The Only Difference Between The Home Depot and Sephora That Matters

When trying to receive help from an online store’s automated chat system, customers have come to expect that they must just type in “Agent, “Help,” or “No” repeatedly until a live agent with a general understanding of the business (but not one chosen for the customer’s specific needs) arrives on the line. In the ideal world, however, users would have enough faith in the chatbot to allow it to bring the customer to the solution directly or connect them with a specific agent who can.

According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, a chatbot is “a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet.” In the customer service industry, these conversations are expected to lead to quick solutions, alleviating the pain of hold times for clients and mundane work for employees. A chatbot that can transition users to a live agent is often the first step to a great digital experience, but the process doesn’t always run smoothly.

In our Market Study conducted earlier this year, CCW found that customers still have some issues with the way chatbots are being used:

• 36% reported trouble finding the right channel or employee for their issue
• 46% said there was no option for reaching a live agent
• 22% responded that conversations do not feel specific or personalized
• Only 15% of consumers have confidence in using chatbots to solve problems.

While products like Google Assistant have artificial intelligence-driven bots that fool representatives into thinking they are speaking to a fellow human, other bots feel like they are still stuck in 1996. Let’s compare two chatbot-to-agent experiences that, although serving the same purpose, provide drastically different results—and how to make sure your online customer service is superior.

More Sephora

It’s no secret that the analysts at CCW digital are fans of Sephora. It’s not because of their array of products, their range of prices, nor their outstanding in-store support —though all of those things help. What makes the beauty company so admirable is its online support, the automated chat that brings customers to a live agent specializing in their niche needs in an instant.

Let’s run through an example. Suppose I need a new sunscreen. It seems like every dermatologist recommends using one daily, and I figure it’s about time I hop on the trend. Not knowing where to begin, I open Sephora’s “Chat Now” box.

Once that’s open, Sephora brings its customer immediately to the chatbot that requests information about the specific issue they are having.

I click “Skincare” before the bot immediately requests more detailed information (I explain I am looking for a daily use sunscreen). The conversation proceeds as follows:

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: Hi! My name is Taylor, Beauty Advisor & Licensed Esthetician. I'd be happy to help you! Could you please tell me your skin type?

Me: I'm actually not totally sure what my skin type is. It gets dry but I am also prone to breakouts!

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: Okay no problem, thank you! What sunscreens have you tried before, if any?

Me: Just basic drug store brands! Coppertone sport, beach bum, things like that.

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: Okay sure, thanks so much 🙂 Give me just a couple of moments to pull a recommendation for you, please

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: Supergoop!

This sunscreen by Supergoop! is one of the best, and perfect for all skin types. It’s super lightweight with a clear formulation so it doesn’t leave any white cast and it won't feel heavy or greasy on the skin. It’s also very hydrating and creates a silky-smooth canvas so it doubles as an excellent makeup-gripping primer as well

Me: That looks awesome! Is there anything a little lower in price but equally as effective? Somewhere around $25 for a month's worth of sunscreen.

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: Thanks! So how long it lasts definitely depends on how much you use and how often, but give me just another moment to see what options we might have for you

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: innisfree

Thanks for waiting! This one from Innisfree is going to be your best option in that price range, for sure! It's also very hydrating, soothing, and doesn't leave a white cast

Me: Great. Thanks so much!

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: You're so welcome! Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Me: Nope that is all!

Taylor, Sephora Beauty Advisor: Okay great! Before you check out, remember to add on an additional FREE skin care trial size to your order - right now we have an awesome option for 7 hydrating serum samples from Youth to the People with a $35 purchase!

Have a beautiful day! It was a pleasure assisting you. At the end of our chat there will be a brief survey about the service I provided to you, and I’d love to get your feedback. Thanks for chatting with Sephora!

In ten messages, Taylor not only gained my trust by establishing herself as an empathetic professional, but problem solved with me on the spot about a cheaper option. Additionally, when I said I did not know what skin type I had, she did not belittle nor berate me, but instead worked with the information I did know and found an accommodating solution. Even better, she let me know that I could get a free sample with my online purchase.

