HMRC saw the number of chatbot interactions jump from under 200,000 before the pandemic, to almost 2.5 million in 2021.

The numbers, obtained via a Freedom of Information request by a Parliament Street think tank, increased by 1,150 per cent in the space of a year.

The data reveals that in the most recent financial year, chatbot interaction reduced slightly. But it was still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, at 846,937.

This represents a total of 3,275,046 separate chatbot interactions since the start of Covid-19.

“When used correctly, chatbots can play a vital role in alleviating organisations of thousands of basic customer services requests,” said Niall Crosby, chief executive of AG Grid. “However, the ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy typically associated with chatbots, where it’s impossible to get a human response to a bespoke issue, can lead to frustration and a poor customer experience.

“In this case, it’s positive to see that HMRC have understood the value of investing in its chatbot programme so that it does not fall into this category. Other organisations which are inundated with customer services requests should follow suit, particularly as the demand for digital and on-demand support continues to rise.”

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