Almost 90% of consumers think that chatbots have a harder time. to make om with real to speak to employees of a company. This is evident from research by the Consumers' Association among more than 10.000 panel members. The Consumers' Association believes that companies always the possibility must offer to chat or call a real person.

 

The Consumers' Association asked panel members about their experiences with chatbots in customer service. For the majority of respondents, these experiences are negative. Panel members report that chatbots do not go beyond the same standard answers and that they often do not understand questions. One panel member: 'The chatbot didn't understand at all what I wanted and the conversation was stilted.'

No human contact

7 out of 10 panel members who used a chatbot received no answer to their question at all. Consequently, they found it difficult, or even impossible, to reach a real employee. Sandra Molenaar, Director of the Consumentenbond: “In many cases, the chatbot has become an obstacle to human contact. We believe that a real employee should always be easy to reach.”

89% find it (very) important to be able to speak to a real employee, and 96% find it (very) important that companies clearly state that you are in contact with a chatbot.

Incidentally, since May 2022, companies have been required to list both an email address and a telephone number in a logical and easily findable location on their website. 23 out of a list of 100 surveyed companies do not comply with this. Even large companies such as Albert Heijn, Coolblue, and PostNL do not, according to the Consumers' Association.

Save chats

The Consumers' Association also investigated customer service at 100 companies and found that at 35 of them, it is not possible to save a conversation with the chatbot. This makes it more difficult to retrieve agreements or advice later. It is also harder to continue a conversation at a later time. The Consumers' Association wants consumers to be able to save chats. 

The Dutch Data Protection Authority and the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets are working on a guideline for the responsible use of chatbots. The Consumers' Association provided input for the guideline. This is a supplement to the existing rules.

(Ziptone, Consumentenbond)

Customer Experience