Answers tell an AI agent how to respond to customer questions. Each answer addresses a single question your customers might ask. Answers are comprised of steps that determine how the AI agent responds to customer input.
This article contains the following sections:
Creating an answer
Creating your own answer
You can build an answer from scratch, starting with an empty answer flow. Answers are comprised of steps that determine how the AI agent responds to customer input. An answer can have multiple steps or a single step, but each answer must have at least one step. When the AI agent matches a customer’s query to an answer, the AI agent displays the behavior defined by the steps in the answer.
An AI agent for messaging can include up to 2,000 steps and 500 answers.
To create an answer for your AI agent
- In Admin Center, click
Channels in the sidebar, then select AI agents and automation > AI agents.
- Click Manage AI agents for messaging.
- Click the name of the AI agent you want to edit.
- Click the Answers tab, then click Create answer.
- Click Build your own answer, then click Next.
- Enter the Answer name, then click Next.
The name should be a brief, clear description of the issue addressed by the answer. For example, “Password reset,” “Request a refund,” or “Talk to a human."
- Enter Training phrases in the available fields, then click Add phrase if you need
to add more.
Training phrases teach the AI agent how to interpret questions so it can match the most relevant answer. You can add up to 100 additional phrases. See best practices for training phrases.
Alternatively, if you have an intent model assigned to your account, you might see up to three AI-powered suggested intents to use instead of training phrases. You can select one or more intents. If none of the intents work, click Train the AI agent yourself to add training phrases.
- Click Next.
The answer opens in bot builder where you can build out the AI agent’s response.
- Click Add step to create the first step in the answer.
Each answer needs at least one step only.
- Under Choose step in the configuration panel, select a step type, then enter options to
Configure the step.
For information on the available step types, see Understanding answer step types. Click Preview to view the step as a user.
- Add additional steps to the answer as needed.
For more information, see Adding and removing steps in an answer.
- Click Done when you’re finished.
The answer appears as Ready to publish status.
At this point, you can click Create answer to create another answer or you can click Publish AI agent to make your new answer available in the AI agent. Before new or edited answers are available to customers, you must publish the AI agent they’re attached to. When you publish the AI agent, all answers in the Ready to publish state are published.
Creating an answer from a template
You can choose from a number of templates to use as a starting point for an answer. These templates provide examples of common answer topics and construction. While each template has a complete answer framework, most will require you to add information before you publish.
To create an answer from a template
- In Admin Center, click
Channels in the sidebar, then select AI agents and automation > AI agents.
- Click Manage AI agents for messaging.
- Click the name of the AI agent you want to edit.
- Click the Answers tab, then click Create answer.
- Click the answer template you want to use, then click Next.
The answer opens in bot builder.
- Update the Name and Training phrases for the answer, if
you'd like.
- Click each step in the answer and make changes as needed.
It's a good idea to check each step in the answer to make sure it is complete and has been personalized for your business.
- Click Done when you are finished.
Or, if you are just viewing the answer structure without making any changes, you can click your browser's Back button to return to the Create answer page.
At this point, you can click Create answer to create another answer or you can click Publish AI agent to make your new answer available in the AI agent. Before new or edited answers are available to customers, you must publish the AI agent they’re attached to. When you publish the AI agent, all answers in the Ready to publish state are published.
Adding and removing steps in an answer
Inserting new steps to an answer
In addition to copying and pasting steps into an answer, you can also insert a step between two existing steps in an answer.
When you add a branching step, such as a Present options or Add business hours conditions step, the subsequent, pre-existing steps will be included under the new step's initial branch.
- Present options: Existing steps are included under Option 1.
- Add business hours conditions: Existing steps are included under the When openbranch.
You can't add the Transfer to agent step to an answer before another step. It can be the final step in an answer only.
To add a step into an answer
- Open an answer for editing.
- In bot builder, hover over the line connecting two steps and click the
Add new icon (
).
- In the Configuration panel, select the message type to insert into the answer and configure the step as needed.
- Repeat as needed, then click Done when you're ready.
Remember to publish the AI agent to make the updated answer available.
