Guide • Step 2: Getting Found & Never Missing a Lead
AI Customer Service for Small Business: Chat, Phone and Email
Where AI can answer customers faster, where a human must stay involved, and the rules to follow for calls and disclosures.
Good First Uses
- Website chat that answers hours, service area, pricing ranges and booking questions from your own FAQ answers.
- After-hours call answering that takes a message and books a callback.
- Drafted email replies a team member reviews and sends.
Keep a Person Involved
Give customers an easy way to reach a person, and send complaints, refunds, safety issues and anything emotional to a human. Review transcripts weekly for wrong answers.
Be Clear It’s Automated
Tell customers when they’re talking with an AI assistant. The FTC has warned businesses against misleading people about what AI is or does.
Calls You Make to Customers Need Extra Care
In February 2024 the FCC ruled that AI-generated voices count as “artificial” voices under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, so robocalls using them generally need the called party’s prior express consent. Get advice before using AI to make calls to customers.