Tips for Writing Chatbot Error Messages That Are User-Friendly

Everyone has probably encountered a chatbot at some point in their lives. It’s also likely that these chatbots gave errors messages like ‘I cannot understand your question.’ Or maybe you’ve developed your own chatbot for your business and you can see that users are testing the bounds of what the chatbot can do. It’s normal that chatbots won’t be able to answer every question because they’re created for only very specific use cases. The important thing here is to know how to handle these situations so you can still have a positive experience for your users. There is a risk that you can negatively affect the user’s experience with poor error messages. Here are some tips for writing error messages that are user-friendly.

Clarify the Problem

Your error message should be explaining to users what the error is. The worst version of this is when the chatbot asks the user to ask again without telling them how they should rephrase the question for more clarity. This can be as simple as clarifying what the chatbot needs as information to proceed.

In other cases, the chatbot may become confused if users are testing the limits of their knowledge. Jim Mathers, a marketer at Academized and Australian Help, explains to readers that “in those instances, the chatbot can remind the user or their capabilities. Although the expectations with chatbots must be clarified from the beginning of the interaction, users might need refreshers.”

Users Should Have Escape Routes

It’s possible the user is providing the right information but there is still a chatbot error. The last thing you want is for your client to be caught in a cycle of errors without exits. Your user experience guidelines should be allowing you to give options to steer the conversation a certain way. For example, you can ask users to choose a help option, such as ‘if you need assistance, say the word ‘help.’’

You can also give options to the user that will fit within the context of the conversation. That gives users more helpful information than a simple request to repeat. If users don’t have an escape route, they may just exit from the conversation.

Don’t Play the Blame Game

Miscommunications do happen, but it doesn’t mean it’s someone’s fault. You don’t want to treat your customers or users like they’re doing something wrong or by speaking to them in passive aggressive voices. For example, something such as “I didn’t understand that…” can indicate that you’re aloof and the user pronounced something wrong. Instead, you can apologize and have the chatbot say something self-deprecating before outlining what they can help the user with.

Vary Your Style

Chatbot best practices is to have a lot of variety when it comes to your greetings, your small talk, and your error messages. It can be problematic to get the same error message again and again, which users hate. It’s too robotic and makes users lose confidence in the chatbot’s ability to help them. Instead, draft a few different error messages that can be randomized for general mistakes.

Clarify the Misunderstanding

As per Bob Trevalin, a business writer at State of Writing and Paper Fellows, “you’ll need to make sure the mistake, if on the chatbot’s end, is transparent. If the chatbot doesn’t understand something that’s being requested, you should be honest as well as modest with your users about that.”

Be Clear About the Function

After clarifying the error, you should also clarify what the chatbot can do. Remind users of the different capabilities of the bot, how it works, and the type of knowledge they have. This will be helpful for users who are trying to think of the right questions to ask.

Include Calls to Action

A CTA is the best way to direct a user. You should ask them to use buttons, specify that they should be asking their question in another way, or entering a keyword for further assistance. You should also be prepared to hand over an interaction to a human customer service representative if required.

It’s crucial to be aware of everything your chatbot is saying because you want to build a trusting relationship with your users and be as clear as possible.

Ellie Coverdale is a marketing writer for Boom Essays and UK Writings. She enjoys sharing her suggestions for marketing and customer service representatives to provide better service to clients. She is passionate about helping businesses connect with clients. In her spare time, Ellie teaches writing skills at Essayroo.