Bats use other senses like hearing, which is central to echolocation. Sounds are used by bats for communication purposes like attracting mates or calling for their young. Some bats can see very well, and some cannot. Different species of bats have different variances in sight, and only the megachiropteras can see color. Another sense they use is smell.
Bats smell through their nostrils, just as humans do.
A couple of species of fruit-eating bats in West Africa only eat ripe figs, and are often seen hovering in front of the figs presumably using their sense of smell to identify the ripe ones. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding bats. A lot of these fears probably stemmed from a bats facial expressions like when they bare their teeth when they are scarred and trying to look threatening. Rabies has also been a big factor in a bats 'bad rap'. Bats can contract rabies just as you or I or other animals can, however, most bats are not rabid as rumor has it.