The one simple question our bot asks that saves our sales team hours

The rise of chatbots and automation has led to concerns about the impact on sales processes and lead qualification. However, a simple example from Intercom's bot, Operator, shows how a well-designed chatbot can help streamline lead qualification by automating repetitive tasks and questions. The bot asks if a visitor is an Intercom customer, with two options: "Yes, I'm a customer" or "No, I'm not a customer yet." If the latter, it assigns them to the sales team for qualification; if the former, it routes them to Customer Support. This simple step dramatically changed the state of their inboxes, resulting in significant time savings and a more personal experience for customers. The example highlights how chatbots can complement human workflow rather than replace it, making the customer experience more efficient and effective.