Operator’s task bots - which automate simple tasks across Intercom - have a number of behaviors that we call “manners”.

Manners are designed to make sure that task bots start, contribute to and close conversations at the right time.

Task bots are designed with a specific tone - they’re mature but not formal, direct but not rude, responsive but not chatty, and neutral but not robotic. To keep this tone, task bots have specific manners. They’re:

Task bots only interact with your leads/users when they have something useful to contribute. For example, they can provide answers to your users in the Messenger, and to your teammates in the inbox, and qualify leads.

Task bots never interrupt a conversation between you and a lead/user. They only interact when no teammates are assigned to the conversation, or after a teammate has closed a conversation. 

Note: When a teammate replies to a new conversation, it gets assigned to them. Task bots will no longer contribute to the conversation.

If your leads/users don’t engage with task bots, they stop contributing. Task bots won’t send follow-up messages to users who don’t engage with its initial messages. 

Task bots will only ever send short, precise and timely messages to your leads/users. They provide clear routes to follow, and never trip users up with unnecessary questions.

Task bots don’t do anything that feel out of place or mistimed for your leads/users. For example, the articles suggestions task bot doesn’t suggest articles to people who have visited your Help Center in the previous 15 minutes.

Task bots don’t pretend to be human - they don’t mimic human characteristics. 

Task bots won’t give human signals such as ‘is typing’ or ‘seen’ in conversations. They won’t introduce themselves, or refer to themselves as ‘I’, or try to have a personality. They focus only on tasks - to help your leads and users complete their jobs faster and have better conversations - without getting in the way.

We are constantly fine-tuning these manners as we improve our task bots and create new ones. 

Note: You can’t configure or change task bots’ manners as we’ve designed them to provide a great user experience. However, you can turn some task bots on and off.

Learn about what messages task bots sends to users and leads.