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With 12 of our chatbot best practices, you’ll create a chatbot that can propel your business into the stratosphere.
We’ll cover:
- Why do these practices matter for your business?
- Which chatbot solution is right for you?
- 12 best practices to make sure your chatbot beats the competition
Why do chatbot best practices matter for your business?
Following chatbot best practices leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. Your customers will spend up to 67% more when they're engaged, according to an Intercom survey.
Now, let’s go over why chatbot design best practices matter so much:
- Risk of asking repetitive, irrelevant questions: Annoyed customers may stop engaging with your business altogether.
- Handle the majority of routine customer questions: They work 24/7, so your human staff can focus on high-value tasks and save on costs.
- Tailor conversations based on customer data: Personalized experiences make people feel valued and keep them coming back.
- Monitoring chatbot performance and conversational data: You'll gain insights to enhance the customer experience because chatbots, like any technology, require ongoing optimization to achieve their full potential.
- Bots are great data miners: Chatbots don’t just answer questions; they collect crucial data while doing it. Following best practices means that this data isn’t just noise but valuable insights about customer preferences, pain points, and behavior patterns.
Which chatbot solution is right for you?
So, how do you decide which chatbot is going to save the day for your business? Well, let’s be real — you’re looking for the one that’ll hit your goals fast.
Ask yourself this: What is the best way to support users and respond to users’ questions?
Then, take it from there:
- Align with your endgame: Whether you’re looking to crush customer service questions or drive sales, find a bot that is great for your specific business needs. Menu-based bots for simple FAQs? Fine. But if you’re serious about cutting-edge? AI is where it’s at.
- Industry focus: Some bots are generalists, and some have niches. If you're in retail, get a bot that helps convert users or manage inventory. In healthcare? You want a chatbot with data security that's tighter than a jazz bass groove.
- Compare tech stacks: Let’s not overcomplicate things — your bot should play nice with the tools you already use. CRMs, customer support systems, whatever tech you’ve got. Bonus points if it integrates well and doesn’t give your IT team an aneurysm.
- Don’t settle for a chatbot that needs a PhD to use: Sure, advanced functionality sounds great, but if setting it up feels like solving quantum physics, it’s probably not the right fit.
Look for solutions like Lindy that balance sophistication with simplicity, letting you get started without endless tutorials or trial-and-error workflows.
- Adaptability is also very important: Businesses evolve, and so should your chatbot. Will it still meet your needs as you scale? A great chatbot grows with you, integrating seamlessly with new tools or accommodating increased demand without breaking a (digital) sweat.
- Think about the personality factor: Bots shouldn’t sound like robots, even if it sounds contradictory. Whether you want yours to crack jokes, be empathetic, or just get straight to the point, pick a chatbot that allows easy customization of tone and voice.
Nobody wants to feel like they’re emailing a fax machine.
Lindy’s chatbots give you the best of both worlds — advanced functionality without the nightmare setup. You get a genius chatbot without the multi-week learning curve.
12 chatbot best practices to get you going
You want your chatbot to be successful on (ideally) the first pass. But that’s not happening unless you follow some chatbot best practices.
Lucky for you, we’ve been there, done that, and can help you maximize your chances of success.
1. Be transparent about AI chatbot interaction
Let’s be real — no one’s buying that chatbots are humans anymore. Customers are in on the joke, and they appreciate honesty from the get-go.
If you want your chatbot to work for your business, transparency is key. People don’t like feeling tricked, and a bot pretending to be a human is a recipe for disaster.
Here’s how to stick the landing:
- Human option: Always, always, always have a button that says, “Talk to a human” for those moments when customers don’t feel like playing 20 Questions with your chatbot.
Whether it's an urgent issue or something complex, the option to bypass the bot and speak with an actual person is a must-have. Lindy’s “Human in the loop” option works wonders here — humans should always be clued into what’s happening.
- Keep it real: Have your chatbot introduce itself, something like, “Hey, I’m Chango, your AI assistant here to help you. If you need a human, just let me know!”
By being upfront, you set the right expectations, and users are more likely to engage without banging their heads against their keyboards.
2. Plan out your chatbot scripts and workflows carefully
Think of your chatbot like a guide in a maze — it needs to lead users through, not trap them in dead ends.
The key to smooth interactions? Good planning. You can’t just slap together a few responses and hope for the best. A well-thought-out script is the lifeline of a chatbot.
Here’s what you need to understand:
- Map out conversations: Draw out possible conversation paths like a roadmap. Consider where users might want to go, what they might ask, and how they might respond — plan for both the straightforward and the unexpected — whether it's FAQs or more complex scenarios.
The more you know in advance, the more you can set yourself up for success.
