Have a .nz domain question? Ask Dot!

01 October 2020

Here at the Commission, many customers from around the world try to reach us after hours, often asking the same thing, e.g., “how do I register a domain name?” so we thought, why not create a chatbot to handle the night shift.

We researched and collaborated with the FAQ bot team and created Dot, our first online employee! Since March 2020, Dot handles general queries outside of the usual 9-5 working day life.

Dot has allowed us to be more accessible around the clock, to registrants or providers of .nz domain names based worldwide. Sometimes, a quick interactive chat is needed to clarify the question you have, and Dot is always happy to answer day or night, rain or shine.

How can Dot the chatbot help with your enquiries?

You can find Dot on the bottom right-hand side on all of our webpages.

Just click on Dot and choose from the most commonly asked questions or type your question.

Currently, Dot can answer general .nz domain name enquiries, like:

how to register a domain name,
why is my .nz domain name cancelled,
how to report a scam.

How can I get an answer if Dot doesn’t know it?

Dot learns on the go, so the more people talk to them, the better Dot gets.

However, during business hours, you can talk to our customer service specialist right away, just click the ‘Live Chat’ button. You can also call us on +64 4 472 1600 or 0800 101 151 or email us at [email protected]

Alternatively, if Dot can’t help, they will ask for your contact details so a human can get back to you with more information in 1 business day.

Dot has shown us just how much they were needed throughout the pandemic and lockdown in New Zealand. In May 2020, the busiest month of this year, Dot handled 217 out of 318 queries to our customer service channels.

Since March, Dot answered 1.4k messages and solves a lot of problems. Their conversation score has increased from April 2.5/5 to September 3.5/5.

In the future, we hope to help Dot further improve their knowledge on all things .nz, and get better at making small talk.

Next time you’re on our website, pop in and say hi to Dot and have a chit chat!