Chatbots have changed a lot. The old ones followed a script and got lost at the first unexpected question. Today’s AI assistants understand natural language and can answer the way someone on your team would… as long as they’re set up properly. Let’s look at what to expect from them and what not to.
What an AI assistant does well
Answering the usual questions. Opening hours, indicative prices, directions, delivery times, returns policy. If you answer the same thing several times a day, an assistant can do it instantly and at any hour.
Covering out-of-hours enquiries. Many enquiries arrive at night or at the weekend. An assistant replies there and then, and leaves the conversation organised so you can pick it up the next day.
Handling bookings and orders. Connected to your calendar or online store, it can check availability, record a booking or report on an order’s status.
Capturing leads. It asks for the details you need —name, email, what they’re looking for— and passes each opportunity on, neatly classified, instead of scattered messages.
Working across channels. On your website, on WhatsApp or by email, with the same answers everywhere.
What it shouldn’t do
Make things up. A badly configured assistant can give an answer that sounds convincing but is false. That’s why we limit it to your business information and instruct it to say so when it doesn’t know something and pass the enquiry to a person.
Make important decisions. Approving a quote, granting a discount or resolving a sensitive complaint should stay in your team’s hands.
Give professional advice. On medical, legal or financial matters, the assistant can inform people about your services but not replace a professional.
Hide that it’s an assistant. Your customers should know they’re talking to an AI and be able to ask for a person.
How to start without risk
- List the 20 questions you’re asked most. It’s the best starting point, and you’ll be surprised how much time they take up.
- Gather the information you already have: your website, your rates, your terms, your usual answers.
- Choose one channel to start with: usually your website or WhatsApp.
- Decide when it hands over to a person and how it alerts you.
- Test it with real cases before opening it to the public, and review conversations in the first few weeks to fine-tune it.
What about my customers’ data?
It’s a key question. AI providers offer business versions in which your data is not used to train public models. You also need to comply with the GDPR: inform users, limit the data you ask for and control who can access conversations. We set it up that way from the start.
How much does it cost?
An assistant for your website or WhatsApp starts at €1,050 and is usually ready in 1 to 3 weeks. If you need it connected to your calendar, CRM or store to handle the whole process, we quote it based on scope.
How to tell if it’s working
Measure three things: how many enquiries it resolves without help, how many leads or bookings it generates and how much time it gives back to your team. If after a few weeks those numbers don’t add up, it’s better to adjust it or drop it: AI should save work, not create it.
Want to know whether it makes sense for your business? We’ll tell you honestly on a free call, or you can read more about our AI chatbots and process automation.
