Our AI Agent handles pre and post purchase customer queries for you - instantly, accurately and in your own brand's voice. No matter where you sell, our AI Agent ensures your customers receive prompt responses and service that keeps them coming back!

This help file introduces eDesk's AI Agent, explains how it works and gives a quick overview of how to set it up.

Before you start

  • To add or manage an AI Agent, you’ll need an Admin or Team lead account.

01 The eDesk AI Agent

Every business wants customers to feel valued and supported but delivering that level of service shouldn’t come at the expense of everything else your team needs to do.

At eDesk, our mission is to help you provide exceptional customer service while giving your team the freedom to focus on other critical work. That’s where our AI Agent comes in - handling the majority of routine, email-based customer queries 24/7, and seamlessly passing complex or sensitive issues to your team when a human touch is needed.

Deeply integrated into eDesk, the AI Agent follows Procedures you build for each type of query, drawing on your Policies and Training content to deliver accurate, brand-aligned responses every time. Whether it's resolving queries end-to-end or stepping back so your team can take over, it adapts to the way your business works.

You set up your AI Agent by building a procedure for each query type you want it to handle, and switching that procedure on. If the AI Agent is confident in its answer, the reply sends automatically. If the Procedure needs more information from the customer first, like proof of damage, the AI Agent can ask for it directly, then continue once they reply. If the AI Agent still isn't confident once it has what it needs, or the query needs a closer look, the ticket is passed to your team to answer, using AI Assist's suggestions as a starting point.

02 Setting up your AI Agent

1. Create Training content and Policies
The AI Agent draws on Policies and Training content when generating replies, alongside the decision logic in your Procedures. Past interactions are also taken into account.
For a detailed look at providing information for the AI Agent, see here.
2. Create the Agent profile
Specify the channels you want this profile to work on and select all the content you want it to use when generating replies. One profile is enough but if you want the AI Agent to use different content or tone for different brands or channels, you can create an individual profile for each channel or brand.
3. Build and activate your Procedures
For each type of query you want the AI Agent to handle, create a Procedure that lays out how it should respond. Once you're happy with a Procedure, switch it on so the AI Agent can start using it. Query types without an active Procedure will go straight to your team, with AI Assist providing suggestions. You can also set exclusion rules — for example, keeping angry or first-touch customers with your human team even where a procedure would otherwise apply.

For a full overview and details on each option, see Creating a profile.

Once your profile is set up with channels specified and at least one Procedure switched to Auto, your AI Agent is ready to go!

03 Examples of use

A) An AI Agent auto replies to customer queries coming from Shopify channel

  • The query arrives from a happy Shopify customer and a ticket is created.
  • The procedure for that query type is enabled. The AI Agent works through the Procedure, checking Policies and Training content where needed to reach an outcome.
  • If the AI Agent reaches a clear outcome with everything it needs, the reply sends automatically.
  • If the Procedure calls for something the customer hasn't provided yet — for example, a photo of a damaged item — the AI Agent asks for it directly and waits for their reply before continuing.
  • If it isn't confident once it has all the information it needs — for example, the query falls outside what the procedure covers — the ticket is passed to your team, and AI Assist prepares suggestions to help them respond.

B) The AI Agent replies to customer queries coming from Shopify channel but only for neutral or happy customers

  • The query arrives from an angry Shopify customer and a ticket is created.
  • The profile has a guardrail set so the AI Agent doesn't auto-reply to angry customers, keeping these tickets with your human team instead.
  • The AI Agent does nothing further.
  • A human agent answers the ticket, using AI Assist's suggestions if helpful.

C) An AI Agent is set up to create Previews for customer queries coming from Privalia and Veepee channels​​​​

  • The query arrives asking whether a product will fit a specific, unusual use case, and a ticket is created.
  • The matching procedure is enabled. The AI Agent works through the procedure and reaches a point where it needs to check Training content for an answer — but there's no matching entry for this specific question.
  • Because it can't answer without guessing, the AI Agent doesn't reply.
  • The ticket is passed to your team, and AI Assist prepares suggestions — such as asking the customer for more detail — to help them respond.
  • The gap also surfaces in the Procedure gaps, so you can add the missing Training content or extend the procedure to cover it next time. Learn more about Procedure gaps here.

04 Monitoring your AI Agent

There are a number of dashboards and reports which will help you monitor exactly what your AI Agent is saying and what areas need improvement.

Further reading

See the steps for Creating an Agent profile

Learn what information your AI Agent needs
View the FAQs