Module 3 · Lesson
Assistants, chatbots and voicebots
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rule-based chatbot | Follows a scripted decision tree. Predictable, but breaks when a question is phrased in an unexpected way. |
| AI assistant (LLM chatbot) | Uses a language model to understand free-form questions and compose answers, ideally from documents you supply. |
| Voicebot | The same idea over speech: speech is converted to text, the model answers, and the answer is converted back to speech. Useful for employees who do not sit at a computer. |
| Agent | An assistant that can also take actions through connected systems, such as submitting a leave request. |
Where assistants scale HR expertise HR service teams often describe support in tiers. Tier 0 is self-service: the employee finds the answer without contacting anyone. Tier 1 is the HR helpdesk or generalist. Tier 2 is a specialist, such as a benefits analyst. Tier 3 is an expert or centre of excellence handling complex cases. An assistant is a Tier 0 tool. Its job is to resolve routine questions and hand everything else to the right person quickly.
| Good uses | Poor uses |
|---|---|
| Policy questions with clear documented answers Onboarding guidance: what happens when, who to contact Navigating benefits enrolment and deadlines How-to questions about HR systems Process guidance for managers (how to open a job requisition) Candidate questions about the hiring process | Reports of harassment, discrimination or safety concerns Medical, disability or accommodation discussions Individual pay, performance or disciplinary matters Legal, tax or immigration advice for a person’s situation Anything that results in a decision about the person Emotional crises |
KEY IDEAThe assistant informs and routes. People handle the sensitive matters and make the
decisions. Design the handoff as carefully as the answers. When a question is out of scope, the assistant should say so plainly, give the right contact, and never leave the employee with nowhere to go.
Notes on voicebots
- They suit frontline and shift workers who can phone or speak to a kiosk.
- Speech recognition is less accurate for some accents, speech differences and noisy environments. Test with the people who will use it and always offer a non-voice route.
- Say at the start that the caller is speaking with an AI system.
- Recording and transcribing calls is subject to consent rules that vary by place. Involve legal before launch.
Jot down key ideas in your own words. Saves automatically.