Microsoft offers the Azure Bot Service (replacing the former Microsoft Bot Framework), a managed bot building platform, which provides an integrated environment that is purpose-built for bot development, enabling you to build, connect, test, deploy, and manage intelligent bots, all from one place.
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ManyChat
Score 7.8 out of 10
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ManyChat headquartered in San Francisco provides their chatbot building platform to deploy Facebook messenger chatbots for support and service.
Azure AI Bot service works well if you need to support multiple channels like MS Teams, Slack, Facebook Messenger, etc., using the same code base. It also provides built-in connectors to LUIS and Azure OpenAI for natural language understanding and intelligence. Scenarios such as a low-cost chatbot without the need for LUIS or AI are the ones where Azure AI bot service might not be most appropriate.
I found that ManyChat is a strong tool when receiving incoming messages, being able to create a tree of potential responses based on options given to the initiator. There is also a huge potential for complex automation (as long as the environment required by Facebook in order to send outgoing messages is maintained).
Honestly, the only thing I don't like about ManyChat is their support. It seems to be almost non existent. However, that concern is negated by having a fantastic user base that helps each other out on Facebook.
Azure Bot Service provides an integrated environment for bot development. Microsoft Azure Cloud is fully compatible and its security features. It's more important to pay attention to the logic of business than the specifics of each messenger. We don't have any issues using the bot framework because the implementation is excellent.
ManyChat is a great tool, provides loads of features, integrations and just saves you a whole load of time once all set up. If you aren't tech-savvy or used to how digital marketing tools work, it can appear complicated. That's how I felt initially 2 years ago, and after watching tutorials online I had a better understanding of it. This is why I rated it a 7, as it's not a tool that you can just play around with and guess how it works. There's definitely a learning curve with it so I recommend doing the free training and watching video tutorials.
Microsoft offers robust support without a high amount of extra cost to add this product on into our existing support contract. No new onsite personnel as required and training sessions and manuals were included. Very fast response and problem resolution were made available. Detailed configuration guidance was provided at no extra cost. Patching was a bit too frequent.
There is room for improvement but frankly, we haven't had the need to request for support. Everything is pretty easy to setup and there are very useful video explanation guides and walkthroughs on ManyChat's YouTube channel. The only challenge we have had was to integrate it with Zapier, it's a bit tricky because you need to do a setup workaround first, but nothing too complicated.
I've worked in the past with Chatfuel. However, I decided to switch to ManyChat due to a variety of reasons. Overall, ManyChat offers much more functionality out of the box (e.g., Facebook comments tool), sequence builders are much more intuitive. Also, they provide flexible pay as you go pricing plan, which is perfect for a startup like us.
Interfaces with the SQL data set, tracks down plans/replies, and tests them with the SDK.
Utilizing the system is made conceivable by the Bot Dev gateway. We can interface our bot in excess of ten channels, including Twilio Facebook, Twilio, Twilio, and Slack, and that's only the tip of the iceberg.
For the intended application, we experienced a negative ROI due to the inconsistency in the ability to maintain the automation without incoming responses. Since it is a free service that was meant to lead to paid services organically, the inconsistencies prevented the desired outcome.
We did experience a higher conversion rate with basic incoming messages with questions about services or products due to the ability to have pre-created responses and direction immediately supporting the prospect.