- Use Lindy flows: With Lindy’s trigger-and-flow system, you can create custom workflows where the bot responds based on user input. Think of it like setting up a GPS for your chatbot — guiding customers wherever they need to go without getting lost.
If a user asks for product info, Lindy knows to fetch it from your knowledge base. If they need to escalate to a human, Lindy’s got that covered, too.
3. Add options for the user to help filter query types
Don’t make your customers type out long, complicated stuff by themselves — they’ll end up frustrated, and you’ll lose them.
Instead, give them some pre-set options upfront. Offering quick reply buttons or drop-down lists is like giving them a roadmap — it helps them navigate the conversation without hassle.
Try these out:
- Keep it simple, dummy: You can reduce confusion and friction by including common query types like “I need help with my order” or “What are your business hours?” right at the start.
This is a fast-track option for customers and prevents a lot of back-and-forth.
- Customer-friendly lists: Instead of letting users type out their issues and guess if the chatbot can help, provide clickable options. Things like “Track my order” or “Speak to an agent” keep the conversation moving and the user satisfied.
4. Have the chatbot convey its limitations to the user
Look, your chatbot isn’t perfect. No one expects it to heal the sick, walk on water, or get M. Shyamalan to make three good movies in a row.
But what’s worse than a bot that doesn’t have the answer? A bot that pretends it does, only to disappoint.
Be upfront about what your bot can’t do, and make sure it knows when to pass the baton to a human agent.
Here’s how to keep it honest:
- Know when to pass it off: If the chatbot encounters a question that's too complex or niche, don’t have it bumble around. Have it hand the conversation over to a human.
You can set the bot up to say something like, “Looks like I’ll need some help with this one — let me connect you with one of my human colleagues.” (Or, it can just say, “A man’s got to know his limitations,” which will work, too.)
- A graceful handoff: Instead of stalling or giving a vague response, program your chatbot to make a smooth transition. Something like, “I don’t have that info right now, but my dude Kyle can help — connecting you now!” Simple, polite, and honest.
5. Connect the bot to a knowledge base
Your chatbot isn’t some all-knowing oracle — it needs access to good information to provide useful answers.
Connecting it to a knowledge base helps you make sure that when a customer asks a question, the bot isn’t just guessing but pulling from accurate, up-to-date sources.
Do it like this:
- Lindy’s knowledge base integration: With Lindy’s semantic search feature, your bot can access company wikis, product FAQs, and customer service docs, and it’ll still get the right answer even if the user’s question is worded differently.
For example, if someone asks about "dark-colored jeans," Lindy can serve up info about "black and navy jeans," even if the exact words don’t match. Check out Lindy’s knowledge base guide.
- Keep it updated: As your products or services evolve, so should your knowledge base. Outdated information is the ultimate customer service nightmare — make sure your knowledge base is regularly refreshed with the latest data.
Using Lindy, you can automate updates to the knowledge base every 24 hours to make sure your bot never lags.
6. Team up multiple agents for complex requests
Sometimes, one chatbot just can’t cut it. When the questions get gnarly, you need a team. Using specialized agents lets each one handle its area of expertise, making the user experience feel way more helpful.
Here’s how to get it right:
- Give agents their own “superpowers”: Assign each bot its own specialty — one handles returns, one answers product questions, and one just makes people feel good about their life choices. Instead of a one-bot-fits-all, your customers get experts in every area.
- Make sure they’re chatting behind the scenes: Let these agents work together like the Avengers. So, if a customer needs order updates and troubleshooting help, agents can team up to tackle both in one conversation.
Your users will never know it’s more than one “person” helping out.
- How Lindy’s got your back: You can set up a team of AI agents, or “Lindies,” that are great at different things. These specialized Lindy-agents can work together to tackle tasks — whether it’s answering weirdly specific questions or fixing user errors before they even happen.
7. Monitor the bot like a proud papa or mama
Monitoring your bot’s performance helps catch mistakes early and guarantees it’s actually helping your customers — not frustrating them.
Setting up triggers and alerts can keep you in the loop when things go south.
Here’s how:
- Set alerts for potential problems: Use triggers to get notified when something’s off, like if a user seems confused or if a query is lying there unanswered for… well, forever. You don’t want your chatbot to leave users hanging like that one friend who never seems to return your high-fives.
- Audit conversations on the reg: Peek into conversation histories to see how the bot is performing. Are customers getting the answers they need? Is the bot directing them to the right places? This insight can help refine the chatbot’s performance over time.
8. Get a survey in there
Feedback is a gift, and your chatbot should be asking for it.
