Many agencies build websites for local businesses: plumbers, dentists, restaurants, shops. Those clients all share a problem: customers ask questions when nobody is available to answer. Some agencies now offer website assistants as a service, set up and managed for the client. Is it worth doing?
This decision guide covers when an agency chatbot service offering makes sense, and when it does not.
When it fits
Offering assistants makes sense when:
- Your clients' customers ask many repeat questions.
- Clients lose enquiries out of hours.
- You already maintain clients' websites.
- Clients value recurring services and reporting.
Trades, clinics, restaurants, gyms and local retailers usually fit well.
When it does not
It fits less well when clients have very low enquiry volumes, very complex sales that need a person from the start, or sensitive regulated work where website chat should be minimal.
What the service includes
A typical offering covers:
- Setup. Training the assistant on the client's website and adding their key questions.
- Customisation. Name, tone, welcome message and branding.
- Monthly review. Checking unanswered questions and updating content.
- Reporting. Conversations, leads and busiest times.
Choosing a tool for this is covered in choosing a chat tool you can offer to agency clients.
Pricing it
Many agencies charge a setup fee and include ongoing management in a monthly retainer. The retainer should cover the software cost and your time for reviews and updates. Compare against what it replaces for the client, such as the cost of staff time covering enquiries, a comparison drawn in the real cost of an estate agency receptionist.
Being honest about capabilities
Explain clearly what the assistant does: it answers from the client's website, captures leads and hands over to their team. It does not answer their phone or book directly into their diary. SpideyChat for agencies supports managing several client businesses, with up to 3 companies on Pro and unlimited on Enterprise.
Explaining it to prospects
Prospects will ask what it costs and what they get, like any service, as covered in what prospects ask an agency before booking a call. Real examples from existing clients help. For more on how agencies use assistants for clients, see how marketing agencies use chatbots for their clients.
Who does the work
Decide who in the agency owns the service. Setup and monthly reviews take time, and they need someone who understands both the client's business and the tool. Without an owner, reviews slip, content goes stale and clients stop seeing value. Build the time into the retainer so it is actually delivered.
Reporting that clients understand
Clients renew services they can see working. A short monthly report showing conversations, leads captured, the busiest hours and a few example questions makes the value visible. Include one or two improvements you made that month, so the client sees the service as active rather than a subscription running in the background. A client who can see the value rarely questions the fee, and often asks for the same service on a second website or refers a friend's business.
Starting small
Pilot with one or two clients who get many questions. Measure leads captured and time saved over a month, then decide whether to roll it out. To try it first, set up an assistant on a client site, or read about the features.