The chatbot promised a refund policy that didn't exist.
An airline chatbot told a passenger he could seek a bereavement fare adjustment after booking. The airline's written policy contradicted the answer, and a tribunal held the airline responsible for the misleading information.
The story.
The passenger consulted Air Canada's online chatbot about bereavement fares. The chatbot indicated a retroactive claim could be made within 90 days, while the relevant policy did not allow the requested retroactive arrangement. The customer relied on the advice and pursued the dispute. A British Columbia tribunal found negligent misrepresentation and awarded compensation.
The failure beneath the headline.
An organization's assistant is part of the customer experience. A fluent answer cannot substitute for a current, authoritative policy; a purported resolution isn't the same as a supported one.
From failure to better performance.
Train organizational assistants on current policy, verify commitments against live rules, and audit the answers customers receive.
Read the underlying report.
What this changes.
A policy must remain true when an assistant answers.
See an illustrative organizational workflow ↗