Glossary
Forbidden topics – what does it mean?
Definition
Forbidden topics: forbidden topics are the subject areas in which the assistant does not answer; it hands the question off to a human.
They are recorded during onboarding, for example health and legal advice, therapeutic claims and individual price quotes.
How it works
The assistant decides which questions it will not answer based on a list recorded during onboarding. This can include health advice, legal advice, claims about therapeutic effects or individual price quotes; your company defines the list.
If a question falls into such a topic, the assistant asks for the customer’s contact details and hands the question off to a colleague. The conversation continues: the colleague answers at the address given.
An example from a company
A customer of a health food store asks which vitamin helps with an illness. The assistant does not answer: the list recorded during onboarding requires a handoff for this. It asks for the customer’s email address, notifies the store’s specialist, and the specialist answers.
What this means for business owners
Check what kind of advice is prohibited in your industry: in health food stores and cosmetics, this is a particularly important setting. Ask the provider how the assistant indicates that a topic is forbidden, and where the question is directed.
If the list is missing, the assistant may say something your company is liable for. Review the list from time to time, because the rules change.
How we do it
During onboarding, our team records the list at your request, and we check with ten test questions that a handoff takes place for forbidden topics. If there is no content, the assistant does not make up an answer: it asks for contact details and hands the question off to a colleague. The weekly summary shows what was asked.
What to do now?
Do you have a question about your own website or online store? Request a demo or see pricing.