Best AI Chatbots and AI Sales Assistants of 2024: Our Top Picks

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking over the sales world and AI chatbots and AI sales assistants are at the forefront of the digital sales evolution. 

Research from Gartner suggests that when businesses integrate AI into their customer strategies, they can boost operational efficiency by an impressive 25%.

In this guide, we delve into the distinct world of AI chatbots and AI sales assistants. We’ll explore their unique functionalities, highlight leading options, and shed light on their unparalleled benefits (link to section below) 

If you’re aiming to harness the power of AI Chatbots and AI Sales Assistants for your business, this is your starting point.

AI Chatbots vs. AI Sales Assistants: Understanding the Difference

An AI chatbot, or artificial intelligence chatbot, is a computer program that uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to understand user queries and respond intelligently as human-like as possible. AI Chatbots are like your online customer service rep who never sleeps – there to answer questions, guide website navigation, and even book appointments 24/7.

AI sales assistants, on the other hand, are designed with a laser focus on driving sales. These savvy tools use predictive analytics to give you insights into potential customers’ behavior patterns, while constantly collecting data on them. Like a sales forecasting AI assistant who can tell if someone’s just window shopping or ready to buy – they help guide marketing strategies for optimal results.

Key Distinctions

A primary difference between these two lies in their purpose:

• Chatbots aim to improve the overall customer experience by providing quick answers and guidance.
• Sales Assistants use data-driven techniques for lead qualification and nurturing prospects into paying customers.

This isn’t saying one’s better than the other; rather they complement each other beautifully in different areas of business operations. 

Imagine this scenario: A visitor lands on your site interested in buying shoes… your chatbot greets them, answering their questions about sizes and colors. Now they’re ready to buy – enter the AI sales assistant. It uses data insights to offer a personalized discount just as they were hesitating at checkout… Boom, sale made.

By understanding these differences, you can better determine which tool or combination thereof is right for your brand’s specific needs.

Top AI Chatbots

History shows that Chatbots have long been essential for digital marketers – enabling brands to provide an elevated customer service experience, and for customers to access the information they need more quickly. But now they’re not just there to answer our questions; they’re helping brands grow financially and they’re getting customers to products they really want.

1. Tidio

Tidio is a multifaceted platform that offers live chat, chatbot, and ticketing solutions, primarily targeting mid-sized businesses. It’s designed to address customer queries while simultaneously driving sales. One of the standout features of Tidio is its extensive chatbot template library, which encompasses both support and sales scenarios. For businesses looking for a more advanced solution, Tidio offers an AI response bot that can engage in more sophisticated conversations, albeit at a higher price point.

The platform’s interface is user-friendly, with a clean chat design, organized conversations, and an intuitive setup. Tidio offers a free tier, which is quite generous, allowing up to 50 unique live chat conversations each month and chatbot support for up to 100 unique conversations. For businesses with more extensive needs, there are premium plans available that offer greater capacity.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Extensive Chatbot Templates: Tidio boasts a wide range of chatbot templates suitable for various ecommerce and support scenarios.
• AI Response Bot: Their advanced AI bot can automate up to 47% of chats, learning and improving over time.
• Multichannel Support: Manage chats from Instagram and Facebook Messenger directly from Tidio.
• Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with platforms like Shopify and Hubspot for a more cohesive customer relationship management experience.
• Analytics: Track live chat and chatbot metrics to gauge performance and customer satisfaction.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Pricing: While Tidio offers a free plan, some users might find the premium plans a bit on the pricier side.
• Limited Advanced Analytics: Compared to some competitors, Tidio‘s analytics features might not be as comprehensive.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: $0/monthly
  • Includes: 3 seats, 50 Livebot conversations, 100 Chatbot triggers, unlimited tickets
• Starter Plan: $29/monthly
  • Includes: 3 seats, 100 Livebot conversations, 500 Chatbot triggers, unlimited tickets
• Communicator Plan:
  • Includes: 1-5 seats, unlimited Livebot conversations, 100 Chatbot triggers, unlimited tickets
• Chatbots Plan:
  • Includes: 3 seats, 50 Livebot conversations, 2,000 – 40,000 Chatbot triggers, unlimited triggers
• Tidio+ Custom Plans:
  • Contact Tidio Sales

