Bot or person
Bot or person: dividing the work on an Abu Dhabi WhatsApp line
A useful bot does a short list of jobs properly and passes the rest along without delay.
1 Bot: repeated questions
Opening hours, location pins, price lists, the documents a tenant needs for a lease. These get the same answer every time and can be answered at midnight.
2 Bot: collecting details
Name, requirement, budget, preferred date and language, saved as contact fields so the staff member who picks up the chat starts the conversation already knowing the facts.
3 Person: complaints and money
An unhappy customer, a refund or a billing dispute goes to a human at once. A bot arguing with an upset patient or guest does lasting damage.
4 Person: negotiation
Rent discussions, custom quotes and group bookings need judgement and sometimes a phone call. The bot collects the basics, then steps aside for a member of staff.