A chatbot, just like a voicebot, isn’t human and doesn’t ‘understand’ sentences in the same way we do. It scans them. It searches your text for words that are in its database (e.g. ‘invoice’, ‘not working’, ‘return’). When you type a sentence, the bot compares it with thousands of pre-written scenarios in a fraction of a second. If it finds matching words, it will display a pre-prepared reply or a link to a form. If you make a typo in an important word, the bot may get confused.

How to write to get your point across? (A guide)

Typing requires precision. Here is a set of rules to help you get things sorted quickly:

• Keep it short and to the point: Avoid flowery language and polite introductions.
  • Wrong: “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, I am writing because I have a problem: the parcel containing my shoes hasn’t arrived.”
  • Right: “Where is my parcel?” or “Order status”.
• One question at a time: Don’t include several issues in a single message. The bot will get confused if you ask about a loan and a change of address at the same time. Send one question, wait for a reply, and then ask the next one.
• Watch out for mistakes (spelling): Whilst a voice bot might forgive a slip of the tongue, a chatbot is all about what it sees. A typo in a keyword can ruin everything (e.g. if you type ‘sado’ instead of ‘saldo’, the bot won’t understand you). Read it over before sending.
• Don’t provide sensitive data: Never enter bank passwords or PINs in the chat window. If the bot needs verification, it will ask you to log in securely, rather than entering your password during the conversation.