3 ways to humanize support automation

The global help desk automation industry is expected to grow to $11 billion by 2023 as support automation empowers companies to serve their customers more effectively. By automating repetitive tasks and FAQs, companies give employees more time to spend on more human tasks that involve building relationships and generating revenue.

Customers are also increasingly valuing self-service options. Chatbots allow customers to quickly address concerns at any time of the day without needing to pick up the phone. However, adding a human touch to that process will always be helpful.

Consider these three ways to humanize your support automation.

Give your bot a name and personality in line with your brand

Your bot is an extension of your company and is likely to be the first interaction a customer will have on your website or app. Use this opportunity to showcase the qualities your customers want to encounter. Design the chatbot to introduce itself with a memorable name that fits into your brand. Consider the voice your company uses across channels and incorporate the tone into your chatbot’s scripting. Feel free to include jokes or emojis — but only if they are consistent with the voice of your brand.

Your chatbot will feel more human if its responses are thoughtful rather than robotic. An AI-powered chatbot can ask more open-ended questions, which frees the user from the restraints of a few generic options. Your bot should use the customer’s name in conversation and explain if it’s searching for an answer or needs additional details to make the conversation feel more natural. Creating that comfortable dialogue will humanize your chatbot and separate it from the crowd.

Your bot’s personality should include the ability to react to written expressions of emotion. It should ask clarifying questions and confirm the details of a customer’s problem or question. Such guided conversations help a customer feel heard and understood. A natural-sounding diction and a personality that matches your brand will keep customers and potential customers from closing the tab.

Connect to a knowledgeable human for help

For a chatbot to be effective, it’s important that it asks follow-up questions and respond in thoughtful ways, but it should also be able to escalate a problem to a human expert. A chatbot that’s a dead end is not a true solution. When a customer thinks you’ve replaced traditional, human customer service with an inadequate substitute, they’ll feel undervalued.