Chatbot is the perfect assistant – not only – during a pandemic?
Anton Kovačić
Lockdown, i.e. restriction of leaving home, continues in many places around the world with different intensities depending on the current epidemic situation. Due to COVID-19 – an infectious disease caused by coronavirus, some large corporations, smaller companies, but also governmental and non-governmental institutions have decided to switch to a remote work model. In order to maintain its activity in these conditions, some tasks were assigned to… chatbots. WHO and Facebook Messenger To better inform about CODID-19, the World Health Organization, taking advantage of Facebook’s global reach, has launched a version of Facebook Messenger on its WHO Health Alert platform, offering immediate and accurate pandemic data. The interactive WHO Health Alert service can currently be accessed in English, French, Spanish and Arabic through the official WHO Facebook page by selecting “Send a message” or by clicking on the dedicated Messenger link. As announced by WHO, subsequent language versions are a matter of time. Thanks to the chatbot, we will not only verify the rumors, deal with the myths about the pandemic, but most of all we will get to know the latest statistics, news, information about travel opportunities and find answers to questions that we will ask ourselves. Just click here. The World Health Organization says that by switching to Facebook Messenger and other related communication channels, WHO Health Alert could reach up to 4.2 billion people – thereby helping Facebook users protect themselves from COVID-19, prevent its spread and understand the facts related to the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Microsoft The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a bot to help people decide what to do if they have potential COVID-19 symptoms. The bot was given a graceful female name – Clara. Clara, serving stakeholders including on Facebook Messenger, however, it is not intended for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. The questions guide users through the symptoms, and then recommendations are made if anyone needs medical attention. You can also find a lot of advice there, just click here. The Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland is not lagging behind in this field. The chatbot was also prepared by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and is available on its official Facebook profile. It allows you to quickly obtain the most up-to-date, verified and official information on the coronavirus outbreak and government countermeasures. Thanks to this, Messenger and Facebook users will learn, among others about where to get help, about preventive measures to help protect against the virus, or about border closure regulations. How it works? Check it out here. Lufthansa and the entire aviation industry Only German Lufthansa carries over 10 million passengers per month. In a situation where most flights have been canceled or postponed, the number of questions from travelers is enormous, and can even be frightening. That is why the Germans decided that the main task of their chatbot – the lovable Elisa – would be to handle these queries. To use its help, it is enough to turn on – of course – Messenger. Obviously, Elisa announces at the beginning that she is currently unable to respond to complaints and claims on this channel, but many of our doubts can be resolved. Some other airlines have also opted for similar solutions. Dr. Green and recruitment Although this is not an example straight from the coronavirus era – and just before – it shows in what direction medium-sized companies and corporations, in which recruitment lasts all year round, can and are headed. Dr. Green’s chatbot recruited for two positions – Brand Ambassador and Customer Advisor. Contrary to standard job interviews, these were conducted using Messenger, took up to several dozen minutes, and participation in the recruitment process was possible from anywhere in the world and at any time. A whim or a requirement? Chatbot, long regarded by some as a technological whim, can be crucial for many companies during a pandemic: it supports or even maintains the functioning of the company by becoming a virtual assistant. Importantly, it does not need protective clothing, sleep and meals. When direct, personal contact with consumers and customers is a threat, they provide help while fully complying with safety standards.