2. ChatSpot (by HubSpot)

ChatSpot, developed by HubSpot, is a conversational AI tool designed to assist businesses in achieving their sales and marketing goals. It’s not just another chatbot; it’s powered by OpenAI’s database, ChatGPT, and Dall-E, making it a robust tool for various tasks ranging from prospecting companies to analyzing website SEO. The integration with HubSpot‘s CRM platform further enhances its capabilities, allowing for seamless data-driven actions.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Content Generation: Ability to draft content for blog posts and sales emails tailored to your business style.
• Image Creation: Generate images for websites and social media based on specific criteria.
• Prospecting: Retrieve comprehensive data about companies, including age, size, industry, and more.
• SEO Analysis: Analyze your website’s SEM and SEO competitors and get keyword research recommendations.
• CRM Integration: Directly create, update, or assign contacts, deals, and tickets within the HubSpot CRM.
• Reporting: Generate summaries of your account’s data or create detailed reports based on specific filters.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Language Limitations: English prompts currently produce the best results, which might be a limitation for non-English speaking businesses.
• Data Access Restrictions: ChatSpot cannot access all data in a connected HubSpot account, limiting some functionalities.

Pricing:

• HubSpot offers a Free plan, which includes basic features. They also have three paid tiers: Starter, Professional, and Enterprise. Each tier offers additional features and capabilities. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing details, it’s recommended to visit HubSpot‘s official website.

3. Botsonic (by Writesonic)

Botsonic by Writesonic is a cutting-edge AI chatbot builder designed to revolutionize the way businesses engage with their website visitors. At its core, Botsonic leverages the power of GPT-4, OpenAI’s advanced language prediction model. This ensures that the chatbot not only understands user queries with precision but also responds in a manner that feels natural and conversational. The primary aim of Botsonic is to facilitate seamless interactions between businesses and their audience, making information exchange efficient and user-friendly.

Key Features/Benefits:

• No-Code Builder: Easily create and customize chatbots without any coding knowledge.
• GPT-4 Integration: Utilizes the latest iteration of OpenAI’s language prediction model for accurate and natural responses.
• Natural Language Processing: Understands context and identifies patterns in customer communication.
• Customizable Conversations: Tailor the chatbot’s responses to align with your brand’s voice and tone.
• Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with various platforms, enhancing its utility across different digital touchpoints.
• Data Analytics: Offers insights into user interactions, helping businesses refine their engagement strategies.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Platform Limitations: Some users have reported occasional glitches or slowdowns during peak usage times.
• Advanced Customization: While basic customization is straightforward, more intricate adjustments might require a deeper understanding of the platform.

Pricing: 

• Free: Limited access to features
• Starter: $40.83 / month
• Business: Call them for custom pricing

4. ChatBot (by LiveChat)

ChatBot by LiveChat is a robust chatbot solution designed to enhance customer interactions and streamline support processes. LiveChat’s ChatBot stands out due to its high degree of customization, allowing businesses to craft conversation scenarios that align closely with their brand voice and customer needs. This adaptability ensures that users receive a personalized and efficient support experience. The platform is particularly lauded for its ease of use, superior customer service, and affordability compared to competitors.

Key Features/Benefits:

• AI Capabilities: LiveChat’s ChatBot employs AI to offer smart tag suggestions during chats, categorizing conversations for easy access later on. The AI component becomes more accurate over time, ensuring customers receive quicker and more precise answers.
• Customization: LiveChat’s ChatBot offers complete customization, enabling businesses to create conversation scenarios that mirror their typical customer interactions.
• Routing Priorities: The platform allows for the customization of routing priorities, determining when a chat should be directed to a ChatBot agent versus a human agent. This ensures responsiveness and productivity.
• Administrative Control: LiveChat provides an intuitive interface for managing agent accounts, monitoring statistics, and grouping users based on skills. Supervisors can also set hours of use for remote employees.
• Consumer Experience: LiveChat has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from users, with many highlighting the quality of the product, its flexibility, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Complex Conversations: While LiveChat’s ChatBot is efficient for basic queries, it sometimes struggles with more complex or nuanced conversations, requiring human intervention.
• Learning Curve: Some users have mentioned a learning curve, especially when setting up more intricate conversation scenarios.

