The better question isn't "Should we build a chatbot?" It's:
What outcome do you need—and what level of control is required to deliver it?
When a Chatbot Is Right
Best for information, support, and deflection:
- FAQs, policies, onboarding guidance
- Stable knowledge base
- Light risk and easy escalation
- Product and service information
- Order status and tracking
- Lead qualification and meeting scheduling
- Common troubleshooting
- Hours, locations, and policies
- 80%+ of inquiries fit standard categories
- You need to deploy in 2-4 weeks
- Budget is under $10K for implementation
- Your systems have standard integrations (Shopify, HubSpot, Zendesk)
When Custom AI/Automation Is Right
Best for actions and operational outcomes:
- Multi-system integrations
- Rules, approvals, auditability
- Measurable throughput and cycle-time improvements
- Your processes involve unique business logic
- You need to connect proprietary or legacy systems
- AI is core to your competitive differentiation
- Decisions involve multiple data sources and complex rules
- Contract analysis against specific risk frameworks
- Demand forecasting from custom warehouse systems
- Patient triage based on symptoms, history, and urgency
- Credit scoring as a primary product feature
Hybrid (Often Best)
Many businesses find the best solution is a combination:
Chat interface + workflows + human approvals for edge cases.This approach lets you:
- Get quick wins with standard solutions (2-4 weeks)
- Add custom integrations and workflows (4-8 weeks)
- Build differentiated capabilities as needs prove out (3-6 months)
Startup + enterprise experience helps teams ship MVPs fast and then add governance as complexity grows.
Common Questions
Can a chatbot trigger actions in my systems?
Yes—this is typically a hybrid: chatbot UI plus workflow automation and approvals.Do we need custom AI to get value?
Not always. A strong chatbot can deliver fast support wins; custom is for deeper ops outcomes.What's the biggest risk with custom automation?
Unclear ownership and weak governance—start narrow and harden what works.Not sure which approach fits? Book a consultation with Hikm Systems and we'll map the best path.