Chatbots are a popular solution across many industries because of their multifaceted capabilities. They are reshaping how businesses operate, and their role will only continue to grow in the coming years. It is becoming abundantly clear that using a chatbot service desk for enterprises is worth considering as the demand for support solutions continues to rise for employees and customers.
A stat from Zendesk shows that 72% of customers want immediate service when a query arises, but that level of instant response isn’t always possible with human support teams alone. That’s not a criticism, of course, service desk workers often find themselves in challenging situations, dealing with overwhelming workloads and limited resources. Too often, they cannot focus on more pressing service tasks because they are swamped with relatively minor queries on a scale that is impossible to manage effectively.
With that in mind, every growing and established business should consider a chatbot support system to maximise efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction in this department.
A Chatbot Support System
The advantages and opportunities a well-optimised chatbot support system offers within your company’s service desk operations are too vast to ignore.
- Instant Support – A chatbot’s most significant advantage is its ability to provide 24/7 support to employees and customers. When trained well, it can quickly answer a wide range of queries, from IT requests to customer questions, ensuring constant availability.
- Capacity to Scale – A chatbot support system can assist multiple users simultaneously, which is a game-changer for your ability to scale. This means you won’t need to hire more staff than necessary, allowing you to handle high volumes of requests without the added overhead.
- Information Collection – Gathering the correct information early on is essential for resolving issues efficiently. A chatbot can collect vital details upfront, such as email, location, and order number, ensuring users are quickly routed to the correct department for resolution.
- Reducing Human Error – Mistakes happen; it’s part of human nature. Chatbots help minimise human error by handling repetitive tasks that often lead to mistakes when performed manually over long periods.
- Multilingual Support – Language barriers can slow the service process and cause frustration between customers and agents. Chatbots can operate in multiple languages when implemented effectively, making them invaluable for global enterprises.
Addressing Concerns About Chatbots
Naturally, people have raised concerns about implementing chatbots in everyday business operations. While the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, it is essential to acknowledge potential limitations.
- The Human Preference Dilemma – Earlier, we cited a Zendesk statistic about the high demand for conversational AI. However, a study by Katana found that 1 in 2 people still prefer to speak to a human over a chatbot. This highlights a clear divide, showing that chatbots should be leveraged as a solution to enhance support, not a complete replacement for human interaction.
- Chatbots Are Not Perfect – While chatbots can handle many tasks without needing breaks, they are far from infallible. Poor implementation can lead to incorrect responses, miscommunication, or technical failures. While they alleviate pressure on human agents, businesses must still invest in the proper infrastructure to manage chatbot-related issues.
- The Time Needed to Train Chatbots – A chatbot is only as good as its training. If not implemented correctly, it could do more harm than good. Depending on the model, significant time and resources are required to train a chatbot effectively, which may pose a challenge as it could divert attention from other critical business operations. This is why you should always do your research when it comes to what kind of Chatbot model you want to implement. Bespoke ones like the one we at OneBot have developed offer adaptability, speeding up this process and not being a drain on business resources.
Creating a Hybrid System of Chatbot and Human Agents
The best approach to balance the benefits and the concerns is to integrate a hybrid system of both human and chatbot agents. This approach enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and improves satisfaction across the user base when they need a service desk. Here are the best practices for implementing a system like this:
Defining Clear Roles for Chatbots and Human Agents
To effectively balance automation and human expertise, you must define distinct roles for chatbots and human agents at your service desk. Here’s how each can contribute:
- Chatbots Handling Repetitive Tasks - Chatbots should be assigned to routine tasks that arise in a business setting. These tasks include password resets, FAQs, and basic troubleshooting.
- Human Agents Addressing Complex Cases - By assigning chatbots to specific tasks, human agents can work on intricate and complex matters. These can include technical problems, complaints, or personalised support.
Establishing Seamless Escalation Paths
A well-defined escalation path ensures that the issue is quickly passed to a human agent when chatbots can't handle a query. Here's how to do it efficiently:
- Smooth Transition Between Human and Chatbot - Make sure you have a process in place to make it easier for the user to escalate from chatbot to user. Putting up unnecessary roadblocks in the user experience is not helpful and can be very frustrating.
- Maintain Context During Escalation - Ensure the chatbot passes over all information gathered to the agent. This will prevent users from repeating themselves, allowing a seamless continuation of support.
Implement Continuous Improvement Strategies
Chatbot and human agent performance can constantly be improved. Here's how to ensure both are consistently enhancing customer service:
- Monitor and Analyse Interactions: Continuously review chatbot and human agent conversations to spot trends and areas for improvement. By analysing both, you can pinpoint where processes need adjustment and ensure your team is working at its most effective.
- Update Knowledge Bases Regularly: Keeping information up to date is key, whether it’s the chatbot’s database or human agent resources. Chatbots require regular updates to stay relevant, while human agents need access to the latest solutions and best practices to provide accurate, timely support.
Provide Training and Support for Human Agents
As chatbots and humans work together, it’s vital that human agents are properly trained to handle both sides of the service desk:
- Equip Agents with Chatbot Insights: Ensure human agents have access to chatbot interaction histories to understand user issues fully and provide informed support.
- Offer Training on Hybrid System Operations: Train human agents to work effectively alongside chatbots, understanding when to intervene and how to utilise chatbot-generated data.
Book a Demo With OneBot
As the demand for quicker, more efficient support grows, integrating an AI chatbot service desk is a smart move. By automating routine queries and allowing your human agents to focus on complex issues, you can save time, reduce costs, and elevate your service desk to new heights of efficiency. OneBot offers a customisable AI-powered solution that adapts to your company's unique needs, ensuring seamless employee support across all departments.
Want to see how OneBot can transform your service desk? Book a free demo today and experience the future of support.
