Anxiety Support Agent Case Study

Case Study: Transforming Support and Fundraising with a Rule-Based AI Chatbot

Overview

In 2024, a leading UK national anxiety support charity, faced challenges managing increasing demand for services, streamlining fundraising efforts, and ensuring timely responses during crisis situations.

To address these issues, they partnered with us to deploy a rule-based AI support agent named "CalmBot". This case study explores how CalmBot revolutionised the charity’s operations and made a tangible impact on the lives of individuals seeking help.

The Challenge

The charity identified three key areas for improvement:

  1. Resource Constraints: A growing number of users seeking immediate support strained staff and volunteer capacity.
  2. Fundraising Gaps: Difficulty engaging potential donors in real-time led to missed opportunities.
  3. Crisis Management: Ensuring timely responses during panic episodes was critical but challenging.

The Solution: CalmBot

CalmBot, a rule-based AI chatbot, was designed to tackle these challenges head-on. Built on a framework of predefined intents and decision trees, it ensured:

  • Reliable Responses: Consistent, precise guidance for users.
  • Intent Recognition: Tailored to address anxiety-related queries, fundraising prompts, and urgent needs.
  • Efficient Integration: Worked seamlessly with the charity’s existing website and CRM system.

Key features included:

  • Anxiety Support: Offered techniques like guided breathing exercises and links to self-help resources.
  • Fundraising Assistance: Engaged donors with tailored messages, simplified donation processes, and provided tax receipt details.
  • Panic Mode: A special feature for users experiencing panic attacks, delivering calming strategies and flagging critical cases for human intervention.

Impact

1. Supporting Users in Crisis
One notable success occurred when a user experiencing a severe panic attack reached out to CalmBot late at night. The support agent quickly identified the "Panic Mode" intent, guiding the individual through a series of breathing exercises and grounding techniques. CalmBot also offered the option to contact a live counselor, ensuring timely support. The user later shared that this interaction was "life-saving."

2. Boosting Fundraising
Within six months of deployment, CalmBot generated an additional £20,000 in donations, a 25% increase compared to the previous year. The bot’s ability to engage potential donors through personalised prompts and respond to FAQs about donation use significantly improved donor conversion rates.

3. Improved Efficiency
CalmBot successfully handled over 5,000 queries in its first 2 months, freeing up human staff to focus on complex cases and proactive outreach. This resulted in a 40% reduction in response times for critical support queries.

Lessons Learned

  • Clarity in Scope: Rule-based systems excel when intents are well-defined and focused on specific tasks.
  • Regular Updates: As user needs evolved, we refined CalmBot’s intent library to include new features, such as mindfulness exercises and peer support options.
  • User Trust: Transparency about CalmBot’s capabilities helped users understand when the bot could help and when to expect human intervention.

Conclusion

CalmBot is a testament to how technology can empower organisations to amplify their impact. By leveraging a rule-based AI chatbot, the charity enhanced its ability to support individuals in need, raised critical funds, and ensured timely crisis intervention. This case study underscores the potential of AI to complement human expertise, providing scalable and compassionate solutions to those who need it most.

For more information about CalmBot and how we can help your organisation, contact us here.