Essential Tips for Building Your First Chatbot

Learn essential concepts such as Chatbots, triggers, variables, and key configurations to design effective and personalized automated interactions.

Before creating your first bot with AiInbox, it’s essential to understand some key concepts. This guide simplifies the fundamentals of chatbots, helping you learn how they function and what’s involved in building one.

What Are Chatbots?

Imagine having a 24/7 assistant ready to answer your questions and help with various tasks. This assistant, known as a bot, is a unique software program designed to interact with you through chat or messaging.

How Does a Chatbot Get Triggered?

To activate a specific bot, a trigger is required. This trigger is defined by keywords associated with the bot. When a user’s message includes these keywords, the corresponding bot is automatically initiated.

For example: If a bot is set up for order inquiries with keywords like “order,” “purchase,” or “status,” any message containing these terms will activate the order inquiry bot.

You can assign one or multiple keywords to a bot. If multiple bots share the same keyword, the bot distinguishes between them based on the information provided in the payload.

What Are Variables?

Think of variables as labeled containers that can hold different types of information, such as numbers, text, or other data.

In AiInbox, variables are used to customize WhatsApp Templates and Chatbots, allowing for dynamic and personalized interactions.

Examples:

A WhatsApp template for order confirmation might include variables like {{order_id}}, {{customer_name}}, and {{total_amount}} to display specific details for each order.

If a customer shares their name, you can store it in a variable called customer_name and later use it in the conversation, such as: “Hello, {{customer_name}}! How can I assist you today?”

In AiInbox, the following data types are available for variables:

Text: Used to store and display character strings, such as names or messages. Number: Handles numerical values, which can be used for calculations or to show quantities. Date: Represents dates and times, ideal for tracking events or deadlines. Boolean: Stores values that are either true or false, commonly used for decision-making or conditional logic. Array: Allows you to store multiple values in a single variable, such as a list of items or options. Object: Used for complex data structures that contain multiple fields and values, enabling more detailed and organized data storage.

These data types enable you to efficiently manage and utilize information.

Key Configurations You Need to Know

Before deploying the bot to interact with customers, pay attention to essential configuration: drop-off conditions

Drop-off

This setting applies to the entire bot. During bot creation, you’ll find a section asking, “What if the contact doesn’t respond to the bot’s questions?” Here, you can configure how to track and identify reasons for customer non-responsiveness at different stages. This allows you to analyze the bot’s performance and make improvements to enhance the overall customer experience.

How long the bot should wait for a response from the contact. What message the bot should send if the designated wait time runs out.