Feature
The Gist
- AI chatbots are growing in popularity and capabilities. What potential do they have to improve customer experience (CX) by answering questions and holding conversations?
- A second experiment. We conducted an experiment with the Google Bard chatbot, asking it four different CX-related questions. Both the text and a demo video are included. The first part of this four-part series explored ChatGPT-3.5 and 4.0.
- Pros and cons of Bard. After analyzing the experiment, we discussed the pros and cons of using Bard.
AI chatbots have been a hot topic of conversation for months now and are only continuing to grow, both in popularity and capabilities. These bots have the ability to answer cut-and-dry questions as well as hold conversations.
But, how do they perform when asked for advice on an enterprise level, especially in the customer experience realm? This is, of course, the main question here. Can these chatbots be used to improve CX? If yes, how are they most useful?
This article is Part 2 in a four-part series on current chatbots, their capabilities and how they respond to CX-related questions. This series includes articles on Bing AI, Bard, ChatGPT (3.5 & 4.0), and a final article comparing each. For each chatbot analysis, we put ourselves in the shoes of a customer experience leader, asking potential questions they'd ask. The same four questions were asked in each test.
- How should my contact center agents handle a conversation when the person's been on hold for more than 10 minutes?
- What should I do if they’re still angry? (follow-up)
- How can I improve customer loyalty to my company?
- How can I improve the marketing strategy at my company?
This time, for Part 2, we will jump into an analysis of Google's Bard. I obtained access to Bard after a relatively brief time on the waitlist.
Below is the full text exchange for the four questions along with screenshots from the actual Bard platform.
Contact Center and Long Customer Hold Times
Prompt No. 1: How should my contact center agents handle a conversation when the person's been on hold for more than 10 minutes?
Bard Response: Apologize and Offer Alternatives
Here are some tips on how your contact center agents can handle a conversation when the person's been on hold for more than 10 minutes:
- Apologize for the wait. The first thing your agent should do is apologize for the wait. Let the customer know that you understand how frustrating it is to be on hold, and that you're doing everything you can to get them to a live agent as soon as possible.
- Provide updates on the wait time. Every few minutes, your agent should check back in with the customer to provide an update on the wait time. This will help to keep the customer informed and make them feel like they're not being forgotten about.
- Offer to transfer the customer to another department. If the customer is willing to wait, your agent can offer to transfer them to another department that may be able to help them more quickly. This can be a good option if the customer's issue is not something that can be resolved by the agent's department.
- End the call if the customer is no longer able to wait. If the customer has been on hold for more than 10 minutes and is no longer able to wait, your agent should offer to end the call and have them call back at a later time. This is the best option if the customer is becoming frustrated or angry.
It's important to remember that every customer is different, and some may be more understanding of long wait times than others. Your agents should use their judgment to determine the best course of action for each customer.
In addition to the above, here are some specific phrases that your agents can use to handle a conversation when the person's been on hold for more than 10 minutes:
- "I apologize for the wait. I know it can be frustrating to be on hold, and I'm doing everything I can to get you to a live agent as soon as possible."
- "I'll check back in with you every few minutes to give you an update on the wait time."
- "If you're not able to wait any longer, I can offer to transfer you to another department that may be able to help you more quickly."
- "Thank you for your patience."
Prompt No. 2: What Should I Do if They’re Still Angry?
Bard Response: Acknowledge Their Emotions
If the customer is still angry after you have apologized and provided updates on the wait time, there are a few more things you can do to try to defuse the situation:
- Acknowledge their anger. Let the customer know that you understand why they are angry, and that you are sorry that they have had a negative experience.
- Apologize again. Even if you have already apologized, it is never wrong to apologize again. A sincere apology can go a long way towards calming an angry customer.
- Be patient. It is important to be patient with angry customers. They are likely feeling frustrated and upset, and they may take some time to calm down.
- Listen to them. Let the customer vent their anger. Do not interrupt them, and do not try to argue with them. Just listen to what they have to say.
- Empathize with them. Try to put yourself in the customer's shoes and understand why they are angry.
- Offer a solution. Once the customer has had a chance to vent their anger, offer them a solution to their problem. This may be something as simple as giving them a refund or replacing a product.
- Thank them for their patience. Once the situation has been resolved, thank the customer for their patience. This will show them that you appreciate their business.
