Job File: Chatbot master

Chatbots are now part of our daily lives as Internet users. They are also called conversational agents, person-machine interfaces or chatters. It is an artificial intelligence product and a computer system whose role is to interact with users in order to respond to their most common requests and questions.

Advances in AI enables the chatbot to analyze messages (via the NLP and NLU natural language processing technologies) and to acquire learning capabilities (machine learning). An expert in algorithms, business and AI, the chatbot master is the key function for the success of the project.

PRESENTATION AND MISSIONS

A chatbot enables brands, companies and organizations to automate part of their customer relationship or knowledge management system. As an automatic instant messaging, it comes in the form of a window or insert on a website or computer application: “Ask us your question". It can be integrated into a humanoid robot’s functionalities and can also have a name or use an avatar.

It is possible to ask a question at midnight and get a relevant answer straight away, thanks to chatbot masters who create, configure and make conversational robots evolve.

The chatbot project manager, also called botmaster, drives the conversational agent’s design, integration and continuous improvement. The system is based on data collection and analysis. It is enriched and increases its performance by feeding on all user requests.

Surrounded by experts (developers, data scientist, linguistic programming engineers), the chatbot master programs and feeds the chatbot so that it is able to answer user questions in a fluid manner and to react in case of unexpected events (new situation, breakdown, a question not understood...). She monitors performance and tests and defines features, tone and dialog tree structure. She considers all possible scenarios. She must foresee possible mistakes that a user might make and ensure that the wording (syntax and spelling) is perfect.

The chatbot master is the link between the client, management and the technical team. She is able to imagine questions, reactions and provide coherent solutions to all issues, both on the customer’s side and on the technical experts’ side. The function is sometimes divided into two professions: the first one manages the technical aspect and the second one is in charge of content.

Here are some famous chatbots: Duolingo (to learn languages), Beauty bot (Sephora), Lara (Meetic), Team de Nuit par Novanuit® (Sanofi). Other forms of chatbot exist: bank advisor (Mastercard), medical advisor (Your.MD), tour guide (Ask Mona), personal stylist (H&M), sales advisor (Ebay), contest organizer (Disney), news services (CNN, Le Parisien), travel agent (SNCF), meal order (Burger King), movie selection (And Chill), etc.

BUSINESS IMPLICATIONS

Chatbots are well established in the online sales market and have rapidly invested in all areas that have a customer or user relationship: administration, catering, health, banking, recruitment, insurance... The use of conversational agents in prospect and customer relationships helps increase the number of orders, strengthen customer loyalty, infiltrate social networks (via messenger for example) and collect membership and new leads. The use of chatbots in companies offers better identification and knowledge sharing between teams. In an internal framework, chatbot also allows the dissemination of best practices and the acceleration of decision-making processes. The image of innovation and immediacy attached to chatbots is beneficial to brands and companies.

ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS

Depending on the data, person-machine interfaces tackle the topics of respect for personal data, confidentiality, equality, neutrality and transparency. Data and AI lawyers as well as ethics officers are an invaluable help on these topics for chatbot masters.

In their learning, aivancity programsintegrate all artificial intelligence components and stakes, whether technical, technological, commercial, ethical or legal. It is a global and hybrid training that empowers future engineers to respond to the many economic and social challenges related to the exploitation of data and artificial intelligence potentials. It can be completed by a doctoral or PhD training.

KEY COMPETENCIES

The function is based on three fundamental pillars: an in-depth understanding of technologies, business expertise in marketing (or operations management) and a perfect knowledge of the business sector and its challenges. Knowing how to use programming languages is necessary for the chatbot master’s mission (even if pre-designed models currently exist). She must also know how to orchestrate teams’ efforts and build a bridge between experts and the general and marketing/operational departments concerned. This requires agility and exceptional people skills.

She makes choices and finds compromises between technical imperatives, business ideals and the ethical approach. Pragmatism, predictive analysis and anticipation are her professional automatisms. She is at the same time a manager, a technician and a keen expert in commercial relations.

TRENDS AND EVOLUTION FACTORS

She can work in a company, in a digital agency or a software company, or as an independent consultant.

The chatbot master is a versatile profession that places technology at the heart of customer service. She thrives between technical revolutions and exciting challenges.

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