Insights

ERP AI Chatbot: Enhancing Your ERP System with AI

Header image of minimalist desk setup
Category icon
Insights
Clock icon
10 mins to read

Make a list of the plethora of tools you use to manage your company's resources. It's a lot of work and hassle. Now, imagine having a single platform that can handle all of those functions seamlessly. 

That's an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for you. Statista reports that the ERP platform market will reach $49.38 billion by 2023. It's easy to see why. 

What if we tell you there's a way to bolster this already powerful tool? Enter the ERP AI chatbot. It's not just a fancy addition; it's becoming a necessity. Read on to find out why.

What Is an ERP AI Chatbot?

An ERP AI chatbot is an artificial intelligence-powered program that uses natural language processing (NLP) to interact with users. It's designed to assist and automate various tasks related to enterprise resource planning systems.

Let's explain this with an example. Suppose you're an e-commerce company. Someone in the marketing department wants to know how much you spent on advertising last month. They could log into the ERP system and ask the AI chatbot, ''What was our advertising expenditure last month?'' 

The chatbot will use NLP to understand the question, process the data from the ERP system, and provide relevant responses. It's like having a virtual assistant who can handle all your ERP queries. You no longer have to spend hours searching for relevant information in your ERP software. 

AI chatbots can do many tasks including retrieving, producing and testing data, analyzing reports, and making recommendations.

Explore the benefits of ERP AI Chatbot for your business to enhance technical expertise
Explore the benefits of ERP AI Chatbot for your business to enhance technical expertise 

How to Integrate ERP AI Chatbots?

In business operations, successful implementation of automated chatbots in ERP systems improves efficiency. This configuration enables quick user interaction and maintains data integrity and security which is important to companies.

Chatbots as part of ERP systems can only be effective based on underlying data. Incorrect or incomplete information may limit accuracy and cause hallucinations to the AI.

Here are the steps you can follow to integrate your AI chatbot:

  1. Assess Business Needs: Identify ERP processes for automation and the types of queries for the ERP chatbot.
  2. Choose the Right Chatbot Platform: Select one that integrates well with your ERP and meets business needs, examples include Dialogflow or Microsoft bot framework.
  3. Plan the Integration: Map out data flow and ensure security protocols for chatbot-ERP interaction.
  4. Develop and Train the Chatbot: Customize and train the chatbot using historical data for effective responses.
  5. Test and Deploy: Conduct controlled tests before full deployment, adjusting as needed.
  6. Monitor and Update: Regularly review chatbot performance and user feedback for continuous improvement.
  7. Educate Your Team: Train employees on using and understanding the chatbot’s capabilities and limitations.

Why Integrate AI Chatbots into Your ERP Systems

Why do you need an ERP AI chatbot? Isn't the search function enough? Well, no. 

Here's why. 

Cost Savings

ERP chatbots increase profitability and introduce cost savings through:

  • Increased Revenue: Use ERP chatbots for personalized recommendations, improving upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamline processes such as approval workflows, reducing operational costs of your ERP systems.
  • Data-Driven Decisions: Gain real-time business insights for quicker decision-making leading to revenue-generating opportunities.
  • Customer Retention: Enhance customer satisfaction with quick responses which increases repeat-buying and loyalty. This is more cost-effective than acquiring new customers.

Quick and Better Decision-Making

Unlike the search function, where you have to read through results and then make decisions, the AI chatbot provides instant answers. 

Do you want a list of vendors you've worked with in the past year? Ask the chatbot. Need to know how many products you've sold in a specific region? Ask the chatbot. You get the point. 

Quick data access means swift decision-making. Plus, you can get everything you need in a single click. That's what makes informed decision-making possible, even on the go. 

Mobile Access and Convenience

Speaking of being on the go, an ERP AI chatbot is available on your mobile device. 

There's no need to be tied down to a desktop or laptop for accessing your ERP system. With the chatbot, you can manage and monitor enterprise processes from anywhere at any time. 

