Chatbot

Initial situation and problem

The Swiss Army has around 34 different points of contact that deal with enquiries from members of the Army. Depending on the context, a different point of contact is responsible for answering the enquiries. This decentralised structure without a central point of contact leads to inefficient processes, frustration and a high administrative burden.

As part of a larger project of the Army Personnel (Pers A), it was decided to create a central point of contact with 24/7 availability to serve as the first point of contact for all AdA issues.

However, a continuous hotline would entail considerable costs. Moreover, experience has shown that constant availability, especially at night, is seldom used. This solution would not be economically justified. Moreover, the analysis showed that many enquiries can be standardised and therefore efficiently automated. Interviews with members of the army and internal research by Pers A highlighted the need for a modern and cost-effective solution.

Solution/product

The evaluation led to the decision to implement a chatbot on the Army’s homepage (armee.ch). This chatbot serves as a central and efficient 24/7 point of contact for all AdA. It answers the most common questions immediately and without waiting time, thus relieving the various decentralised telephone and e-mail hotlines.

In addition, the chatbot is able to direct users to the appropriate office for more complex queries. This ensures a modern, flexible and cost-effective solution for improving accessibility and service quality for members of the army. At the same time, the administrative effort is significantly reduced.

Particularly impressive: The chatbot enables annual cost savings of almost CHF 1 million compared to a traditional call centre solution.