If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to handling angry customers effectively.
Customer Loyalty Improvements
Prompt No. 3: How Can I Improve Customer Loyalty to My Company?
Bard Response: Make Sure Your Customers Feel Valued
There are many ways to improve customer loyalty to your company. Here are a few tips:
- Provide excellent customer service. This is perhaps the most important factor in building customer loyalty. Make sure your customers are always happy with the service they receive from your company.
- Offer rewards and incentives. This can be a great way to keep customers coming back. Consider offering discounts, loyalty programs, or other rewards for your customers.
- Make it easy for customers to do business with you. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and that your customer service is available when customers need it.
- Personalize the customer experience. Make sure your customers feel like they are valued and that you are interested in their individual needs.
- Be responsive to customer feedback. Listen to what your customers have to say and make changes to your business based on their feedback.
- Build relationships with your customers. Get to know your customers on a personal level and build relationships with them. This will make them more likely to stay loyal to your company.
If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to improving customer loyalty to your company.
Marketing Strategy
Prompt No. 4: How Can I Improve the Marketing Strategy at My Company?
Bard Response: Clearly Define Your Target Audience and Channels
Here are some tips on how you can improve the marketing strategy at your company:
- Define your target audience. The first step to any successful marketing campaign is to define your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your marketing efforts? Once you know who your target audience is, you can tailor your marketing messages to appeal to them.
- Set clear goals. What do you want to achieve with your marketing campaigns? Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales? Once you know your goals, you can track your progress and measure the success of your marketing campaigns.
- Choose the right channels. There are many different marketing channels available, so it's important to choose the right ones for your target audience. For example, if your target audience is young people, you might want to focus on social media marketing.
- Create high-quality content. The content you create is one of the most important aspects of your marketing strategy. Make sure your content is high-quality, informative, and engaging.
- Measure your results. It's important to measure the results of your marketing campaigns so you can see what's working and what's not. This will help you to improve your marketing strategy over time.
If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to improving the marketing strategy at your company.
Sources - Learn more
Conclusion: Practical for CX, Marketing Leaders?
Like ChatGPT, Bard was also quick to respond and gave responses that were in line with the going CX ideas and methods.
The first two questions dealt with emotions and empathy more than the following ones. Bard generated responses that showed an understanding of how important positive interactions can be. It even gave examples of what someone could say to calm an angry customer.
In the first question (on wait time), there was no direct mention to emotional responses. Bard didn’t immediately make the connection to the fact that emotions are heavily at play in that situation. It recognized that the first question presented a frustrating situation for the customer, but nothing beyond that in the emotional realm.
However, when asked how to handle the situation if the customer is “still angry,” Bard immediately offered up several tips on how to diffuse situations with angry customers.
The third and fourth questions dealt more with marketing. In response to the third question (on customer loyalty), Bard provided sensible tips on how to improve.
One aspect that I (personally) appreciated was the automatic links to sources that it references. Bard only cited one source, but it did so without being asked as a way of offering up a chance to "learn more." Similarly, ChatGPT's Plus version has a Web browser plug-in that cites Bing search-generated sources.
Webinar
Sep
25
CMS Briefing: A Live Look at What’s Next in AI-Driven Platforms
Learn how leading organizations are using AI‑driven tools to publish faster, personalize smarter and stay secure.
Register
Webinar
On demand
Ready or Not: How Data-First Organizations Are Unlocking Agentforce Potential
Learn how to cut through the noise, activate Agentforce and build a Salesforce AI strategy that actually delivers.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
AI in Customer Service: Faster Resolutions, Happier Customers
Don’t let rising demand burn out your team. See how to build a smarter, more resilient support org.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
From Hype to High-Impact CX Strategies That Actually Scale
Turn buzzworthy AI and outsourcing trends into measurable CX wins with fresh 2025 data.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
Insights to Action Rethinking the Contact Center for Real Business Impact
Join our exclusive webinar to hear CX executives share their innovative strategies for transforming service delivery.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
Accelerating Healthcare Ops with AI
Sign up to see how your peers are putting AI to work — and making it stick.
Watch Now
Editor's note: Stay tuned for the next article in the series featuring customer experience and marketing questions and demonstrations with Bing AI. Also stay tuned for the concluding article in the series where we will ask human customer experience leaders about our AI friends' input. View Part 1 of the series here.
