Using Chatbots for Emergency Customer Service

Chatbots are part of a new and emerging technology that has the power to transform customer interactions for all industries, including utility companies.  Chatbots are already fairly common online, and it’s likely you have interacted with one recently and may not have even realized it!

The Ins and Outs of Chatbots

So, what exactly is a chatbot?  Simply put, chatbots are online tools that leverage artificial intelligence to perform specific tasks.  They are computer programs you can talk to, and are typically rendered via messaging apps, chat windows, or voice commands. 

From a customer service perspective, these online tools can be utilized to address frequent/common customer questions that have relatively simple answers.  They can also be programmed to analyze customer text in order to predict when a live customer service agent is needed. 

Bots have a very strong business case.  They help utilities increase customer service efficiency and cut costs, as simple customer interactions can be handled automatically, without the need for human intervention. 

A less common but potentially more impactful use of chatbots is deployment during emergency or outage restoration.  As you know, call center phones tend to blow up when a service interruption occurs, and these “self service” tools are way to accommodate this spike in call volumes while allowing agents to focus their efforts on more complex questions and situations. 

Because they can be programmed quickly and easily, bots can move from blue sky communications to emergency outage communications on a dime.  They also leave an audit trail that can be researched later on to diagnose issues or facilitate lessons learned.  They also improve accuracy – both grammatical and informational – because there is no manual effort. 

There’s no doubt about it, chatbots are here to stay, and they are great tools to deploy during outages to provide another communication option for customers.