Companies planning a chatbot project could save themselves a lot of trouble by first doing some homework and only then contacting the chatbot provider.
CEO of Lekane Marko Virtanen has been following various chatbot projects and related discussions with great interest. According to his experience, acquiring a chatbot may be approached in two different ways.
When someone in the company gets the idea to get a chatbot, they usually first gather people from different departments and coordinate the calendars. Chatbot providers are invited to a meeting and it is assumed that afterwards an offer will be made.
The chatbot project can be treated as an IT project, in which case the bot is purchased with the same specifications as any information system.
”A chatbot project should always begin with a strategy and not technological nuances. What is the goal of the chatbot project? What business does it advance?” Marko suggest considering
Purchasing a chatbot requires the provider to have a good understanding of the nature of the customers business. You can’t purchase a chatbot by clicking in an online store since it needs to be customised according to the needs and goals of the customer.
When the goal of the chatbot project is clear, you can move on to more technical questions. For example, how a chatbot is integrated into an environment affects what kind of provider is the best partner for your company. When working in a technology first mindset a chatbot might very well fail in providing additional value and, worst case scenario, cause negative customer experiences.
With a clear goal in mind, it’s time to team up with a chatbot provider. But what should you ask them to make sure they are the right partner for you? Read our list of top 10 questions to ask your potential chatbot provider.