Intent is highest when the question is asked.
People do not always shop or seek help during office hours. They may be comparing providers or dealing with an urgent problem. A clear immediate response keeps the next step close.
Know what should happen now.
Routine requests can receive an answer or booking option. Urgent or sensitive ones need a defined path to a person. The distinction should come from your business rules, not a generic script.
Track more than message volume.
Useful metrics include qualified bookings, resolved questions, handoff quality and the time customers wait for a human. These tell a better story than conversation counts alone.
