Where customers experience it.
WHAT CAN BE AUTOMATED USEFULLY
Enquiry acknowledgement Booking and appointment confirmation Order and delivery updates Payment receipts and reminders Feedback requests Frequently asked questions
WHY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MATTERS
An unanswered enquiry is assumed ignored within hours.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
An immediate acknowledgement stating when a real response will come.
WHY STATING WHEN
It prevents chasing and sets expectation.
WHAT TO BE CAREFUL WITH
Automation that appears human but is not Responses that do not address what was asked Being unable to reach a person
WHY THAT LAST POINT MATTERS MOST
Customers with a real problem and no route to a person become former customers.
WHAT TO ALWAYS PROVIDE
A way to reach someone.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT AUTOMATED RESPONSES
That they are accurate and current.
WHY
Automated replies referencing outdated information damage credibility.
WHAT TO REVIEW
Automated messages, periodically, as a customer would read them.
WHAT TO AVOID
Excessive frequency Messages with no purpose Automation of anything sensitive
WHAT COUNTS AS SENSITIVE
Complaints Bad news Anything requiring judgement
WHY
Automated handling of those is worse than slower human handling.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Whether automation reduced enquiries or increased them.
WHY BOTH ARE POSSIBLE
Poor automation generates confusion and more contact.
WHAT TO TEST
The whole customer path, yourself.
