For effective bots, follow these best practices for conversational design:

• Develop a voice: Create a personality that identifies with your brand and that consumers can connect with.
• Identify as a bot: Be transparent by using terms like "virtual assistant" or "automated assistant."
• Explain capabilities: Detail upfront what the bot is able to help with to set consumer expectations.
• Use contractions: "I'm" sounds more natural than "I am" and reflects how humans actually speak.
• Avoid ambiguity: When a bot doesn't recognize an intent, it's recommended to have a disambiguation response.
• Short and simple: Use short dialogue to keep consumers engaged and simple words everyone can understand.
• Visualization: Line breaks and separate messages can break up long text; emojis and rich content can help to liven up the conversation.
• Consider context: Returning consumers can be greeted differently than when they entered the experience for the first time.
• Tango: Allow consumers to be connected with an agent at their request, and when the bot doesn't understand after 2 attempts.
• Validate intent: To avoid consumer frustration, the bot should confirm the recognized intent before moving down a flow.