Frequently asked questions

What's the real difference between a chatbot, an AI agent, and human support?

A chatbot follows a scripted decision tree and can only answer questions it was explicitly built for. An AI agent, built on a large language model, understands open-ended language, holds context across a conversation, and can take real actions (refunds, rebooking, order updates) when connected to the right systems. Human support remains essential for anything emotionally sensitive, high-value, or outside what either automated option was designed to handle — the goal isn't to eliminate it, but to route to it deliberately.

How much does AI-powered customer support cost for an Indian business in 2026?

It depends on the path: entry-tier rule-based chatbots run ₹2,500–₹25,000/month; mid-tier Indian AI platforms (Haptik, Yellow.ai, Gupshup) range ₹10,000–₹1,00,000+/month depending on volume and channels; outcome-billed agents like Intercom Fin cost roughly $0.99–$2 (₹85–₹170) per resolution; and a custom-built LLM/RAG agent typically costs ₹8,00,000–₹20,00,000 to build, plus ₹4,000–₹25,000+/month in ongoing API costs.

How do we design a good AI-to-human escalation workflow?

Define explicit triggers (sentiment, confidence thresholds, keywords, order value) rather than letting the AI decide on its own; pass the full conversation context to the human agent so customers never repeat themselves; set and communicate a clear pickup SLA; and treat handoff data as ongoing product feedback to keep improving the AI over time.