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Chatbots are the way of the future, but just like any new technological advance, there are always some who refuse to “get with the times.” For every e-book reader there’s one person who won’t stop talking about how much better paper books are. For every smartphone user there’s that one guy who makes life harder for everyone else by refusing to use anything other than email to communicate. And for every die-hard chatbot fan (ChatFunnels employees forming the majority) there’s a sales rep who’s a little bit leery of just how effective and helpful a chatbot can actually be. Without the experience of a really well-done chatbot funneling a sales team qualified leads, a chatbot can seem like an ineffective and annoying popup at best, and a potential job-stealer at worst.

But there’s no need to fear! Studies show that chatbots aren’t replacing jobs, they’re enhancing them. A chatbot won’t be replacing actual human interaction anytime soon…customers still prefer talking with humans if it’s available and fast! Chatbots just make life a little bit easier by qualifying leads and sending them directly to sales reps. Read on to learn four ways to help your sales team adopt chatbots with open arms.

1. Communication

Let’s not reinvent the wheel here. Clear and constant communication will always be the number one thing that helps smooth over big changes to the status quo. Sometimes within the structure of a company teams can feel separate and out of touch. For instance, maybe the marketing team got sold on chatbots and pulled the trigger without taking time to bring the sales team into the loop. It starts to feel like marketing vs sales instead of a total team effort to move the company further along its journey. Taking time to communicate across teams so that everyone is on the same page regarding changes and next steps means less breakdowns along the way.

This is a great way that consultants can help! Our consultants at ChatFunnels help bridge the gap between marketing and sales teams so that everyone is on the same page. Think of us as Sales Team Whisperers. Learn more about communicating with your sales team.

2. Create effective chatbots

A bot is only as good as its creator. If you want to prove to your sales team that chatbots are the way of the future and here to stay, then your chatbots need to be up to the challenge! Chatbots don’t just magically appear and solve all your problems, but they can make a big impact if they’re implemented correctly. Learn how to get started with your chatbot implementation.

Take time at the beginning to properly set up your chatbots and your sales team will see the value in no time.

3. Show them the numbers

And what’s that value, you might ask? The numbers! Through the optimization of chatbots, one ChatFunnels partner saw a 9x revenue growth over one year. Now, chatbots didn’t just do that all on their own. Strategically implemented chatbots captured and funneled a higher number of quality leads to an already stellar sales team. Chatbots are here to augment and amplify the efforts of a sales team. And that kind of teamwork works! Once sales teams realize that chatbots give them more chances at quality deals (meaning more chances at earning commission) they won’t want to live without them!

4. Be patient with your sales team

At the end of the day, the evidence is there. Chatbots work and they’re here to stay. But even with all the research in the world, the human within us can be resistant to change. No matter how much you train or incentivize, there’s bound to be a bit of pushback at the beginning. Give it time and let the chatbots do their thing. In ChatFunnel’s experience, it can take about two or three months after initial implementation to really get the sales teams on board. But once they see the value, they’re hooked!