Pricing:

• Starter: $20 / month
• Team: $31 / month
• Business: $59 / month
• Enterprise:  Call LiveChat for a customized quote

5. LandBot 

Landbot is a cutting-edge chatbot builder that stands out for its no-code approach, allowing businesses and individuals to craft conversational experiences without the need for technical expertise. Designed to enhance user engagement on websites, Landbot offers a visually appealing interface where users can drag and drop elements to design their chatbot’s flow. Whether it’s for lead generation, customer support, or interactive storytelling, Landbot provides the tools to make it happen.

Key Features/Benefits:

• No-Code Builder: Easily design chatbots without any coding knowledge.
• Embed Options: Integrate your chatbot on your website, Facebook, and even WhatsApp.
• Pre-made Templates: Jumpstart your chatbot creation with ready-to-use templates.
• Native Integrations: Connect with popular tools and platforms for a seamless workflow.
• Human Takeover: Switch from bot to human support when needed, ensuring customers always get the best assistance.
• Analytics: Monitor chatbot performance and user interactions for continuous improvement.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Language Limitation: Currently, Landbot‘s interface is only available in English
• Pricing: While Landbot offers a free plan, some of the more advanced features come at a higher price point.

Pricing:

• Free Forever Plan: $0
  • Includes: 100 chats per month
• Starter Plan: $36/month
  • Includes: 500 chats per month
• Pro Plan: $88/month
  • Includes: 2500 chats per month
• Business Plan: Starts at $450/month
  • Includes: Custom options

6. Freshchat (by Freshworks)

Freshchat, developed by Freshworks, is an AI-powered customer messaging software tailored for businesses of all sizes. It’s designed to offer digital-first customer service across a plethora of channels, including WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat, Facebook Messenger, websites, mobile apps, and more. 

As the world gravitates towards contactless service, Freshchat steps in to meet the demand for on-demand, personalized support on familiar and easily accessible channels. It combines the power of AI with human assistance, ensuring a seamless customer service experience.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Unified Inbox: Manage conversations across various digital channels from a single dashboard.
• AI Chatbots: Advanced bots that focus on user intent and engagement, ensuring timely and relevant responses.
• Proactive Messaging: Engage users with hyper-targeted rich media campaigns.
• Intelligent Routing: Features like load balancing and auto-routing ensure that customer queries are directed to the right agents.
• Extensive Integrations: Freshchat offers integrations via a rapidly growing app marketplace and custom APIs, ensuring compatibility with various business tools.
• Resilient Architecture: Built on AWS, Freshchat is certified with industry compliances, ensuring data security and reliability.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Learning Curve: While Freshchat is feature-rich, new users might require some time to familiarize themselves with all its functionalities.
• Pricing: Some advanced features might come at a premium, potentially making it a pricier option for smaller businesses.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: $0/monthly
• Growth Plan: $19 per agent, per month 
• Pro Plan: $49 per agent, per month 
• Enterprise Plan: $70 per agent, per month 

Top AI Sales Assistants

AI sales assistants are revolutionizing the digital marketing and sales arena now more than ever. These 24/7 automated machine learning solutions are taking heaps of data and information from meetings, emails, texts, and phone calls, and turning that data into actionable insights, there to help you generate even more revenue. Let’s delve into some top picks that have been turning heads with their impressive capabilities.

1. Pipedrive

Pipedrive‘s AI Sales Assistant is designed to supercharge the sales process by providing actionable insights and recommendations to sales representatives. While Pipedrive is primarily known as a CRM platform, its AI-powered Sales Assistant stands out by ensuring that sales teams are always aligned with their priorities. This assistant uses genuine AI combined with pre-set rules to sift through sales data, suggesting the optimal next steps for sales representatives. The goal is to enhance productivity and ensure that no opportunity is missed.

