Creating procedures for auto assist

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<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Auto assist is an AI tool that helps agents by suggesting solutions based on ticket content. To create effective procedures, write clear, step-by-step instructions as if guiding a new agent. Test procedures to ensure they provide accurate suggestions. Follow best practices like using consistent terminology, including feedback steps, and integrating actions or macros for improved assistance.</p>
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<p class="p"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9945148867866" target="_blank">Auto assist</a> is an AI-powered assistant that understands the
contents of submitted tickets and makes suggestions to your agents on how to solve
them.</p>
<p class="p">Procedures are the sets of written steps that auto assist should follow when making
suggestions. You can think of defining procedures as similar to explaining to a new
agent how a specific problem should be solved within your company.</p>
<p class="p">This article describes how to write procedures for auto assist so that it makes the right
suggestions to agents in a ticket. You can write procedures in all <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821324826#h_01H8Y4XESK886V2SA6E12WAZZ7" target="_blank">Zendesk Support languages</a>.</p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="zug_ai_auto_assist_procedures__ul_y2r_q44_xcc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_vs3_j44_xcc">Creating a procedure</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_y2w_j44_xcc">Testing a procedure</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_o3y_l44_xcc">Best practices for creating effective procedures</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_j4t_m44_xcc">Example procedure</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Related articles:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="zug_ai_auto_assist_procedures__ul_gns_p44_xcc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8013454025114" target="_blank">Turning on and configuring auto
assist</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9012170900890" target="_blank">Viewing and managing procedures for auto
assist</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Creating a procedure</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Procedures should be written as though you’re telling an agent how to perform an
internal process. Format your procedure as a simple step-by-step breakdown of how to
solve the customer’s request. Be specific and use consistent terminology throughout
your procedure. To learn more, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9945148867866#topic_rkr_344_xcc" target="_blank">Understanding procedures for auto
assist</a>.</p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note tip" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__note_vpv_r54_xcc">
<span class="tiptitle">Tip:</span> If you already have internal documentation
that explains how your agents should solve certain customer requests, use that
content as a starting point for auto assist procedures. </div>
</div>
<p class="p">Alternatively, you can write a procedure as though you’re engineering a prompt to be
used with a large language model (LLM) chatbot, such as ChatGPT. See <a class="xref" href="https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/prompt-engineering" target="_blank">OpenAI’s best practices on prompt engineering</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To create a new procedure</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__ol_it1_x54_xcc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041943683354#topic_b5q_nwn_s2c" target="_blank">Knowledge admin</a>, click <strong class="ph b">Manage articles</strong>
(<img class="image" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__d8e109" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/guide_icon_manage_articles.png">) in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Procedures</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Create procedure</strong>. <p class="p">Alternatively, click the drop-down arrow next
to <strong class="ph b">Create procedure</strong> and select <strong class="ph b">Use example</strong>. This populates the
procedure <strong class="ph b">Name</strong> and content fields with text that you can update as
needed.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">In the <strong class="ph b">Name</strong> field, enter a descriptive name for the procedure. <p class="p">This
name is used by auto assist to help connect the customer’s conversation to
the right procedure. The procedure name appears only in Knowledge admin, not
in the Agent Workspace for the agent. </p>
</li>
<li class="li">To associate the procedure with specific brands, open the right-hand
<strong class="ph b">Settings</strong> panel, click <strong class="ph b">Selected brands</strong>, then choose the brands
you want to associate the procedure with.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_qrc_42k_q2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/copilot_procedure_create_select_brand.png" width="300"></p>
<p class="p">By default, your
procedure is automatically associated with all of your brands.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click below the name field and enter the content for your procedure. <div class="p">You can
do the following:<ul class="ul" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__ul_dp4_5mz_hgc">
<li class="li">To add specific custom actions or action flows to your procedure,
click <strong class="ph b">Insert action</strong> (<img class="image" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_m54_hv3_q2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/sell_icon_add.png" width="16">) in the toolbar.<p class="p">Alternatively, enter a forward
slash (<strong class="ph b">/</strong>).</p>
In the menu, select a standard action, a
custom action, or an action flow.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_ucn_jw3_q2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/copilot_procedure_insert_action.png" width="500"></p>
<p class="p">If you
insert a standard action, you must specify the value you want
auto assist to update the ticket or field to. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9174548349978#topic_ubt_qyr_k2c" target="_blank">Standard actions for auto
assist</a> to learn more.</p>
<p class="p">If no actions or action
flows exist, click <strong class="ph b">Manage actions</strong> to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8013439366810" target="_blank">create an action</a> or
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8855601898266#topic_fpt_1jg_t2c" target="_blank">action flow</a>.</p>
<p class="p">The
action or action flow is inserted into the procedure. You can
hover to view what tasks it will perform.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_tv4_vw3_q2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/copilot_procedure_hover_action.png" width="400"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">To add a macro to your procedure, type a forward slash (<strong class="ph b">/</strong>)
and select <strong class="ph b">Macros</strong> from the menu.<p class="p">Click a macro to insert it
into the procedure. Macros must be active and available to all
agents to be inserted into a procedure.</p>
<p class="p">If no active
macros exist, you can click <strong class="ph b">Manage macros</strong> to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408844187034#topic_zh2_4nw_4y" target="_blank">create or update a
macro</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_qp4_djz_hgc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/copilot_procedure_insert_macro.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p">The macro
is inserted into the procedure. You can hover over it to preview
it. </p>
</li>
<li class="li">To add steps for agents to follow manually, click the <strong class="ph b">Insert
agent instructions</strong> (<img class="image" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_xfb_vyh_5fc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_procedures_instructions_icon.png">) icon.<p class="p">In the <strong class="ph b">Instructions for agent</strong> text block, enter
