What Questions Should Your AI Chatbot Be Able to Answer?

After implementing AI chatbots for businesses across various industries, I have learned one critical lesson: the difference between a chatbot that captures leads and one that frustrates visitors often comes down to one thing—the questions it can answer.

Your AI chatbot is not just a novelty feature. It is the first point of contact for many potential customers, and if it cannot provide value immediately, visitors will leave—and they will not come back.

Why Question Design Matters

Think of your chatbot as a virtual receptionist. When someone walks into your office, they expect helpful answers to common questions. Your chatbot should do the same online.

The key is to anticipate what your visitors are actually asking—not what you think they are asking.

Essential Questions Every Business Chatbot Should Handle

1. Service and Product Inquiries

“What services do you offer?”
“How much does [specific service] cost?”
“Do you offer [specific feature]?”
“What is included in your packages?”

2. Availability and Location

“What are your business hours?”
“Do you serve my area?” (especially important for local businesses)
“Where are you located?”
“Do you offer remote/virtual services?”

3. Pricing and Payment

“Can I get a quote?”
“Do you offer payment plans?”
“What payment methods do you accept?”
“Is there a free trial?”

4. Lead Capture

This is where your chatbot earns its keep. Once a visitor shows interest, your bot should seamlessly collect:

Name
Email address
Phone number (optional but valuable)
Specific need or pain point

Industry-Specific Templates

For IT Services Companies

“Do you provide 24/7 support?”
“What is your response time for emergencies?”
“Do you support [specific software/hardware]?”
“Can you migrate our systems to the cloud?”
“Do you offer cybersecurity assessments?”

For Professional Services

“Do you offer free consultations?”
“What is your experience with [specific industry]?”
“How long have you been in business?”
“Can you provide references or case studies?”

For E-commerce

“What is your return policy?”
“Do you offer free shipping?”
“How long does delivery take?”
“Is this item in stock?”
“Do you ship internationally?”

What Your Chatbot Should NOT Try to Answer

Just as important as knowing what your chatbot should answer is knowing what it should not. Complex technical questions, highly personalized requests, or anything requiring human judgment should be escalated:

“Can you diagnose my specific technical problem?” → Escalate to support team
“Can you customize a quote for my unique situation?” → Collect info and schedule consultation
“I have a complaint about…” → Escalate immediately to a human

Best Practices for Chatbot Success

Start Simple: Begin with 10-15 core questions and expand based on actual usage data.
Use Natural Language: Train your bot to recognize variations of the same question.
Provide Clear Next Steps: Every chatbot interaction should end with a clear call-to-action.
Test Regularly: Review chat logs monthly and refine responses.
Know When to Hand Off: Always provide an easy way to reach a human.

Measuring Success

Track these metrics to evaluate your chatbot is performance:

Lead Capture Rate: What percentage of chatbot conversations result in contact information?
Conversation Completion Rate: How many visitors complete the chat vs. abandoning mid-conversation?
Response Accuracy: Are visitors satisfied with the answers?
Escalation Rate: How often does the bot need to hand off to a human?

Ready to Implement an AI Chatbot That Actually Converts?

At Rainier IT, we specialize in building AI chatbots that are trained specifically for your business, your industry, and your customers. We do not just install a generic chat widget—we create a custom solution that understands your services and speaks your language.

Percival AI

Rainier IT