Introduction

We're delighted to introduce you to our chatbot.

Our chatbot is your AI companion designed to enhance your website experience and provide helpful responses.  

Powered by Microsoft Copilot, an advanced language model, our chatbot operates 24/7 to understand and respond to your queries. To ensure you get the most out of your interaction, please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the following guidance. 

Setting Expectations 

Important: Our chatbot will often use AI to generate an answer, so surprises and mistakes are possible. Please share feedback so we can improve! The following tips may help when interacting with the chatbot:

• Keep it simple: While our chatbot is powerful, it's essential to understand that it may not have information on extremely niche or specialised topics. In the case that the chatbot is unable to help and you need staff assistance, please get in touch with the appropriate team or department. Department contact details should be available from most department websites. 
• Rephrase: If the chatbot is unable to provide a satisfactory response, consider rephrasing your question. 
• Start over: If you feel that the conversation is stuck, try asking to 'start over' or close the chat and open a new chat. 

Limitations

The chatbot is designed to assist you by searching through the QUB website, documents, and a question-and-answer bank to provide information promptly. However, it's important to note that the chatbot has limitations.

What the chatbot can’t do:

• Personal information: The chatbot cannot access or retrieve sensitive or personal information such as your login details.  Please DO NOT submit any personal details to the chatbot unless prompted by a live agent. Should you require further support, you can create a support request on SiteHelpDesk or a Service Request on Queen's Portal. 
• Other systems: The chatbot is currently unable to access other systems such as Qsis or Canvas to provide or change details. This includes, for example, retrieving or editing personal details or booking information.
• Transactions: The chatbot is currently not equipped for processing transactions or completing financial activities. 
• Engage in conversations outside scope: The chatbot is programmed for specific queries within its designated domain and may not be able to engage in open-ended conversations.

What the chatbot can do:

• Search website: Quickly find information on our website.
• Access documents: Retrieve relevant details from some of our documents and resources.
• Utilise Q&A bank: Answer common questions through a designated question-and-answer bank.
• Provide information: Supply users with accurate and up-to-date information available within its specified sources.
• Offer quick assistance: Respond promptly to enquiries related to its designated knowledge base.
• Enhance information retrieval: Streamline the process of accessing data and details from various sources.
• Improve efficiency: Save time by delivering swift and relevant information in response to user queries.
• Answer in various languages: The chatbot can answer in various languages but caution must be exercised by the user as we have no control over the quality of the translation. Factors such as language complexity, colloquialisms, and context may affect the precision of the translated text. Users should exercise caution and verify translated content for accuracy, particularly when dealing with sensitive or critical information.

Live Agents

Live agents, also known as human agents, play a crucial role in the operation of a chatbot. These individuals are real people who are available to assist users when the chatbot is unable to address queries adequately.  

Live agents offer personalised support, and nuanced problem-solving skills that are essential for handling complex or sensitive issues. They step in seamlessly to provide guidance and offer a human touch when needed, ensuring a positive and satisfactory user experience.  

By working in conjunction with the chatbot, live agents complement the automation process, bridging the gap between technology and human interaction to deliver exceptional customer service. 

Please note that live agents are not always available.  

Useful Phrases

The following phrases are designed to help you get the most from your experience.

About the chatbot

• The chatbot is a virtual assistant designed to assist you in finding information for your queries.
• The chatbot is powered by Microsoft Copilot, a state-of-the-art language model that interprets natural language queries.
• Microsoft Copilot is continually learning and improving its capabilities and as users of the service, we don't have access to the underlying code and algorithms. We appreciate your patience as we work to enhance its performance over time.

Asking Effective Questions

To optimise your interaction and receive more valuable responses, focus on asking effective questions. Well-crafted questions not only enhance your experience but also lead to more accurate and helpful answers from the chatbot. Consider the following examples: 

 
Example 1 

 
Example 2 

 
Example 3 

Example 4 

Known Issues 

As the AI chatbot continues to evolve rapidly, there are a few known issues that we're actively reviewing and addressing where possible. These include: 

• Incorrect sources: Occasionally, the chatbot may provide information that is accurate, but the sources look incorrect.  
• Missing sources: Occasionally, the chatbot may offer an answer accompanied by a web address that leads to a broken or unavailable webpage. This situation typically arises when website editors have recently modified their site structure, resulting in relocated or inaccessible pages.
• Comprehension/Intent: At times, the chatbot may provide incorrect or incomplete responses to your enquiries. This could occur due to several factors, including the chatbot's partial understanding of your question, insufficient data from our sources, ambiguously worded queries, or sourcing information from less reliable sources. 
• Guidance variability: The guidance generated by the chatbot may occasionally deviate from our recommended standards. The chatbot aggregates information from multiple sources, sometimes including additional details beyond our control. Users are advised to prioritise official sources for the most accurate information over the chatbot's responses. 

Report an issue

If you want to report a technical issue, please complete the Report a Chatbot Issue form.

Feedback

If you would like to provide feedback on the chatbot, please fill out the feedback form.

Privacy

Your interactions with the chatbot are private and secure. We do store our chat transcripts to help us improve the chatbot experience, particularly around questions the chatbot is unable to answer.

Users are asked not to provide any personal information unless directed by a Live Agent.