Seamless Integration with Existing Systems

AI chatbots have the capability to integrate seamlessly with both existing and new ERP systems. It is designed to enhance a business process management system rather than to replace it.

These integrations involve linking the Chatbot to several ERP Modules (such as finances, human resources and marketing), ensuring a consistent and efficient operation with existing ERP infrastructure.

Efficient Issue Resolution 

An ERP AI chatbot assists with resolving issues in the following ways: 

  • Troubleshooting: You can find real-time solutions to technical issues by asking the chatbot within your different ERP systems. In case of more complex problems, the chatbot can provide a list of recommended solutions based on previous data. 
  • FAQs: Ask whichever question you want, and the chatbot will reply. It's pretty simple.
Chatbot functions can help optimize processes
Chatbot functions can help optimize processes 

Process Automation

AI-backed ERP systems can automate many repetitive tasks, including but not limited to: 

  • Approval workflows
  • Data entry 
  • Report generation 

Improved Customer Experience

As AI chatbots get smarter, they become better at handling customer queries and providing quick solutions. The good news is customers don't mind. 69% of them are ready to talk to a bot for simple issues due to their conversational interface.

Your customer support team can also leverage chatbots to handle high-volume repetitive tasks, freeing up time to focus on complex issues and providing personalized support. 

Seamlessly integrate AI chatbots to cater to customer demand and query
Seamlessly integrate AI chatbots to cater to customer demand and query

Use Cases of ERP AI Chatbot Systems

ERP AI chatbots are useful in many settings. Here are some examples: 

Retail

In retail, you can use an ERP chatbot to: 

  • Manage Inventory: Track inventory levels in real time to decide when to replenish items or restock your shelves. You can also set up automatic reordering. 
  • Process Orders: AI chatbots let you automate order entry and payment processing. 
  • Personalize Shopping: The chatbot can suggest products in real time based on a customer's preferences and purchase history.
Prioritize user experience by using natural language and programming the bot to understand user intent
Prioritize user experience by using natural language and programming the bot to understand user intent

Manufacturing

Businesses in the manufacturing industry can use AI-backed ERP systems for: 

  • Product planning and scheduling 
  • Quality control 
  • Equipment monitoring 
  • Inventory management
Optimize business processes by enabling ai algorithms to use relevant data
Optimize business processes by enabling ai algorithms to use relevant data 

Finance

Finance organizations can manage their expenses by using ERP AI chatbots to automate tasks such as: 

  • Expense categorization 
  • Receipt capturing 
  • Expense report submission 
  • Invoice processing and payment 
  • Real-time expense approval status 
  • Reimbursement timelines 

Advanced chatbots can also generate performance reports, revenue trends, and budget variances. They can identify financial irregularities and anomalies, too. 

Supply Chain Management

ERP AI chatbots drastically enhance supply chain management, by helping out in routine tasks such as:

  • Demand Forecasting
  • Supplier Interaction
  • Transportation and Logistics Optimization
  • Inventory Optimization
  • Risk Management
  • Compliance Monitoring

If companies can leverage AI chatbots in these areas, they can achieve a more efficient and resilient supply chain.

Chatbot capabilities can be leveraged to optimize important business processes such as this one
Chatbot capabilities can be leveraged to optimize important business processes

Healthcare

ERP chatbots have a huge potential in the healthcare industry. They can: 

  • Provide Patient Support: They can assist in appointment scheduling, reminders, and recommendations for patients based on their medical history and symptoms. 
  • Electronic Health Records (EHR) Management: The chatbot can allow healthcare professionals to find their desired information from EHRs without scouring through multiple records manually. 
  • Medical Inventory Management: Like in retail, AI chatbots can monitor medical inventory levels and automate reordering to avoid stockouts. 
  • Staff Onboarding: AI chatbots also assist in employee onboarding by providing necessary training materials, answering FAQs, and tracking progress.
Complex ERP systems such as those of healthcare can be simplified by using AI powered chatbots
Complex ERP systems such as those of healthcare can be simplified by using AI powered chatbots

How to Choose the Right ERP AI Chatbot for Your Business

When it comes to choosing an ERP AI chatbot for your business, there are a few key factors to consider. Let's tackle them individually. 

