Conversational AI Chat: A Game Changer for Self-Service Portals

In the digital age, self-service portals have become a necessity. Yet, many users struggle with navigating these platforms. In fact, many organizations face challenges in delivering an effective self-service experience due to:

1. Poor user interface and navigation
2. Outdated or irrelevant knowledge base articles
3. Lack of personalization and contextual understanding
4. Inability to handle complex queries or escalate issues efficiently
5. Time-consuming manual processes for ticket submission and resolution

These issues can lead to increased frustration for users and higher reliance on traditional support channels, negating the benefits of a self-service portal.

This is where conversational AI chatbots come into play. By placing a conversational AI chatbot on your self-service portal you get:

• Ease of Use – With intuitive interfaces and smart responses, conversational AI chatbots make it easy for users to find the information they need.
• Reduced Complexity – Conversational AI chatbots can break down complex processes into simple steps, making it easier for users to complete tasks.
• Improved User Experience – Conversational AI chatbots can offer real-time assistance, improving the overall user experience.

Let’s take a real-world example. An employee comes to the portal because they want to find out how much PTO they have. They start by asking the chatbot how much paid time off (PTO) they have left for the year. A first-generation chatbot may not be able to answer that, instead offering a link to the employee knowledge base article about how much PTO each employee gets annually.

A conversational AI chatbot tied to a well-connected integration and automation layer could personalize the response leveraging Single Sign-On, and then access the employee’s data from another application to deliver an accurate, fast response. In this case, the response may say, “Currently, you have 12 days of PTO left this year.” It might even follow up with a question like, “Do you want to know how many of these days will roll over next year?” or, “Would you like to request time off?” If the end-user response is to request time off, the solution would present a form for the request to be entered and then pass that data back to the PTO tracking platform.

Implementing a conversational AI chatbot on your company’s self-service portal can bring about significant benefits. Not only does it enhance customer experience, but it also improves operational efficiency and reduces costs. So, why wait? Embrace conversational AI and transform your self-service portal today!

Want to learn more about traditional chat vs. conversational AI? Read our market study: State of Chatbots and Conversational AI.