At Helpshift, bots are foundational to user support conversations.
Running autonomously, bots can interact directly with end-users in chat and can also work behind the scenes to inform customer service agents about details that may prove invaluable during chat. Bots also, in some cases, assign or reassign end-user issues to smooth the flow of support messaging.
A Helpshift bot runs through its uniquely defined sequence of steps to interact with any combination of known people and known systems.
- It solicits, accepts, or finds specific inputs.
- It takes action based on these inputs, such as updating an issue, a CIF, or an issue's assignment.
- It generates structured responses, as appropriate.
- It delivers these responses to predetermined targets.
A bot uses different communication modes with people and systems.
- When bots interact with players, they do so conversationally, using ordinary chat sessions. These conversations pertain to the customer support issues that your players create. Also, the conversational flow between person and bot can occur in as many different languages as you obtain translations to support.
- When bots interact with known, external systems, they do so by submitting API calls and acting upon the received responses.
Bots apply the data from their inputs to perform as many as five simple but vital tasks apiece. Such actions can free your customer service agents from heavily repetitive work.
TIP
Custom bots execute their steps in a sequence that you, the administrator, specify and manage. Because their sequence can change what a custom bot does, as well as when, we recommend that you consider their sequence carefully.