Only after all of this did the “We’d love your feedback” link come up. It didn’t feel intrusive or annoying though, as I had genuinely experienced a positive customer service interaction, and the form was easy to fill out (or just ignore if I had chosen to do that). Overall, this chat experience was a 10 out of 10.

The Home Depot from Home

Not all virtual AI-to-live chat transitions go as smoothly, unfortunately. Suppose I also happen to be in the market for repairing some chipped paint marks on my wall (Command strip project gone wrong). While I am pretty clueless about what goes on inside of The Home Depot, I do know that home repair projects are the company’s specialty. Given the apathy about the matter, I know need professional assistance on the subject before making any decisions.

Once on the website, it seems easy enough to get help with the chatbot. The Virtual Assistant asks what it could help me with: Returns, Price Match, Orders, Cancelling an order, Product availability, or Something Else. I choose something else because I need to know what materials are required to fix this wall before taking out my credit card.

The VA bot seems to hesitate for a moment before sending another message:

Which of the following can I help you with?

Product availability

Product Information

Orders and purchases

Shipping and delivery

Other

Feeling like I have déjà vu, I continue on, pressing “Other.”

The VA responds almost immediately: “Ok! I'm going to connect you to an associate for more assistance. While I'm connecting you, could you tell me in a short sentence how we can help you?”

I respond: Wall paint chip repair.

After a three-minute wait time, the rest of the conversation proceeds as follows:

Me: Wall paint chip repair

Virtual Assistant: Sorry it's taking longer than expected to reply. Let me connect you with an associate who can help.

Customer Service Associate: Thank you for choosing Home Depot.com! and I will be more than happy to try to help with this, hope you are doing well this afternoon! How may I help?

Me: What materials do I need to repair a large paint chip in the wall?

Customer Service Associate: Here in this link we provide how to and the items needed :)

Me: Great, thank you so much!

Customer Service Associate: Absolutely; may I assist you with any other questions or concerns that you may have today? 😃

Me: Nope that is it!

Customer Service Associate: Excellent! I wanted to make sure you were taken care of as best I could with what I could so thank you so much for allowing me to do so, 😃 with that being said, thank you for being a valued Home Depot customer. Your feedback is important to us, please respond to the following three survey question messages. I also want to wish you a wonderful and safe rest of the year!! :)

Conversation closed by the agent  - Now

There is nothing inherently wrong with this conversation, it just did not meet all my needs. Most customers go to chatbots because they want a fast solution, a personalized conversation, and lack the time or resources to hop on the phone at that moment. This conversation with The Home Depot took longer than it should have, felt far from personalized, and left me feeling like I still had a lot of research ahead of me.

It didn’t have to be like this. There are two ways The Home Depot could improve its AI-Bot-to-Live-Agent customer service chat. First, by refining the information that powers the AI-driven Virtual Assistant. In this scenario, the conversation could go something like this:

Virtual Assistant: What do you need help with today?

Me: Home project

Virtual Assistant: What type of home project?

Me: Wall painting

Virtual Assistant: Great! Here are our guides for painting and repairing wall paints. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?

While this would also not have been extremely personalized, nor would it have given me the chance to speak with a live representative as I had desired, it would provide the same solution I got with an agent, just way faster.

The Home Depot could also consider having agents that are experts in their field. For example, once I explained I was looking for a paint project, they could have connected me to an agent that was a professional in that area. The agent could introduce themselves by name, ask me follow-up questions, and send me specific links to the items required to complete the project—much like Sephora does with their beauty products. This would reduce the repetitiveness currently happening in the chat while also reducing customer effort and stress.

All things considered…

I could have looked up the right sunscreen for my skin type or how to repair the paint chip on my own, but I wanted to speak to a professional to hear their opinion. Fifty years ago, people who did not know how to complete these projects had to call a friend, go into the store, or find a book or TV program on the subject. Today, we have the answers at our fingertips, we just need help deciphering all the information. Having chatbots and customer service representatives that are experts in the field makes a huge difference for consumers. While they will never replace agents over the phone, they are an important avenue to explore when modernizing your workforce.

Photo by Ben Kolde on Unsplash