What You Need to Know About Bots and CX

Chatbots have grown in popularity for good reason: They’re friendly, helpful, and make information readily available.

The benefits are arguably even more significant in government applications. They’ve become a reliable tool for delivering constituent services while saving agencies time and resources.

In a recent CX Community of Practice, What You Need to Know About Bots and CX, Renee Murray, CPM, PMP, E-Government Program Lead, MS Department of Information Technology Services, shared tips on bot basics and how to get started.

Below are a few key takeaways from that session, as well as the on-demand video.

1. Why are chatbots a vital tool? Murray explained that often, people need help finding what they need to know, and sometimes, a real person isn’t always available. Chatbots “meet customers where they are,” even on the weekends and after hours, to answer questions using easy-to-digest, bite-sized chunks of information. She added that this also means the people who would normally answer those questions are freed up to answer harder questions and complete higher-level work.
2. What prompted your agency to be an early adopter of a chatbot? Murray said it was about delivering more services with a smaller budget. Customers could find “consistent answers in one location.” Her agency started small, using analytics and frequently asked questions to teach the bot, named MISSI (www.ms.gov/meet-missi), its prompts and have built on its abilities.
3. What’s your advice for agencies considering chatbot implementation? Murray said soliciting feedback and examining the bot from others’ perspectives is essential to ensure you’re covering the right keywords. “It’s not a one-and-done process, either,” she said. You have to continue to follow up and make sure you’re addressing customer concerns.”

Don’t forget to join us for our next CX CoP, How to Get Better Public Input During Policymaking and Planning, on Monday, June 9 at 4 p.m. ET.