A lead qualification bot is a chat or messaging assistant that talks to people who show interest in a product or service, asks a few questions and decides whether they are a good fit for the sales team to follow up.
It asks about things such as what the visitor needs, their timeframe, location, budget or business size, and records the answers with their contact details. Rules or AI scoring then rank the lead, and the bot can book a call, send the details to the CRM or alert a salesperson.
Businesses selling bigger purchases or services, such as fit-outs, catering, equipment, venue hire or business systems, use these bots so that enquiries out of hours are not lost. Retailers with trade accounts also use them to separate trade enquiries from general ones.
Keep the questions short, since long forms put people off, and be honest that it is an automated assistant. Collect only the data you need and tell visitors how it will be used, in line with the Privacy Act. Check that leads actually reach a person quickly, because speed of response is what converts.
It matters because many website visitors leave without making contact, and a well-designed bot captures and sorts them while staff are busy.