Key takeaways
- 30–50% deflection is realistic for well-built bots.
- FAQs, status, and simple flows deflect well. Complex issues go to humans.
- Measure and optimise. Don't guess.
Ticket deflection means resolving issues before they become tickets. Chatbots can handle a lot—but not everything. Here's what to expect.
Realistic deflection rates
Well-built chatbots can deflect 30–50% of incoming tickets. The exact number depends on your use case, knowledge base quality, and how well the bot is trained.
What deflects well
- Password resets, account recovery
- Order status, tracking
- FAQs and how-to questions
- Booking changes, cancellations
- Simple troubleshooting
What doesn't
Complex complaints, sensitive issues, refunds, and anything that needs judgment or empathy. These should escalate. Don't force the bot to handle them.
Measure it
Track deflection rate, escalation rate, and resolution time. Optimise based on data.
FAQs
Not if the bot resolves issues well and escalates when needed. Poor deflection (wrong answers) hurts. Good deflection helps.
Compare tickets before and after. Or track 'resolved by bot' vs 'escalated' in your system.