Define Your Business Needs

Why do you need an ERP chatbot? Your needs may be administrative, financial, or operational. Understand what tasks you want the chatbot to automate. Then, look for those specific features in chatbots. This helps reduce manual effort, and leads to predefined workflows.

Evaluate AI Capabilities and Natural Language Processing (NLP)

If you want the chatbot to help patients schedule appointments, but all it can do is answer questions, it may not be the right fit. Make sure the chatbot you select has the AI capabilities you need. 

Integration with Existing ERP Systems

Does the AI chatbot integrate with your existing ERP system? Ideally, it should. Don't forget to ask this question when interviewing potential chatbot providers.

Ensure Security and Data Privacy Compliance

User privacy should be your utmost concern, especially in sectors like healthcare, where Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance is mandatory. 

Ask the chatbot provider about their security measures and data privacy policies regarding sensitive data. Also, enquire about their crisis management plan in case of a security breach.

Look for Customization Options

Unless you're building a chatbot from scratch, you'd want a certain level of customization to make it fit your needs. So, the chatbot you select should have room for customization. 

How to Use ERP Chatbots for Customer Service

Once you've selected a chatbot, you're all set for the next step: using it. Let's see how you can use it to provide stellar customer service. 

Side note: You'd be doing your customers a favor because 58% of them have already been using chatbots for simple queries. 

Personalized Customer Assistance

One way you can use ERP AI chatbots for customer service is by providing personalized assistance. The chatbot will tell you everything you need to know about the customer. 

Let's say Customer X has questions about your upcoming sale. How can you ensure they have the best experience? Put the chatbot to work. 

For instance, the customer support agent can ask the chatbot questions like: 

  • How often does the customer shop from us? 
  • Which category do they mostly shop from? 
  • What is their average order value? 
  • Have they ever left a review? If yes, for what? 

Armed with this information, the support agent can provide tailored assistance to the customer, leading to a better customer experience. 

Understanding user queries, user intent and having a conversational interface can elevate customer services
Understanding user queries, user intent and having a conversational interface can elevate customer services

Order Tracking and Status Updates

An ERP AI chatbot can also keep track of orders — a task that takes hours to do manually. You don't even have to search for an order number. Simply ask the chatbot at which step of shipping Order #12345 is, and it will let you know. 

You can then relay this information to your customers without having to spend time searching for it yourself. It's quick, just like customers want it. 

Real-Time Problem Solving

Intercom's 2023 customer service report found that 77% of business leaders will invest more in knowledge bases, FAQs, and other self-service support channels moving forward. 

Why is that? Because self-service avenues allow customers to resolve problems in real-time. They don't have to wait for a support agent to ''get back'' to them. 

Part of the reason customer support agents need time to resolve queries is that they do not have real-time information. But customers don't like that. 33% of them get frustrated when they have to wait on hold, while another 33% dislike having to talk to multiple support reports. 

ERP chatbots lets support reps find information faster. They may not even have to do any search themselves. By relying on the chatbot, they can give customers quick answers and resolve issues faster. No more frustration! 

Combine an AI Chatbot With Your Customer Support Tool

Using an ERP chatbot is all well and good, but it's even better when combined with a customer support tool like JustReply. Since it supports Slack integration, your support team can answer customer queries directly from Slack. Plus, the smart editor and minimalistic inbox make information-sharing a breeze. Get started today to learn more. 

Experience magic with JustReply.

Start free trial
4.80/5
From 300+ Customer Reviews
LET’S TRY!
Green checkmark icon
Easily customised and edited
Green checkmark icon
Build to industry leading standards
Green checkmark icon
99.9% cheaper than alternatives