AI-powered Chatbots
Making AI Chatbots More Reliable & Useful For Your Self-Storage Facility
The believability of AI agents will determine whether they are suitable for customer-facing tasks at your self-storage facility.
You can't have an AI chatbot serving up inaccurate information to prospective and existing tenants.
That would cause chaos at your facility.
Suppose a prospective tenant at your facility asks about unit availability...
If the AI chatbot on your website gives a precise answer, the prospective tenant is likely to trust the information they've just received.
But if the response is a little vague or the chatbot throws out unit availability numbers that seem inconceivable, they’ll lose confidence and call your staff instead.
AI is supposed to take a weight off your facility team's shoulders, not create disjointed customer interactions that leave staff members picking up the pieces.
So, this leads us to an important question:
Is AI actually ready for prime time at your facility?
Many AI agents still struggle to provide trustworthy responses.
They either rely on outdated information, fail to understand follow-up questions, or give answers that don’t fully address the tenant’s needs.
This is where Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) comes in.
If you didn’t already know, Retrieval-Augmented Generation is a method where AI pulls in real-time data from external sources to ground its responses in accurate, current information.
Is AI Ready For Prime Time At Your Facility?
Well, it depends on the type of AI you are using.
For a convincing AI assistant to provide genuinely helpful responses to prospective and existing tenants, it'll need to do more than just offer correct answers.
It has to sound like it understands the question, adapt to context, and engage in a way that feels human.
Much like a human, the best AI agents will guide conversations with confidence rather than simply spit out information.
Here’s where many AI systems fall short:
- Responses feel stiff or overly formal, making conversations awkward.
- AI struggles with follow-up questions, breaking the flow of interaction.
- Answers sound correct but don’t actually address what the tenant needs.
If your AI feels unnatural, tenants won’t trust it. And if they don’t trust it, they won’t use it.
From what we've seen, AI agents that integrate real-time data and adjust to natural language patterns deliver a far better user experience.
As you would expect, the more reliable your AI is, the more likely it is to keep prospects engaged without human involvement.
Why Are Some AI Chatbots Unreliable?
The biggest reason AI agents struggle with believability is their lack of real-time awareness. Here are the top causes:
Relying too much on pre-written scripts instead of pulling from live data.
Giving generic, one-size-fits-all responses rather than adapting to tenant needs.
Failing to verify information, leading to incorrect details on unit availability, pricing, or access codes.
Without real-time data integration, AI becomes unreliable. That’s why the best AI solutions will give tenants answers grounded in your facility’s live data and operations.
For AI to have a meaningful impact at your facility, it must handle routine tenant questions with accuracy and confidence. This frees up your team to focus on higher-value work.
How Can Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Improve AI Accuracy?
swivl’s swivlcortex technology makes AI agents more believable by using Retrieval-Augmented Generation.
Instead of relying only on pre-trained knowledge, RAG pulls in real-time data to shape responses in a way that makes sense in the moment.
Here’s how it works in a nutshell:
- Identifies the question and retrieves the most relevant, up-to-date information from your system.
- Cross-checks this data with real-time updates on unit availability, pricing, or tenant access.
- Generates a response that is both factually correct and naturally worded.
This means the AI assistant will engage with prospective tenants in a way that builds trust and increases the likelihood of a sale.
In the case of existing tenants, a smooth interaction with your AI chatbot could improve the chances of upselling and raise the lifetime value of tenants at your facility.
When AI works, it transcends being a basic chatbot and becomes a true self-service tool.
Making AI A Trusted Tool For Tenant Interactions
AI should provide prospective and existing tenants with reliable, up-to-date information to help progress conversations.
This is possible if your AI agent uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to pull in real-time data.
When your AI agent has this data, staff intervention isn't necessary, and they can focus on their responsibilities at your facility without distraction.
Here are four key takeaways:
- Use AI that retrieves real-time data rather than relying on outdated scripts.
- Train AI to adapt to different conversational styles and tenant questions.
- Ensure your knowledge base is updated frequently to maintain accuracy.
- Review AI interactions regularly to refine and improve responses.
With swivl, you get AI that builds trust with your customers.
No outdated information. No confusing responses.
Just effortless, real-time communication that keeps prospective and existing tenants engaged and your business running efficiently.
Want to see the difference for yourself? Get in touch today and experience AI that tenants and facility staff can rely on.