Key Features/Benefits of the AI Sales Assistant:

• Actionable Recommendations: The AI Sales Assistant analyzes user actions and sales data to provide timely and relevant suggestions for the next steps.
• Prioritization: Helps sales teams focus on high-priority tasks and leads, ensuring that efforts are directed toward the most promising opportunities.
• Sales Forecasting: Uses AI to predict sales trends based on historical data, helping teams prepare for future challenges and opportunities.
• Integration with CRM: Seamlessly integrates with Pipedrive‘s CRM, ensuring that all data is synchronized and up-to-date.
• Automated Follow-ups: The AI assistant can set reminders and automate follow-up actions based on customer interactions and feedback.
• Data Analysis: Analyzes vast amounts of sales data to identify patterns, trends, and areas of improvement.

Cons/Drawbacks:

Learning Curve: While the AI Sales Assistant is designed to be user-friendly, some users might need time to fully understand and utilize all its features.

Dependence on CRM Data: The accuracy and effectiveness of the AI recommendations largely depend on the quality and completeness of the data entered into the CRM.

Pricing:

• Essential:  $14.90 / month
• Advanced: $27.90 / month
• Professional: $49.90 / month
• Power: $64.90 / month
• Enterprise: $99 / month

2. JustCall

JustCall is a cloud-based telephony system tailored for sales and support teams. It’s not just a simple call system; it’s enhanced with AI-driven features that provide real-time insights during calls. One of the standout features of JustCall is its AI-powered analytics, which offers sentiment analysis and real-time agent assistance. This ensures that sales and support agents are equipped with the right information at the right time, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Real-time Agent Assist: Provides agents with AI-powered inputs and prompts during crucial moments of a call, ensuring improved customer interactions.
• Sentiment Analysis: Gauges the mood and tone of customer interactions, allowing for tailored responses.
• AI Coaching: Offers guidance on best practices during calls, ensuring agents are always at their best.
• AI Call Scoring: Automatically scores calls based on predefined criteria, providing insights into agent performance.
• Integration with CRMs: Seamlessly integrates with popular CRM systems, ensuring all call data is synchronized and available for analysis.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Learning Curve: Some users might find the AI features a bit overwhelming initially, requiring training.
• Cost: Advanced AI features might come at a premium, making it a bit pricey for smaller businesses.

Pricing:

• Essentials: $19 per user / month (1 user minimum)
• Team: $29 per user / month (2 user minimum)
• Pro: $49 per user / month (2 user minimum)
• Business: Call JustCall for custom pricing

3. Fireflies.ai

Fireflies.ai is an advanced AI-driven sales assistant designed to amplify the efficiency of virtual meetings. It seamlessly integrates with popular meeting platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, recording conversations and generating detailed transcripts. Beyond transcription, Fireflies.ai stands out with its capability to highlight specific keywords during sales calls, offering invaluable insights and AI-driven coaching to sales teams. This feature aids in identifying areas of improvement, ensuring that sales pitches are optimized for success.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Automated Transcription: Fireflies.ai offers real-time transcription of meetings, ensuring no detail is missed.
• Keyword Highlighting: The platform can identify and highlight specific keywords during sales calls, providing insights into the conversation’s focal points.
• AI-Driven Coaching: Fireflies.ai offers feedback and coaching based on the content of the sales calls, helping teams refine their approach.
• Integration Capabilities: Fireflies.ai seamlessly integrates with leading CRM platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. This integration ensures that all recorded conversations, transcripts, and notes from Fireflies AI are automatically synced and updated within the CRM.
• Automatic Logging: Beyond just syncing, Fireflies.ai captures and logs meeting transcripts, notes, and action items directly into the CRM, ensuring comprehensive documentation of all customer interactions.
• Data-Driven Insights: By analyzing voice conversations, Fireflies.ai provides actionable insights, helping sales teams understand their customers better.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• No Video Recording: Fireflies.ai focuses on audio recording and transcription but lacks video recording capabilities.
• Limited Free Plan: The free version of Fireflies.ai comes with limited transcription credits and storage, which might not be sufficient for heavy users or larger teams.

