I led a chatbot optimization initiative for Charley, our digital assistant at Chartway. Originally launched to support members 24/7, Charley was underperforming with a containment rate between 75–80% and a high volume of escalations. Through a strategic rewrite of intents, clearer conversational structure, and improved member-facing content, I helped improve Charley’s containment rate to 81–86% while reducing escalations below 15%.
When Charley launched in July 2024, many of the intents were written with the assumption that the chatbot could perform actions, such as logging in, transferring funds, or making account changes. In reality, Charley was built to provide instructional support only. This mismatch created friction, confusion, and user drop-offs.
Additionally, in March 2025, we expanded Charley into our IVR system. However, we found that our chatbot was still directing members to “call us” for tasks like disputes, which often led to members reencountering Charley on voice, creating a repetitive and frustrating loop, especially for our older or first-time users.
When users interact with bots, they don’t just want speed — they want clarity. By aligning what Charley can do with what it says, we create a smoother, more honest experience.
And when a digital assistant appears across both chat and voice, it’s critical that messaging sets the right expectations and avoids duplicated effort for the member.