Callbot or adviser: where should the line sit?
The debate is framed wrongly. The real question is not “do we need a callbot?” but “which requests deserve a human?”.
The three-criteria rule
Automate a request if, and only if, it meets all three conditions:
- It is frequent. Below 5% of your volume, design cost exceeds the gain.
- It is deterministic. The answer depends on data, not judgement.
- It carries no emotional weight. Order tracking, yes. A complaint, no.
The three classic mistakes
Automating to cut headcount. It shows, and you pay for it in reviews. Automate to free up time for high-value requests.
Hiding the bot. Customers work it out within two exchanges. Announce it, and offer a route to a human at the first hesitation.
Forgetting escalation. A bot with no exit turns an annoyed customer into a lost one. The exit must be available at every step, without needing a magic word.
A rough order of magnitude
Across the services we support, well-targeted automation typically absorbs 20% to 35% of incoming volume — almost always on the same reasons: order tracking, opening hours, passwords, case status.
Wondering what deserves automating in your own operation? That is exactly what we measure in the Vision 360 pack.
Let’s talk about your project. The first call is on us.
30 minutes to understand your need, tell you whether one of our platforms already answers it, and if not, estimate what a custom build would cost.