Chatbots have improved a lot thanks to AI. But a bad chatbot frustrates more than it helps. Here's how to decide.
When it's useful
- You get lots of repetitive questions: hours, base prices, service areas, documents to provide.
- Your clients write to you in the evening and on weekends.
- You want to qualify requests before calling back.
When it's a gimmick
- Your website gets few visits.
- Your services always require a personalized discussion.
- Nobody monitors the conversations.
The rules of a good chatbot
It says it's an automated assistant. No fake humans.
It knows its limits. When it doesn't know, it offers to take the visitor's contact information or connect them with someone.
It relies on your content. Your pages, your FAQ, your rates. It must not make things up.
It only collects what's necessary. And it respects your privacy policy.
A simple alternative
A good FAQ page and a well-designed contact form often cover most needs, with no recurring cost. Start there, then add an assistant if the volume justifies it.
