According to Korn Ferry’s data, 63% of talent acquisition professionals report AI has changed how recruiting is conducted in their organization.
A big part of this talent acquisition AI is the recruitment chatbot.
A chatbot is defined as “a computer program designed to stimulate conversation with human users.” Although the chatbot is a relatively recent innovation in the recruiting context, chatbots have been used for years in customer service and as virtual personal assistants. Hello, Alexa!
Drift, a leading marketing chat software (both people and bots), recently conducted a survey along with SurveyMonkey, Salesforce, and myclever on how chatbots are changing the online experience.
To help recruiters understand how people feel about interacting with chatbots, I’ve summarized the 5 best stats from the report below.
Stat 1: The issues a chatbot is expected to solve
Overall, what people want from a chatbot is further communication.
- 37% expect to get quick answers to questions in an emergency
- 35% expect to get detailed answers or explanations
- 34% use a chatbot as a means for getting connected with a human
The last stat emphasizes that a chatbot doesn’t need to be an “all or nothing” technology. If a candidates wants to speak to a human, your recruiting process should provide a means to contact one.
Stat 2: The biggest benefits of using a chatbot
True to expectations, people are looking to chatbots to provide on-demand answers in real time.
- 64% believe the top benefit is the ability to get 24-hour service
- 55% believe the top benefit is getting instant responses to inquiries
- 55% believe the top benefit is getting answers to simple questions
Stat 3: How soon a chatbot should respond
When Drift asked, “How soon would you expect to get a response on each of these channels?” 75% said they expected an “instant response” from a chatbot.
- 75% expect an instant response from a chatbot
- 73% expect an instant response from a face-to-face interaction
- 27% expect an instant response from an email
Stat 4: The top concerns about using a chatbot
43% of people report that they prefer to communicate with a human first and foremost. But realistically, that’s not always possible, especially in the recruiting context.
The most common concerns about interacting with a chatbot are:
- 30% worry about the chatbot making a mistake
- 27% worry about accessing it only through a specific medium (e.g., Facebook)
- 24% worry it won’t chat in a friendly manner
Interestingly, these concerns are also present when interacting with a human.
This just means that creators of chatbots need to be thoughtful and intelligent about their design and user experience and ensure their chatbot is programmed to improve with experience.
Stat 5: Generational differences in expectations
Surprisingly, Baby Boomers (age 55+) are more likely to expect benefits from chatbots than Millennials (age 18-34).
Compared to Millennials, Baby Boomers are:
- 12% more likely to expect 24-hour service
- 20% more likely to expect an instant response
- 23% more likely to expect answers to simple questions
Request a demo today to learn more about how Ideal’s recruitment chatbot can transform the candidate experience.