Five Questions to Ask Before You Buy an AI Chatbot for Your Website

Five Questions to Ask Before You Buy an AI Chatbot for Your Website

Chatbot options range from a widget you switch on in minutes to a custom build connected to your CRM and calendar. These five questions help you compare them.

Last reviewed: November 2026.

1. What does it answer from?

A good chatbot answers from content you approve: your services, prices, policies and FAQs. Ask how you add and update that content, and what it does when the answer is not there. See how to write a chatbot knowledge base.

2. What happens to the lead?

Capturing a name and phone number is only useful if it reaches your team. Ask whether conversations and contact details go into your CRM or inbox automatically, and whether it can book appointments.

3. Where does conversation data go?

Chat transcripts are personal information. Ask which providers process them, where they are stored, how long they are kept and whether they are used to train AI models. In Canada, PIPEDA and provincial laws can apply; see our BC PIPA chatbot checklist.

4. How does handoff work?

It should pass conversations to a person when asked, when the topic is sensitive or when it is unsure, with the context attached. See when a chatbot should hand off.

5. What does it cost to run?

Look beyond the setup price: monthly subscription, AI usage charges that rise with conversation volume, and the time to keep content current.

Off-the-shelf or custom?

Off-the-shelf tools suit simple question-answering on a standard website. A custom setup makes sense when the chatbot needs to book into your calendar, update your CRM, follow specific rules or keep data in particular places.

How we help

We build chatbots connected to your calendar and CRM with clear handoff rules, at a fixed fee agreed up front. See AI chatbots and lead capture and pricing.