There's a lot of hype around AI chatbots. Vendors promise they'll replace your entire customer service team, handle complex negotiations, and maybe even make coffee. Let's cut through that and talk about what actually works for small businesses.
What AI Chatbots Are Good At
Modern AI chatbots excel at specific tasks. Here's where they genuinely help:
1. Answering Repetitive Questions
If your team answers the same 20 questions over and over—hours, pricing, directions, cancellation policies—a chatbot handles this instantly, 24/7. This is the single biggest win for most small businesses.
2. Qualifying Leads
A chatbot can ask visitors what they're looking for, collect their contact info, and route them appropriately. It's like having someone at the front desk at 3 AM.
3. Booking and Scheduling
Connected to your calendar, a chatbot can show availability and book appointments without human intervention. For service businesses, this is huge.
4. Providing Information From Your Knowledge Base
Train a chatbot on your documentation, policies, or product catalog, and it becomes an instant expert on your business that never sleeps.
What AI Chatbots Struggle With
Be realistic about limitations:
- Complex emotional situations — Angry customers, delicate complaints, and nuanced negotiations still need human touch
- Decisions requiring judgment — Approving exceptions, handling unusual requests, or anything that requires "reading the room"
- Tasks requiring current information — Unless connected to live systems, chatbots can't tell you if something is in stock right now
- Multi-step processes with dependencies — Long workflows where each step depends on the previous one's outcome
The Right Approach for Small Business
Start small and focused. Don't try to build a chatbot that does everything. Pick one high-volume, repetitive task—like answering "What are your hours?" or "How do I book a tour?"—and nail that first.
Then, ensure there's always a clear path to a human. The best chatbot experiences we've built include an obvious way to reach a real person when needed. Customers don't mind talking to a bot for simple stuff; they get frustrated when they're stuck in a bot loop with a complex problem.
Real Example: The Edge Zipline
We built a chatbot for The Edge Zipline that handles questions about weather policies, weight requirements, what to wear, and booking modifications. It answers hundreds of questions weekly that would otherwise require staff time.
But when someone has a specific complaint or a complicated group booking situation, the bot connects them to a human. That handoff is seamless, and customers appreciate not being stuck.
Questions to Ask Before Building One
- What are your top 10 most common customer questions? If you can list them, a chatbot can answer them.
- Do you have clear policies and answers? A chatbot is only as good as the information it's trained on.
- What's your escalation path? How will complex issues reach a human?
- What systems need to connect? Booking systems, CRMs, and calendars need integration.
Bottom Line
AI chatbots are a tool, not a magic solution. Used correctly—for repetitive, information-based tasks with clear escalation paths—they save real time and improve customer experience. Used incorrectly—for everything, with no human backup—they frustrate customers and damage your reputation.
If you're considering a chatbot for your business and want an honest assessment of whether it makes sense, get in touch. We'll tell you if we think it's worth it.