thanks for reading!
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