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More and more companies are relying on artificial intelligence in customer service. This sometimes causes frustration.
Banks, online shops, hotels – they now exist across all industries: the chatbots. Postfinance, for example, has also been using chatbots since 2017. It is a kind of robot that uses artificial intelligence to communicate with customers. The availability 24/7 is estimated, it says on request. However, Postfinance also writes: “Basically, personal interaction by customers is still appreciated and preferred.”
“I’m disappointed”
A listener to the SRF consumer magazine “Espresso” recently had an “encounter” with the Postfinance chatbot. The listener wanted to open a vested benefits account with his son. The chat robot simply did not understand the request. “We went in circles and just couldn’t get any further,” says the listener. He had hoped for direct contact in vain. He only received a message that he would be contacted in the next few days.
This is the normal procedure, writes Postfinance. After three unsuccessful attempts, the customer is either automatically forwarded to an employee for a live chat or – as in the case of the “Espresso” handset – a message is sent. This is unsatisfactory for the listener. Compared to “Espresso” he says: “I’m disappointed with the quality.”
This is how you might get to your destination
If the chatbot doesn’t understand a concern, it makes sense to use other keywords. Postfinance recommends rephrasing the question in other words. “It’s quite possible that the chatbot recognizes other keywords and can therefore provide a suitable answer.”
Postfinance confirms that the chatbot does not always understand customers’ concerns. “He must therefore be trained and optimized further. It is also important to further optimize the dialogue.»