Pricing:

• Free: Limited access to features
• Pro: $10 per seat, per month
• Business: $19 per seat, per month
• Enterprise:  Call Fireflies for a customized quote

4. Otter

Otter, an AI-powered voice-to-text tool, is designed to revolutionize the way sales professionals capture, store, and analyze their conversations. With its real-time transcription capabilities, Otter ensures that no detail from a sales call or meeting is missed. But it’s not just about transcription; Otter’s AI-driven insights can highlight key points, making it easier for sales reps to identify opportunities, challenges, and follow-up actions. Its seamless integration capabilities mean that insights from Otter can be easily transferred to CRMs, ensuring a smooth flow of information. For sales teams, Otter is more than just a transcription tool; it’s an assistant that ensures every word counts.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Real-Time Transcription: Otter’s AI-driven engine provides accurate transcriptions of sales calls and meetings in real time.
• CRM Integration: Easily transfer insights and notes from Otter directly into your CRM, ensuring all relevant data is at your fingertips.
• AI-Driven Insights: Otter can highlight key points from a conversation, helping sales reps identify opportunities and challenges.
• Secure Storage: All transcriptions are stored securely, ensuring data privacy and compliance.
• Collaboration Tools: Share transcriptions with team members, making collaboration easier and more efficient.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Requires Good Audio Quality: For optimal transcription accuracy, clear audio quality is essential.
• Subscription Costs: While there’s a free version, advanced features require a paid subscription.

Pricing: 

• Basic: Limited access to features
• Pro: $10 per user / month
• Business: $20 per user / month
• Enterprise: Call Otter for custom pricing

5. Luna

Luna stands out in the competitive sales landscape as a potent AI-driven assistant, designed to make the sales process more efficient. By automating tedious tasks like data entry and lead scoring, Luna ensures sales teams can concentrate on closing deals. Its vast database provides access to millions of leads, ensuring a continuous stream of potential clients. But Luna doesn’t just focus on quantity; it emphasizes quality by offering 100% verified profiles. The AI capabilities of Luna also shine in email personalization, crafting messages that resonate with leads and increase the likelihood of positive engagement.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Automated Sales Tasks: Luna frees up sales teams by handling time-consuming tasks.
• Extensive Lead Database: Sales professionals have access to leads that match their propositions perfectly.
• Personalized Cold Emails: Luna crafts AI-generated emails tailored to each lead.
• Seamless Integration: Luna works well with platforms like HubSpot, Pipedrive, and over 5,000 apps via Zapier.
• Actionable Insights: Luna offers real-time customer insights to help businesses identify opportunities.

Cons/Drawbacks:

• Navigation Challenges: Some users might initially find it challenging to explore all of Luna’s features.
• Pricing Concerns: While offering a free trial, Luna’s paid plans might be a bit steep for smaller businesses.

From Engagement to Conversion: How Chatbots and AI Assistants Elevate Sales

Chatbots and AI assistants have been game-changers in the digital marketing landscape for a while. But how can we harness their potential to boost revenue? Let’s get down to brass tacks.

Chatbots: Elevating Business Operations

Chatbots provide instant responses to customer inquiries round-the-clock. They’re designed to handle multiple queries simultaneously without any decrease in efficiency or quality. This results in a significant reduction in response time while improving overall customer satisfaction levels.

• 24/7 Support: Chatbots provide immediate, round-the-clock responses, ensuring customers are always attended to.
• Cost Efficiency: By automating routine queries, chatbots significantly reduce operational expenses.
• Scalability: Chatbots can manage multiple interactions at once, allowing businesses to handle growing customer queries without added costs.
• Personalized Interactions: Chatbots use user data to tailor responses and product suggestions, enhancing the customer experience.
• Data Collection: Chatbots gather insights from user interactions, offering valuable data on customer behavior and preferences.
• Engagement Boost: Interactive chatbots can engage users with quizzes and content, increasing website engagement and dwell time.

