Address case questions. Cite evidence from the case and/or class supporting your analysis (APA in-text citations). List the question, then provide your response.
Questions:
1. Should Hubspot replace its human chat representatives with chatbots? Why or why not?
2. Which activities in Hubspot’s marketing and selling process would you turn over from humans to bots? Why? In which phases of the funnel (ToFu, MoFu, BoFu) would bots do better (worse) than humans?
3. How might customer behavior change if customers interact with bots versus humans? How might this behavioral change affect the type of relationship formed with the company, the trajectory of that relationship, and its inherent profitability?
4. As it develops best practices to share with its customers, what should Hubspot recommend regarding a) how “human” chatbots should be, b) whether and/or when/ how to disclose to a customer that they are chatting with a bot rather than a human, and c) whether the bot should always speak in the voice of the brand or adjust its relational style based on cues it receives from an individual customer? Why?
5. Was Hubspot’s acquisition of MotionAI, a smart move for the company? How might it affect its relationships with its own customers?
6. How would you assess the potential for chatbots for managing B2B and B2C customer relationships in general? Under which conditions do bots have the most and least potential?