Choosing the Right Solution for Your Institution

Chatbots have quickly become indispensable to the education industry. These virtual assistants, based on speech-to-text AI, are designed to help schools and colleges with process optimisation, to better communicate and improve learning. Their use in higher education is particularly appealing given that institutions are becoming increasingly required to be more sensitive to students’ technology-based needs. But as free chatbot options have increased, many institutions are stuck trying to figure out if they’re the right ones to go with.

In this blog post, we take a look at the pros and cons of using chatbots in higher education, specifically free chatbot solutions. We’ll also provide tips for cheaper options, so schools can determine what’s right for them with such a game-changing technology.

Chatbots for Higher Education

Benefits of Chatbots in Higher Education

That chatbots are becoming more common in higher ed is hardly a shock. They provide great benefits that help organizations succeed in a rapidly changing learning landscape.

Improved Student Engagement

Chatbots allow students to have an interactive experience with their higher education institution. Answering student questions on deadlines and events, chatbots keep students up to date and in the loop.

For example, a chatbot might help students on a campus navigate approaching registration deadlines or offer guidance on campus resources. Providing help on demand, chatbots provide a more enjoyable and interactive experience than past paradigms such as email or bulletin boards.

24/7 Availability

The Exchange bot is a 24/7 member of staff. One of the great things about having a chatbot is that they can work 24/7. Students are the “now” generation and want immediate answers, which is why chatbots are such a great tool! They can be there working the night shift, responding to homework queries or assisting international students in different time zones, making sure no question gets left unanswered.

For instance, in a university, a chatbot can instantly answer frequently asked questions such as “How to reset my campus portal password?” or “When is the library open?” This 24/7 support cuts down on hold times and makes for a happier user experience for the student.

Effective Dissemination of Information

Chatbots make it easy to bridge the information gap in universities. Instead of fiddling around on different websites, students can ask the chatbot for on-the-nail answers. This simple information retrieval facilitates improved administration, in particular.

So let’s say a student is looking for course prerequisites or how to apply for financial aid. A student simply doesn’t have to go on the university’s website anymore, just ask the chatbot and it can literally get the answer in a matter of seconds, which is really about our topic, how to save time for the student and the staff.

Individual Learning Paths

Personalization is a developed expectation in learning, and chatbots excel in this area, too. Using machine learning and data analytics, smart chatbots can provide personalized suggestions, including study materials, suitable courses, and in some cases, career guidance.

For instance, a chatbot might track a student’s performance in a course and recommend extra reading or tutor sessions in areas where the student is struggling.

The Siren Call of Free Chatbots in Higher Ed

Some institutions are attracted by free chatbot offerings, especially when budgets are stretched thin. But what, exactly, makes these free tools so appealing?

Budget Constraints

It is common for educational organizations, especially the smaller colleges or schools, to encounter severe financial pressures. High-tech infrastructure investments might not always be an option. Free chatbots claim to be a low-cost way of experiencing the advantages of AI without having to make a huge expenditure on a platform.

Testing and Prototyping

Free chatbots can help schools experiment with chatbot technology with relatively little investment. They offer an opportunity to experiment with user interaction, collect data, and evaluate whether a chatbot is effective in achieving institutional objectives. And from those learnings, it is for institutions to decide if the next step to a more sophisticated platform is worth it.

Quick Deployment

The speed at which you can get them up and running is another reason why institutions are looking to free chatbots. With pre-made templates and a friendly user interface, Teams can have their chatbot up and running in no time.

Limitations of Free Chatbots

But free options can present some challenges. Knowing these constraints is essential to making an informed choice.

Restricted Features

Free chatbot services are usually basic. More complex functions like Natural Language Processing (NLP), multilingual support, integration with Learning Management Systems (LMS), or data analytics are usually blocked behind a paywall.

This is a major limitation for organizations that wish to offer custom or complex services to staff and students.

Limited Customization

No customizations are another big con. Free chatbots might not give institutions the flexibility to customize the chatbot’s branding, tone, or user interface, creating a cookie-cutter service. That can be an issue for an organization so focused on its one-of-a-kind brand.

Scalability Challenges

Tiny chatbots may not be equipped to manage real-time handling of a large number of concurrent requests, resulting in latency and failed responses. Larger schools and universities that have thousands of students will probably struggle to make slower free chatbots scale to their needs.

Minimal Customer Support

Most chatbot free services have no or little support provided. If you encounter any issues with implementation or operational aspects, the college may be required to fix it on its own or incur the expenses of professional help.

Takeaways: Budget-Friendly Substitutes for Free Chatbots

For institutions with higher support needs than a free chatbot can deliver but less than they would get with a premium service, some alternatives strike a balance between investment and capability.

Affordable Chatbot Platforms

Some platforms, such as ManyChat, Tars, and MobileMonkey, have less expensive plans with additional feature sets. They typically contain intermediary features that offer enhanced customization, more integration, and support for customer queries.

Open-Source Chatbots

Open chatbot frameworks such as Rasa or Botpress enable institutions to adjust the solution to their full extent. A bit harder to build out , but a cost-efficient move for tech-forward institutions with in-house developers.

Tiered Pricing Models

A lot of providers like Zendesk or Drift have tiered pricing. Institutions can start small and grow as needed and budgets allow. This modularity allows schools to reconcile limited budgets with a wish for higher chatbot functionality.

Selecting the Right Solution for Your School

In determining whether to use free chatbots or invest in a paid offering, institutions will have to weigh their needs against the constraints inherent to free platforms.

If you’re new to chatbot deployment and want to test out some new things, using a free version could be an option to run something in the short term. However, for organizations striving for scalability, personalization, and more sophisticated capabilities, it might be the best route to invest in a less expensive option.

Whichever path you opt for, one thing is for sure, chatbots are revolutionizing higher education, making it more accessible, engaging, and more efficient.