AI Sales Assistants: Personalized Sales Strategies

AI assistants are capable of learning from past interactions from customer engagements, which enables them to deliver personalized experiences based on individual preferences. Furthermore, a virtual assistant can analyze large volumes of data quickly for insights that help refine marketing strategies for your sales funnel.

• Lead Qualification: AI sales assistants automatically qualify leads, directing sales teams to high-potential prospects.
• Productivity Enhancement: By automating tasks like data entry, AI sales assistants free up time for sales reps to focus on selling.
• Tailored Outreach: AI sales assistants craft personalized messages based on past interactions, increasing engagement rates.
• Predictive Analytics: These tools use AI to forecast which leads are likely to convert, optimizing sales strategies.
• CRM Integration: AI sales assistants ensure all data and interactions are updated in CRM systems, streamlining sales operations.
• Continuous Learning: Over time, AI sales assistants refine their strategies based on past interactions, improving their efficiency and accuracy.

AI Chatbot or AI Sales Assistant: Making the Right Choice for Your Business

While we’ve previously discussed the distinct roles and benefits of AI chatbots and AI sales assistants, the decision on which to implement often boils down to your specific business objectives and where you see the most immediate need.

Complementing Each Other:

AI Chatbots: These are your frontline warriors. They’re adept at handling initial customer interactions, guiding users to the right resources, and providing instant answers to common queries. They’re especially useful for businesses that experience high volumes of general inquiries and need to offer 24/7 support.

AI Sales Assistants: These are your specialized troops, a marketing team’s dream come true. They shine when it comes to engaging potential leads, nurturing them, providing detailed product information, and guiding them through the purchase process. They’re particularly beneficial for sales managers looking to improve sales strategies and provide better customer experiences.

Harmonious Integration: Gasing up your Sales Engine

Rather than viewing it as a choice between the two, consider the synergy they can create when integrated. For instance, a chatbot can engage a potential customer, answer their initial queries, and then seamlessly hand over the interaction to the AI sales assistant for a more in-depth engagement. This ensures that the customer’s journey is smooth, from their first interaction to the final sale.

When using both – user experiences are elevated, meaningful conversations are had, real-time data behavioral patterns are collected, customer expectations are met, more qualified leads are created, allowing sales productivity to increase, and closing deals becomes easier. 

No more wasted time focusing on qualifying prospects or offering the wrong product to existing customers, but instead using this AI technology to drive personalized experiences allowing customers to feel heard. 

Conversational marketing is the future and these generative AI sales enablement tools are the key to sales prospecting success. So don’t waste another minute, engage prospects, book meetings, close deals, and use these sales AI tools to your advantage now!

The Bottom Line:

Both AI chatbots and AI sales assistants offer immense value, but their strengths lie in different areas. If you’re looking to enhance initial customer interactions and provide quick answers, chatbots are the way to go. However, if your goal is to drive sales and offer a personalized buying experience, AI sales assistants should be your pick. In many cases, businesses benefit the most when they harness the strengths of both.

Conclusion

So, what have we learned? AI isn’t just a trendy term; it’s the driving force behind AI Chatbots and AI Sales Assistants. 

AI Chatbots keep your customers engaged. These automated assistants are available 24/7 to provide answers and make sure customers get what they need.

Sales assistants take it up a notch! These tools know exactly when to swoop in with helpful suggestions that boost sales.

Different as they may be, both are essential players on your team. Harness them right, and you’ll see growth like never before!

In short: Get onboard with these technologies now or risk being left behind by this digital revolution!

FAQs

What is AI sales assistant software?

AI sales assistant software automates tasks like lead generation, follow-ups, and appointment setting. It can analyze customer data for insights and boost productivity in the sales process.

What is a sales chatbot?

A Sales Chatbot engages potential customers in conversations, qualifies leads automatically based on set criteria, schedules meetings, and supports through the buyer’s journey online.

How are AI assistants different from chatbots?

AI assistants deal with a wider range of tasks, including managing calendars or analyzing data. Chatbots mainly handle direct customer interactions via text-based conversations on websites or apps.