How Not to Build a Chatbot Muzzamel Mazidee, Director of Partnerships UIB We try to understand, from the consumer’s perspective, why chatbots fail to deliver a good experience and what thought processes need to be considered when venturing into such deployments.

1. How Not to Build a Chatbot
info@uib.ai | www.uib.ai | Chat with UIB’s technology!
Muzzamel Mazidee
Director of Partnerships

2. The Harsh Reality
“One of the reasons why you stopped
using a chatbot now is probably
because it was too stupid for you or
you felt that you cannot exert your
temper on a programmed system if
something went wrong”

3. What is a chatbot?
Computer program that simulates human conversations
Also called cognitive and virtual assistants
Siri and Alexa are two well-known examples
Some are voice-only, while others are voice and text
“Smart” chatbots have the ability to handle context

4. Web widget/
mobile app widgets
Built-in digital assistants
in devices

5. Facebook Messenger bot
WhatsApp/messaging
channels integrated chatbot

6. Where are chatbots
used...and why?
Answer Frequently Asked Questions/FAQs
Control and manage connected devices (IoT)
Automate complex and/or multi-step processes
Lead generation (Sales processes)
Internally in organizations (HR processes)

7. What are chatbots’ impact on
businesses?
Decrease costs - ability to downsize operations
Increase revenues - ability to upsell
Increase accuracy and efficiency (digital transformation)
Decrease staff
Delight customers

8. Case Study:
du telco
80% opted in via their
most preferred channel
>50% enquiries resolved
Conversations recorded
Huge spike during the
Covid-19 pandemic
Ease of use with a local
language involved
https://www.facebook.com/business/success/du

9. Case Study:
Singapore Art
Museum
Temporarily replaced a physical
museum undergoing renovations
Adapting education via social
messaging
Customizeable content based on
exhibitions
Positive branding
Accessible platform for artistes
https://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/art-events/exhibitions/mini-mobile-m
useum-ezzam-rahman

10. What do companies get wrong
with chatbots?
It was developed without understanding users’ needs
It has no KPIs, no tracking, and no ROI
It’s not on users’ favorite channels/preferred languages
It’s “dumb” — can’t handle multiple intents/languages
It’s not used

11. Two wrongs don’t make a right
“One reason a chatbot takes more effort than either self service or a
human agent is because, compared to us humans, it’s stupid. A person
could make the decisions necessary to obtain targeted information
from website content much faster than the chatbot can.
In the end, chatbots are like swimming with clothes on. You get to where
you are going, but it takes a lot more time and effort.”
- Tom Petrocelli, CMS WiRE

12. How can my business
get chatbots right?
Set KPIs based on user and business objectives
Test, test, test (i.e., try to “break” the bot)
Deploy on favorite channels and in preferred languages
Make it both foolproof and futureproof
Work with a trusted provider with a proven record

13. Thank you!
Contact us today
at info@uib.ai
info@uib.ai | www.uib.ai | Chat with UIB’s Technology now!