Including a quick survey at the end of the conversation can help gather valuable insights. Plus, it shows customers that you care about their experience and are committed to improving.
- Ask about satisfaction: Add a simple question like, “Was this conversation helpful?” or “How would you rate your experience?” to gather customer feedback. This data will be a goldmine for understanding what’s working and what’s not. (Lindy can help you draft these surveys)
- Why or why not?: If you really want to improve, go a step further and ask users why they rated their experience the way they did. Whether they loved it or hated it, these responses give you actionable intel for refinement.
9. Refine and improve the model
Your chatbot shouldn’t stay static. Regularly refining its responses and workflows based on user feedback, performance analytics, and evolving business needs is a must-have for keeping it sharp.
Take this advice to heart:
- Use feedback to get better: Incorporate survey responses, customer interactions, and even analytics to update the chatbot’s scripts and workflows. If a lot of users are baffled by a particular response, it’s time to tweak the wording or flow.
- Adapt to changing needs: As your business grows or changes, so should your chatbot. Keep updating it with new information, features, and capabilities so that it continues to serve your customers effectively.
10. Get serious about data privacy
Data privacy is no joke, and chatbots often handle sensitive customer information — from contact details to purchase histories.
Make sure that your bot complies with all applicable data privacy laws and regulations.
Remember these:
- Follow legal requirements: Whether it’s GDPR, HIPAA, or any other privacy law, make sure your chatbot is designed with data security in mind. Inform users that their information is being handled securely.
- Encrypt conversations: Use encryption to protect the data being exchanged during conversations. This helps prevent breaches and ensures that sensitive information stays confidential.
11. Replicate the chatbot with other communication channels
Once your chatbot is rocking it on your website or Slack, it’s time to broaden its horizons.
Expanding your chatbot’s presence across other communication channels can skyrocket its effectiveness and reach a wider audience.
Whether it’s Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or live chat on your website, the more platforms you’re on, the more you’ll be able to engage with customers where they are.
Let’s make it super clear:
- Go multi-channel: Deploy your chatbot across multiple platforms to meet your customers on their preferred communication channels. Slack, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or your website — let your bot handle inquiries across them all. The more, the merrier does apply here.
- Consistent experience everywhere: Make ultra sure the chatbot maintains the same tone, personality, and efficiency on all channels. Whether users are chatting via Facebook or Slack, they should feel like they’re getting the same level of service — and talking to the same entity while they’re at it.
12. Allow the chatbot to perform site searches to find the latest relevant info
A chatbot is only as good as the information it can access. Allowing it to perform site searches to find the most up-to-date and relevant information keeps its responses timely and accurate. Think of it as letting your chatbot have the keys to the knowledge kingdom.
What it needs to be able to do:
- Do live site searches: Equip your chatbot with the ability to pull the most recent info from your website or product catalog. That way, when a customer asks a question about pricing or product availability, your bot can provide the latest details.
- Integrate with internal systems: Use Lindy’s integrations to let the chatbot connect with your internal databases or CRMs, so it’s pulling real-time data rather than outdated files. Customers expect up-to-the-minute answers, and this lets them have exactly that. See the full list of Lindy integrations.
Summing up
Follow these 12 chatbot best practices, and you'll be well on your way to chatbot success. Stay focused on your objectives, personalize interactions, and don't be afraid to iterate.
Always keep it simple and friendly, have a plan for when your bot doesn't understand, and make sure it's easily accessible across devices.
Then? It’s just a matter of iterating and refining.
Try Lindy: Your new chatbot — and way more
Lindy transcends the limitations of typical chatbots. Its conversational AI is engineered for adaptability, combining efficient support with deep understanding.
The kicker: Multiple Lindy agents can collaborate to pool knowledge, share data, and conquer complex tasks with unprecedented speed. That's the revolutionary power Lindy offers.
Here's how Lindy goes the extra mile:
- Instant inbox support: Lindy tackles customer queries directly within your support channels or its dedicated inbox, delivering lightning-fast resolutions and boosting satisfaction.
- Always-on assistance: Lindy provides 24/7 support, ensuring customers never face frustrating delays.
- Conquering language barriers: With fluency in over 13 languages, Lindy expands your reach and opens new markets.
- Effortless website integration: Add Lindy to your site with a simple code snippet, instantly enhancing visitor engagement.
- Plays well with others: Lindy seamlessly integrates with a plethora of tools (like Stripe and Intercom) for streamlined workflows and maximum efficiency.
- Scales to meet your needs: Lindy handles any volume of requests and even teams up with other instances to tackle the most demanding scenarios.
- Much more than just a chatbot: There’s a huge variety of Lindy functions, from content creation to coding. Check out the full Lindy features list here.
