At McKenzie & Company, we’re always exploring ways to help our clients streamline operations and work smarter. One powerful tool flying a bit under the radar is Google’s Vertex AI—especially when used to build a custom chatbot for your team.
If you run a small or medium-sized business, you might be thinking, “That sounds technical. Is this really something I can use?” The answer is yes! And you don’t need to be a tech wizard to benefit from it. Here’s how it works and why you should consider it.
What Is Vertex AI?
Vertex AI is Google’s platform for building, training, and deploying artificial intelligence models. In simple terms, it’s a toolkit that lets businesses create custom AI solutions—like smart chatbots—without needing a room full of data scientists.
Why Use an Internal Chatbot?
Imagine having a digital assistant available 24/7 to answer employee questions, help with onboarding, or guide your staff to the right HR forms—all within a secure, private environment. An internal chatbot can:
- Save time: Automate repetitive questions and tasks
- Boost productivity: Help staff find information quickly
- Improve consistency: Ensure everyone gets the same accurate answers
- Enhance onboarding: Guide new employees step by step
How Does an AI Chatbot Work with Vertex AI?
Here’s the simple version of how you’d leverage Vertex AI for your company chatbot:
- Feed It Your Data:
Start by gathering the types of questions your employees often ask—things like “How do I reset my email password?” or “Where’s the time-off request form?” You can upload company policies, handbooks, and FAQs to Vertex AI. - Train the Chatbot: Vertex AI makes it easy to train a chatbot to understand and answer questions based on your business’s specific data. You don’t need to write complex code—just provide clear examples and documents.
- Set It Up Where Your Team Works: Once your chatbot is ready, you can integrate it with platforms your staff already uses, like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or even your company intranet. Employees just type in their question, and the chatbot provides an instant, accurate answer.
- Stay in Control: You decide what information the chatbot can access. Sensitive data stays protected, and you can always update its knowledge as your business evolves.
What Makes Vertex AI a Good Choice?
- Powered by Google: Get the latest in AI without building from scratch
- Customizable: Tailor the chatbot to your business’s unique needs
- Scalable: Works just as well for 10 employees as it does for 500
- Cost-Effective: Only pay for what you use, and avoid expensive software licenses
Real-World Example
Let’s say you have a team of 30 employees. Every week, your office manager gets the same questions about how to book conference rooms or submit expense reports. With a Vertex AI-powered chatbot, employees simply ask the bot—no more digging through old emails or waiting for replies.
How We Can Help
Setting up a Vertex AI chatbot might sound intimidating, but that’s where we come in. At McKenzie & Company, we can:
Assess your needs and map out the right approach
Gather and organize your company’s information
Set up, train, and launch your chatbot
Provide ongoing support as your business grows
How Can AI Chatbot Help Your Customers?
AI-powered chatbots aren’t just for your team—they can be a game-changer for your customers, too. Here’s how:
Help Customers Find the Right Products or Parts
Say you run an e-commerce store or supply business. A Vertex AI chatbot on your website can guide customers to the exact product or replacement part they’re looking for, just by answering a few questions in plain language. Instead of sifting through pages of products, customers can simply describe what they need, and the chatbot will instantly recommend the best options—making the shopping experience faster and easier.
Instantly Provide User Manuals and How-To Guides
Have a lot of support calls about how to use or troubleshoot your products? Your chatbot can be trained on user manuals, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides. Customers can ask questions like “How do I reset my device?” or “Why won’t my system turn on?” and get step-by-step directions—no need to wait on hold or search through a thick manual. This means fewer support tickets for your team, and happier, more empowered customers.
Support Around the Clock
Best of all, a Vertex AI chatbot works 24/7. That means customers can get the help they need, whether it’s noon or midnight. This is especially helpful for businesses with customers in different time zones, or for those looking to provide a more modern, self-service experience.
Ready to Work Smarter?
If you’re interested in learning more about AI chatbots for your business, or want a hands-on demo, reach out to our team today. We’ll show you how easy it is to get started—and how much time you can save!
Contact us at McKenzie & Company to explore the possibilities!
