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 QAble Testlab Private Limited
QAble Testlab Private Limited

Posted on • Originally published at qable.io

The Chatbot Testing Checklist: Top Tools & Techniques

You must have experienced the role of chatbot. Many websites offer quick support through a small chat window, and we call it chatbot. Here you can share any of your queries regarding the product or service of the business.

Virtual assistance is an integrated part of any website. As we know, competition is increasing day by day, and businesses are striving hard to offer a better user experience. To execute the same, they implement chatbots on their platforms, so that the users can get instant support.

Further, the step is incredible from the perspective of a marketing strategy because it binds the consumer. The implementation of chatbots is beneficial for both parties (Businesses & Consumers).

For example: Suppose you have placed an order through SWIGGY, and the delivery boy has missed your location. In such a case, the delivery will be getting delayed, and as a user, you will panic.

Now when you open the SWIGGY’s help section, an instant chatbot appears and resolves your concern. As a result, you will be satisfied, and the business will not lose its users.

So, this is the reason business owners are incorporating chatbots quite significantly. But one should always pay attention to the chatbot testing techniques.

One thing that should be in mind, the performance of chatbots should be smart enough to entertain the user’s query immediately. For this, we are sharing a persuasive chatbot testing checklist that will make your testing process more reliable.

Additionally, QAble is a recognized software testing company in Ahmadabad, Gujarat and our ultimate intent is to keep people aware. So we write blogs on software testing regularly by using our professional experience.

Chatbot testing checklist

A Chatbot needs proper testing, the same as other features of an application. Also, your audience will interact with the bot, and it must be accurate and highly responsive.

So, to maintain good communication with clients, chatbots should be efficient. Let’s know some chatbot testing techniques along with tools and scenarios.

The most common chatbot testing scenarios are as mentioned-blow. Whenever you start testing your chatbot, keep these points in mind. It will rectify the majority of the problems. So, based on our experience, the most of chatbot bugs revolve around:

  • Slow or bad navigation
  • Poor User-Interface
  • Lack of word knowledge
  • Lack of intelligence
  • Take too much time to respond
  • Same or wrong answers
  • Poor connection timing

Now let’s move towards the checklists that will make your chatbot more intelligent, savvy, and reliable:

Functional Testing

Through functional testing, we can analyze the performance of an application based on the requirement. To test here, the chatbot testing scenarios will be:

Filling of slot: The chatbot should be aware of the media (communication language) in order to interact appropriately. Hence being a tester, you must analyze the conversational ability of the bot.

Input Validation: The chatbot should be highly responsive against the inputs shared by the end-user. For example, it should respond in the dedicated format for email id, date, contact numbers, etc.

Error Handling: The replies of a bot should be positive and related to the user’s query. The logic should be proper. For example: If a user is asking for “QUANTITY”, the bot should reply for the same, rather than sharing other irrelevant stuff.

GUI Testing

Chatbots are built with predefined answers. Whenever a user visits, it greets the users and shares links to other resources such as website, email id, images, etc. Make sure all these entities are functional.

  • Check Graphics
  • Verify broken links
  • Correct display of image
  • Correct Spelling

Compatibility Testing:

You don’t know the devise or browser a user will use for your website or application. Hence make sure to validate the performance of a chatbot across all the devices and browsers.

There are many professional chatbot testing tools available that will ensure the compatibility of your bot.

OS Version: Verify chatbot’s performance at different OS versions.
Testing on various devices: Check the conduct of the chatbot on different devices.

Analysis across various browsers: Validate the performance of the chatbot across all the browsers.
Behavior at various resolutions: Don’t forget to analyze the performance at various resolutions.

Performance Testing:

Chatbots play a major role in convincing your users, and one should definitely keep an eye on their performance. Sometimes chatbots take too long to respond, which should not be the case. It hampers the reputation of your brand.

Also, the client will leave the platform immediately. Hence to avoid such a scenario, make sure the response time should be of 2-3 seconds only.

  • Validate on the basis of questions: Check the performance of the chatbot by asking short and lengthy questions.
  • Check the response by using specific words: Also, use some different words (that a user may use), to see the response time of the chatbot.
  • What happens when lots of users are there: Validate the performance of the chatbot if the number of users is asking questions at the same time.

UX Testing:

Without UX testing, no one can assure the performance of a chatbot. UX testing validates the performance of a chatbot based on user experience and business requirements. It makes sure that users will get a convincing reply to their doubt. Here the tester should think like an end-user rather than a tester.

Here you will need to use chatbot automation testing tools with manual testing.

  • Chatbot’s understanding: Whether the chatbot has understood the client’s query or not?
  • The response generated by the bot: After getting the user’s input, what response is given to the user?
  • Level of the accuracy of the response: Whether the generated answers are accurate or not?

For example: if the user has asked “why is his order getting delayed?” And the chatbot is displaying the answer regarding “payment processing”. It will be an irrelevant response and should be corrected immediately.

  • The intelligence of the chatbot: Suppose the user has asked a question out of context. In such a case, the chatbot should respond using its intelligence.
  • Conversation engagement: Make sure the responses shared by the chatbot should be directional. It increases the client engagement rate.

Chatbot testing tools:

With the help of chatbot testing tools, one can increase the flexibility of an application. QAble recommends some leading testing tools. And testers should incorporate these tools to make their chatbot more powerful and responsive.

Further, with these chatbot testing automation tools, you assure the overall enactment of the product. As a result, businesses gain attention. These tools are:

Reddit: Reddit facilitates a community where developers have the flexibility to post their applications and invite users to share their feedback. Hence the platform is a recommended option for the beta testing of a chatbot.

Beta Family: Here, developers will get an option to invite their own contacts or beta testers to check the performance of the chatbot. Also, various search filters are given. Developers can search for specific age groups, gender, location, etc. to validate the performance of the application.

Gupshup Proxy Bot: Chatbots that are built on Gupshup, allows you to test the performance of the bot on their proxy bot. Further, it permits testing an application across various channels like FB Messenger, SMS, Twitter, etc.

Conclusion:

QAble always recommends keeping the focus on quality. And it can only be achieved through disciplined testing. Being a leading software testing company in India, we keep spreading awareness so that businesses could maintain the highest possible quality.

Testing increases the productivity and growth of your business. Further, if you are looking to know more about smart chatbot testing strategies, feel free to connect. Always take very good care of yourself. Keep browsing!

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