AI Chatbots for Business: Answer Customers 24/7
What an AI chatbot is, how it answers your website visitors around the clock, its limits, and how to use it responsibly in your business in Saudi Arabia.
A customer visits your website at 11 p.m. with a simple question: “Do you offer this service?”, “Roughly how much does it cost?” or “What are your opening hours on Friday?” If they can’t find the answer quickly, they may close the page and go back to Google to try a competitor.
This is where an AI chatbot comes in: an assistant that answers visitors’ questions at any time, based on information about your business. In this article we explain what it is, where it helps, what its limits are, and how to use it responsibly.
What is an AI chatbot?
A chatbot is a chat window on your website where visitors type a question and get a written reply. There are two main types:
- Traditional chatbot: relies on predefined buttons and options, such as “Press 1 for prices”. Useful for simple questions, but limited when visitors phrase questions in their own words.
- AI chatbot: understands questions written in natural language and composes a suitable reply based on the information available to it, such as the content of your website.
How can it help your business?
Replies outside working hours
A chatbot doesn’t need a day off or a break. It can answer visitors at night and on holidays, when your team isn’t available.
Fewer repetitive questions
Many questions come up every day: your location, opening hours, available services, how to book. The chatbot answers them and leaves your team the cases that need a human touch.
Capturing potential customers
When a visitor shows interest and leaves their contact details, those details can reach you so you can follow up at the right time, instead of losing the opportunity.
Guiding visitors to the right page
Instead of making visitors search the site themselves, the chatbot can point them to the right service, booking or contact page.
Examples by type of business
- Clinics: answering questions about services, opening hours and how to book, without giving diagnoses or medical advice.
- Salons: questions about available services and appointments, then directing the customer to the booking system.
- Restaurants and cafés: questions about location, opening hours and delivery, with a link to the digital menu.
- Service companies: explaining services and collecting contact requests from interested visitors.
The limits of a chatbot: what to know before you start
AI is a useful tool, but it isn’t a complete employee. It’s important to keep your expectations realistic.
It can make mistakes
AI models can sometimes produce an inaccurate answer or misunderstand a question. So:
- Keep your website information accurate and up to date, because the quality of replies depends on it.
- Review the chatbot’s replies and test it yourself with different questions before relying on it.
- Don’t rely on it for sensitive decisions, such as medical, legal or financial matters.
There should be a human behind it
A good chatbot knows when to say “I don’t know” and refer the visitor to your team. Complaints, special cases and complex requests need a real person. Make sure visitors can always reach a human contact channel.
Privacy
- Don’t ask visitors for sensitive information through the chatbot.
- Be clear with visitors that they are talking to an automated assistant, not a staff member.
- Handle the contact details visitors leave responsibly, and use them only for the purpose they were given.
- Review the regulations in force in Saudi Arabia on personal data protection, and comply with them.
Chatbot vs. manual replies
| Criterion | Manual replies only | Chatbot with human follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Replies outside working hours | Usually unavailable | Available |
| Repetitive questions | Take up the team’s time | Answered by the bot |
| Complex cases and complaints | Handled by the team | Referred to the team |
| Accuracy of replies | Depends on the employee | Depends on the accuracy of the website’s information, and it can make mistakes |
The idea isn’t to replace your team, but to free them for the work that really needs them.
Questions to ask yourself before adding a chatbot
Not every business needs a chatbot at every stage. Before deciding, consider these questions:
- Do I get enough visitors? If your website is new and has few visitors, it may be better to work on showing up on Google first.
- Do the same questions keep coming up? If your team answers the same questions every day, a chatbot is a good candidate to lighten that load.
- Is my website information complete? The chatbot only knows what is in front of it. If your services or opening hours aren’t listed, it can’t answer about them correctly.
- Who will follow up on contact details? Assign someone to respond to interested visitors who leave their details, so opportunities aren’t lost.
- Which cases should the bot not handle? Such as complaints or specialist consultations, and make it clear to visitors how to reach your team for them.
If your answers point to repetitive questions, clear information and someone to follow up, a chatbot will most likely be a useful addition.
The Oxira chatbot
The Oxira AI chatbot is an add-on for your website that works like this:
- Answers from your website information: it replies to visitors’ questions based on the content of your website.
- In your website’s language: it replies in the language of the website it runs on.
- Sends you leads: when a visitor leaves contact details, you receive an email so you can follow up.
Price: 199 SAR per month, excluding 15% VAT.
Because the chatbot relies on your website information, the clearer and more complete your website is, the better the replies. If you don’t have a website yet, you can start with Oxira Studio.
Tips for the best results
- Update your website content: services, prices if you publish them, opening hours, address and contact methods.
- Add an FAQ page: it gives the chatbot clear information to answer from.
- Test it yourself: ask the questions your customers usually ask and check the replies.
- Follow up on contact details quickly: a visitor who left their details is waiting for your reply.
- Update the information whenever something changes: the chatbot only knows about a change in prices or hours once it is reflected on your website.
Frequently asked questions
Can a chatbot replace a customer service employee?
No. It helps answer repetitive questions and questions outside working hours, but complex cases and complaints need a person. It works best when the two work together.
Can a chatbot give a wrong answer?
Yes, that can happen with any AI system. That’s why it’s important that your website information is accurate, that you test the replies, and that you don’t rely on it for sensitive decisions.
Where does the Oxira chatbot get its information?
From your website information. So keeping your website content up to date improves the quality of the replies.
How do I know an interested visitor got in touch through the chatbot?
When a visitor leaves contact details, you receive an email so you can follow up.
How much does the Oxira chatbot cost?
199 SAR per month, excluding 15% VAT.
Let your website answer customers at any time
If your website visitors ask repetitive questions, or you miss enquiries outside working hours, take a look at the Oxira chatbot, or contact us and we’ll help you work out whether it suits your business.
And if your customers reach you on WhatsApp more than through your website, an AI agent on WhatsApp may suit you better. We explain the difference in our article on the benefits of an AI agent on WhatsApp for businesses.