The Challenge
Our client, a local Citizens Advice Bureau, wanted to make their online services easier to use. Their website had a lot of helpful information, but because the of vast expanse of available information visitors often struggled to find the right page, or simply wanted to speak to an advisor directly.
Our goal was to make it easier for people to get answers quickly, and connect them to human support when needed.
Our Approach
We created a chatbot to act as a guide through the client’s website content. Using J-chat, we quickly turned their existing advice pages into a smart assistant capable of answering common questions instantly, directing users to the right resources, and escalating to a human advisor when required.
The content setup was straightforward. We pulled overviews of the website, organised them into a simple spreadsheet, and assigned identifiers to each intent. For example, when a visitor asks “Get help with the cost of living,” the chatbot responds with:
“If you’re struggling financially, you can seek assistance with essentials like bills and food. Check your eligibility for benefits, which might be available even if you work or have assets. If faced with debts, communicate with creditors and consider applying for a ‘short-term benefit advance’. Assistance like the ‘Household Support Fund’ or charitable grants may be available. For those facing mental stress due to financial issues, support from organisations like Samaritans or Shout is available.”
The Outcome
The chatbot was launched successfully and quickly became a helpful tool for both visitors and staff. Staff workloads were reduced, while visitors could find the guidance they needed immediately, or connect with an advisor without navigating through the site.
- Total messages exchanged: 1,810
- Total conversations started: 758
- Average messages per conversation: 2.39
- Average conversation length: 2.12 minutes
Beyond the headline numbers, the analytics dashboard in J-chat provides valuable insight into how people use the assistant. The Bureau can now easily identify:
- The most common topics people ask about (for the Bureau those are contact information, family, benefits, and financial support)
- The busiest times of day for chatbot use
- The links users click most often
- The top questions driving conversations
What made this project stand out was how simple it was to get up and running. J-chat allowed us to go from raw website content to a fully functioning assistant quickly, with minimal setup. The structured process of defining intents and responses meant the chatbot was helpful from the start and easy to maintain or expand over time.