IceCream Shop SOP Query Bot
A Telegram chatbot that provides staff with instant access to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the shop.
Features
- Natural language query processing for SOP information
- Instant access to procedures through Telegram platform
- Categorized knowledge base for all shop operations
- Search functionality for quick information retrieval
- Media support for procedure demonstrations
Technical Stack
- Telegram Bot API
- Ngrok for webhook tunneling
- Langchain for natural language processing
- Vercel for hosting
- Document database for SOP storage
- Node.js/Python backend
Lessons Learned
The IceCream Shop SOP Query Bot project was a practical application of conversational AI in a small business context. The goal was to create an accessible, instant reference tool for staff to quickly look up standard operating procedures without having to consult physical manuals or interrupt managers.
From a technical perspective, the implementation was successful. The bot effectively utilized the Telegram platform as an interface, with Langchain providing natural language understanding capabilities to interpret staff queries. The Ngrok service enabled secure webhook connections during development, while Vercel provided a stable hosting environment for the production version.
However, this project highlighted the often-overlooked human and organizational factors in technology adoption. Despite the successful technical development, the ice cream shop owners never deployed the bot for actual use. This outcome taught me the importance of stakeholder buy-in throughout the development process and the need to demonstrate clear value to decision-makers.
In retrospect, I should have involved the shop management more deeply in the development process, perhaps with regular demonstrations of functionality and gathering feedback on the most valuable features. Additionally, providing training and transition support might have increased the likelihood of adoption.
This experience reinforced that successful technical solutions must be accompanied by effective change management strategies, especially in small business environments where technology adoption may not be a priority or where resistance to changing established processes can be significant.