Virtual Agent:
The virtual agent is a chatter-bot program serving as a customer representative for an organization online. An animated computer generation is artificially intelligent. These virtual agents appear human-like and respond appropriately to questions from customers. They perform adequate nonverbal behavior. Virtual agents are used increasingly to help clients in carrying out tasks such as placing orders, locating information and making reservations. They are being adopted in customer relations management (CRM) The virtual agent helps the customer to select the services they would like from the site. The client can make purchases with the help of a virtual agent.
The virtual agent elicits an emotional response from the client. There is an air of novelty as the client seeks advice from the agent. The feeling of talking to an automated artificial agent keeps the client longer on the site. The virtual agent is patient and do not reply rudely if agitated. Cases of people asking a virtual image to marry them are common. The virtual agent usually turns down these questions in a polite way. However, there are cases where virtual agents exhibit human behavior and appear to ‘lose their temper’. These are those cases where the customer hurls insults at the virtual agent.
The virtual agents have facial expressions that are human-like. The developers of virtual agents have incorporated graphics that allow these agents to vary their facial expressions. These expressions are welcoming and portray the virtual agent as smiling.
Some virtual agents appear as humans. This is like Jenn who has a wide smile spread across her face. Anna, on the other hand, is almost cartoon like and appears to blink a lot. She is an animation. Anna has headphones and a mouthpiece. The positioning of virtual agents in the page layout is critical (Ally, 2010). It should not take up much space on the page layout. At the same time, the virtual agent should be clearly visible with a brief description on the side. Virtual agents communicate mostly by text with the customer. However, there are cases where the virtual agents respond to questions in voice. Others offer options for the customer to choose their preferred communication method.
Virtual agents are not patronizing. In fact, the level of discourse offered by virtual agents is right. These agents are immensely helpful in providing the appropriate information to customers. The virtual agent can guide and convince customers to purchase products. It is worthy to note that virtual agents, unlike humans, can serve several customers at once. The expenses incurred by the company are also reduced because the virtual agent does tasks that would otherwise be done by many employees. At times, the virtual agent can be pushy. This is because it has a fixed set of instructions to which it is supposed to answer. The agent may not be able to reason, as a human being would reason.
Anna and Jenn are female virtual agents. They have feminine attributes. Their facial characteristics show that they are female. Jenn speaks with a female voice. Female voices seem to speak in a more soothing voice. I would not mind being directed by a virtual agent. I would be happy to buy a product from it and follow its guidance. The agent should be given more lifelike characters to be more convincing. The virtual agent should also be conspicuously positioned in the screen. Most companies are adopting virtual agents to help their customers.
Reference:
Ally, M. (2010). M-libraries 2: a virtual library in everyone's pocket. London: Facet.
