Why Should You Use Chatbots for IT Support?

Chatbots are coming of age. Powerful new technologies, such as deep learning, natural language processing, and large language models (LLMs), are making it possible to have human-like conversations with machines and get answers to virtually any question.

As such, companies are paying close attention. Many are now wondering whether they can use chatbots for IT support. Instead of fielding dozens of employees at massive expense, they are wondering whether intelligent machines can do it instead.

Just six months ago, the notion that a chatbot could provide comprehensive IT support seemed unlikely. But with the release of OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 interface in November, public perception abruptly changed. Systems can now converse in a human-like way, providing detailed answers to questions on esoteric topics asked in non-standard formats.

For businesses that care about their bottom lines, these developments are significant. Outsourced UK IT help desks can cost upwards of £15 per user per calendar month or between £50 and £100 per hour. Small and medium-sized businesses often plough thousands of pounds into these services to ensure their networks operate smoothly. Until recently, it was essential.

Now, though, IT support chatbots combined with online chat for websites offer an alternative. These intelligent systems and solutions provide businesses with several critical benefits that they love.

For instance, chatbots:-

Provide Instant Answers To Common IT Questions

One of the main benefits of AI-powered IT support chatbots is providing employees with instant answers to the most common IT-related questions. Many information technology professionals spend the majority of their time helping people with trivial issues instead of working on high-value tasks. For example, a lot of time is spent assisting people to remember and enter their passwords or restart their devices after an update.

Chatbots could replace this function, instructing employees on what to do next. Staff could ask questions or get clarifications in real time instead of troubling a human agent.

Chatbots could also help with other common tickets, including printer problems, connectivity issues, user management, mobile phone issues, conference room equipment bugs, and, of course, the blue screen of death. Solutions to most of these issues are procedural and, in most cases, don’t require escalation to a human agent.

Reduce Workloads

Another significant reason organisations should use chatbots for IT support is their ability to reduce workloads. Introducing the technology could have profound implications for worker satisfaction and company productivity.

For instance, a Yerbo publication called The State of Burnout in Tech found that two in five IT workers displayed a high risk of burnout, while 62% felt physically and emotionally drained. IT support was one of the worst-performing job sectors, based on the findings.

Countering this, new chatbot technology could prevent IT professionals from feeling inundated with issues or having to provide the same answers to staff members multiple times per day. It could also free up time to focus on broader digitisation projects, helping organisations become more competitive.

Lower Costs

Lowering costs is another significant and expected benefit of companies using chatbot-powered IT service desks. Firms may be able to provide full support with fewer full-time staff and hours worked.

The technology may also justify higher wages for IT staff. Spending less time on password resetting, software updates, and network connectivity issues will allow professionals to focus on value-added, making them more valuable and lowering the net drain of IT support on company finances.

Improve User Satisfaction And Productivity

Improving user satisfaction and productivity is also a big reason firms should use chatbots for IT support. Staff want helpdesks to resolve their computer- and network-related issues fast so they can avoid frustration.

Problems are more widespread than many managers think. For instance, VentureBeat reports that 91% of employees are frustrated with their company’s tech, and 71% of leaders know this fact encourages them to look for new jobs.

Using chatbots for IT support helps to resolve this by responding to queries instantly. Advanced systems can often diagnose issues in seconds and provide detailed instructions to staff to fix them. Staff feel more satisfied and don’t have to wait for the helpdesk to answer their tickets before resuming work.

Self-Improve Over Time

Chatbots for IT support may also be self-improving. Systems can learn from user feedback data and incorporate this into their instructions when responding to future tickets. As knowledge improves, bots become more adept at resolving the specific issues affecting the company, developing their skill set through guided learning.

Integrate With Other Tools And Systems

Companies should also use chatbots for IT support because they integrate with other tools and systems. For example, Click4Assistance’s chatbots made with BotBuilder can integrate with agent messaging services, allowing for seamless transitions between machine and human assistance. They also pair with our smartCast technology, which enables you to display videos, promotions, and even third-party website links in a handy pop-out panel beside the main chat box.

Eliminate Manual Ticket Management

Another benefit of chatbots for businesses is their manual ticket management. If bots can’t deal with issues directly, they can queue them automatically, eliminating the need for manual ticket management. AI systems route the most urgent tickets to staff in optimal order, allowing them to process high-value problems before moving on to less critical items.

Are Available 24/7

Lastly, IT support chatbots are available 24/7. Employees can take advantage of them any time of the day or night and resolve issues, even outside of hours.

Now, You’re Ready To Use Chatbots For IT Support

Ultimately, chatbots make IT support easier. Employees can get quick responses to their queries or escalate to agents via live online chat software. Costs fall, and IT professionals are less likely to feel burned out, letting them focus more on high-value tasks.

For businesses, making the move to chatbots is a strategically advantageous decision. Intelligent systems complement existing IT teams, helping them do better work and get more done. Company-wide productivity can also increase when bots solve IT problems promptly.