According to research by Consumers Union, just over 10% of consumers surveyed have actually received help or answers from a chatbot. Anyone trying to talk to a real employee will often end up in trouble again.
Although companies use chatbots to provide greater convenience and faster service, this can often backfire.
Just over 10% of people actually get help from chatbots
More and more companies are using virtual assistants to handle customer issues. It would be useful if such a chatbot immediately gave the correct answer, but according to research, this does not always happen. More than 10% of group members who asked for help through the chatbot actually received answers or help. Nearly 18% received some assistance.
Other participants who had to deal with the chatbot said they did not receive answers to their questions. Anyone who then wants to talk to an employee often encounters the next problem: it proves difficult and sometimes even impossible to reach someone.
Consumers Association: Real employees must be available at all times
According to the Consumer Association, chatbots should not hinder human contact. Companies should always provide customers with an easy option to call or chat with a real customer service agent.
From May 2022, the rules also apply to corporate accessibility. They need to put their phone number and email address in an easy-to-find location on their website. According to consumer associations, many businesses are not complying with this rule.
More than a third of 100 companies are unable to save chatbot conversations
This interest group not only focused on consumer experience, but also surveyed one hundred companies on their customer service. Another problem arises. More than a third of companies surveyed were unable to save conversations with chatbots.
The Consumer Council wants consumers to save these conversations. This way, they can later find out what information they received or what was discussed during their contact with the virtual assistant.
ACM and Dutch Data Protection Authority are developing rules for chatbots
Regulators are also keeping a close eye on the development of chatbots. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) are jointly developing guidelines for responsible use.
Two regulators announced last year that the number of reports of problems with chatbots using artificial intelligence was rising rapidly. The new guidance should clearly spell out how companies can use such systems responsibly.
At the same time, consumers still have a fairly old-fashioned desire: They ultimately just want to be able to talk to someone if the digital assistant doesn’t know the answer.
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