Copying and pasting steps in an answer
You can copy one or more consecutive steps and use them elsewhere within the same answer. You can't copy a step from one answer to another answer. You can paste copied steps only at the end of a branch in the answer, and that branch can't currently end with a Transfer to agent step.
To copy a step (or multiple steps) and paste it elsewhere in an answer
- Open an answer for editing.
- Click the step you want to copy.
- In the configuration panel, click the Options (
) menu, then select an option:
- Select Copy this step to copy only the selected step
- Select Copy this and following steps to copy the selected step and all subsequent steps
- Click the Add new icon (
) or the Add a step icon (
) at the end of the branch.
- Click the Options (
) menu again, then select Paste step.
- Click Done when you're finished.
Remember to publish the AI agent to make the updated answer available.
Removing steps from an answer
Deleting a step removes all subsequent steps from the answer. If you want to delete a step but retain the subsequent steps, you can copy and paste the subsequent steps later in the answer.
To delete a step in an answer
- Open an answer for editing.
- In the configuration panel, click the Options (
) menu.
- Select Delete this step or Delete this and following steps. If there are subsequent steps, click Delete steps in the warning box.
- Click Done when you've finished making your changes.
Remember to publish the AI agent to make the updated answer available.
71 comments
Dane
0
Permanently deleted user
This feature is really good if used on live-chat messaging channels.
However, this feature becomes bad when used on messaging channels (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).
Because the chat from the user must match what we registered in the training phrases.
*for example, if I have a template for end-users for marketing on social media (by clicking 1 button the end-user will be directed to my WhatsApp number & I have prepared a template for chatting on my WhatsApp).
The problem is: I have to register all the templates I create for marketing in training phrases, as well as character limitations in training phrases if the template I use is more than 255 characters.
Is there a setting to disable this feature?
0
Paolo
Just to clarify, you'd like to completely disable the bot feature or just the character limitation? The character limitation is hard-coded in the system, unfortunately, it can't be disabled. You can also choose on which channel do you want your bot to be connected. If the bot feature is bad for your social messaging channels, you may opt not to connect it. More information here: Publishing a bot to a channel.
Best,
Paolo | Technical Support Engineer | Zendesk
0
Permanently deleted user
Hi Paolo ,
I want end-user will direct to Options Step (In the picture) when they are Chat to our WhatsApp number/Social media. (Without knowing the training pharse).
Because when they chat to out WhatsApp number/social media (with the chat that is not we registered in training pharse), bot will trigger to "If the bot needs clarification" or "If there's no relevant answer"
Can we deactive training pharse?
0
Viktor Hristovski
I have a question, i didnt put any training phrases on purpose, but the bot still recognizes and offers some answers. I have turned off offering of KB or answer suggestions.
I have the answers named by the subject they are about but even so the bot is offering wrong answers.
What makes the bot do this?
0
David
@Victor Hristovski
The quick answer here is, even with no training specific phrases, the bot is still going to make an attempt to match the question with best known answers using the build-in natural language understanding capabilities.
- this is by design to support even when explicit training data is low or non existent and is based on the system's ability to parse/interpret the content of the query and available answers.
0
成茂優季
The article mentions that it's possible to include up to 2000 steps in a response, but when I input around 1600 steps, the bot encounters a 503 error and can no longer be published. Is there any workaround for this? We're in trouble because we can't provide the service to our customers.
0
Maxime Wozny
Is the conversation bot able to know on which page (URL) of the product you are and exploit that info to display articles ? (Like “contextual help” used to do for web widget classic)
3
James Skene
+1 for Maxime Wozny's question on Contextual Help from Web Widget classic
Also, I have an article in my Help Centre but have not created an answer. I can't get the bot to reply with the article despite having it configured to recommend articles, do I need an answer for every article in the Help Centre? Or should it find the relevant article without the need to create an answer?
0
Esther
Feedback: When I copy step (message) only copies the original “English” version the translation is not copied to the new step. It is frustrating for the user.
0
Ahmed Masooud M
The bot is not handling “Customer uploaded image”
How can I fix this to advise the client to let the bot know what's the attachment is about?
0