AI chatbot / agent
On this pageWhat it is
What it is
An AI chatbot or agent answers customer questions in a chat window or messaging channel using your help articles and other approved information. A good one can resolve routine questions, such as delivery times or password resets, and pass harder cases to a person with the conversation attached. Tools such as Intercom, Zendesk, Gorgias and Freshdesk offer this, though the depth varies from simple answering to actions like looking up an order.
Why it matters
Support volume tends to grow faster than a team can hire. Automating repetitive questions frees people for cases that need judgement and can give customers answers outside working hours. It suits businesses with many similar questions and a solid knowledge base. It suits less well if most enquiries are complex or sensitive, or if your help content is thin, because the bot can only be as accurate as the material it draws from.
What to check
- What sources does it answer from, and can you restrict it to approved content.
- How does it hand over to a person, and does the agent see the whole conversation.
- Can it take actions such as checking an order, or does it only answer questions.
- How is it charged, for example per resolved conversation or included in the seat price.
Tools with AI chatbot / agent
Manage customer support tickets across email, chat and social channels with knowledge base tools.
Customer service platform that combines helpdesk ticketing, omnichannel support and AI-powered knowledge base capabilities.
Centralises customer support across email, chat, social and SMS for ecommerce stores with order-data integration.
Supports customers across email, chat and phone with a unified inbox and an AI resolution agent.
Powers knowledge bases and help centres with AI search, chatbots and an AI writing agent.
Meta's messaging app and API that lets businesses chat with customers on WhatsApp, from small shops to enterprises.
Also in other categories
Tools filed under other categories that have AI chatbot / agent.