the steps the agent should follow. </p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_mbs_lc3_5fc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_procedures_agent_instructions_text_box.png" width="500"></p>
<p class="p">See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9422234636698" target="_blank">Creating instructions for
agents in auto assist procedures</a>.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">To add a help center article or another procedure, type a forward
slash (<strong class="ph b">/</strong>) and select <strong class="ph b">Help center content</strong> from the
menu.<p class="p">Select an article from the <strong class="ph b">Published articles
list</strong>, or click the <strong class="ph b">Published procedures tab</strong> and
select a procedure. </p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_yb5_n13_b3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_procedures_insert_help_content.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p">Click
<strong class="ph b">Insert</strong> to add the published procedure or
article.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vs3_j44_xcc__image_xm2_kd3_b3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_procedures_insert_procedure_content.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p">See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9945148867866#topic_trn_d23_b3c" target="_blank">About help center content in
procedures</a>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) Use the editing toolbar at the top of the page to add headings, bold
and italic text, and bulleted and numbered lists. Currently, you can’t include
images in procedures.</li>
<li class="li">To publish your procedure, click the drop-down arrow next to <strong class="ph b">Save</strong> draft
and select <strong class="ph b">Publish</strong>. </li>
<li class="li">In the window that appears, click <strong class="ph b">Publish</strong>. <p class="p">Published procedures are
automatically available for auto assist to use.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_y2w_j44_xcc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Testing a procedure</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You should always test your procedure before letting auto assist suggest replies or
actions in a real-world setting. </p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To test a procedure</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_y2w_j44_xcc__ol_uc3_pv4_xcc">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8013454025114" target="_blank">Limit the agents who can interact with auto
assist</a> to only those groups or agents who are performing the testing. </li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8013454025114" target="_blank">Create a messaging or email ticket</a>
with the <em class="ph i">agent_copilot_enabled</em> tag. Email tickets must be created from an
email that's not associated with any agents in your Zendesk account, as auto
assist doesn't respond to agent comments. </li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7051314237466" target="_blank">Try to solve the ticket with auto assist’s
help.</a>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_y2w_j44_xcc__ol_v14_vv4_xcc">
<li class="li">If you’re testing an <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7719560079642" target="_blank">integration between auto assist and
Shopify</a>, you can <a class="xref" href="https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/test-orders" target="_blank">place test orders on your Shopify
store</a>. </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">If auto assist isn’t offering the suggestions you want, update the procedure to
be clearer and more concrete. </li>
<li class="li">Repeat steps 1–4 as needed until auto assist is offering the suggestions you
want. Creating good procedures is an iterative process and might take a few
rewrites. </li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_o3y_l44_xcc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Best practices for creating effective procedures</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When creating procedures, follow these best practices: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_o3y_l44_xcc__ul_zr1_ybp_xcc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Write short, easy-to-follow steps.</strong> Phrase your steps as straightforward
commands that an agent would take. For example: "Ask the customer to watch this
video: &lt;link&gt;" Avoid prompts such as "Find the item the customer asked for
and share the link with the customer" (auto assist can’t autonomously search
your help center or website). </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Address the agent perspective.</strong> Procedures should be written as if you’re
talking to an agent. If you copy existing content from customer-facing help
center articles, update them to reflect agent-focused considerations and
actions. </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Include feedback steps.</strong> Help auto assist gather necessary customer input
to move on to the next step. For example: "Ask the customer if &lt;an
action&gt; worked." </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Include actions where possible</strong>. Add a standard or custom action that auto
assist can execute if the agent approves. For example: "Add book to cart."</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Include existing macros</strong>. Add macros that are available to all agents so
that auto assist can suggest macros. You can add one macro per procedure step.
Avoid adding other actions in the same step as a macro.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Be consistent with terminology.</strong> Always use the same terms for your
products and services. That is, avoid using different words to refer to a single
product or service. </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Include conditions if necessary.</strong> If you have different procedures based
on some condition (for example, subscribers vs. non-subscribers), include that
information in the procedure. For example: “Greet the customer, ask if they’re a
subscriber, and wait for their answer before proceeding.” </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Test and learn.</strong> If auto assist isn’t offering the suggestions you want,
update the procedure to be clearer and more concrete. See <a class="xref" href="#topic_y2w_j44_xcc">Testing a procedure</a>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested1" id="topic_j4t_m44_xcc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title5">Example procedure</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">The example procedure below tells agent copilot how to help a customer select the
right car for them.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_tvk_jcp_xcc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Title</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Advising customer how to select a car </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Content</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Step 1: Understand the customer's needs</strong></p>
<p class="p">Begin by asking questions to understand the customer's requirements: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_usq_tt3_4cc">
<li class="li">What is the primary use for the car (commuting, family vehicle, off-roading,
etc.)?</li>
<li class="li">What is their budget for purchasing a car? </li>
<li class="li">Do they have any brand or model preferences? </li>
</ul>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Step 2: Present suitable options from the list below</strong></p>
<p class="p">Based on the information gathered, present a selection of cars that match their
criteria and are on the list below. If the desired car is not here, you don’t
have it. Never list cars that are not on the list below. </p>
<p class="p">For commuters: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_wr5_k53_4cc">
<li class="li">Commuter car A: Known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and advanced
safety features. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs,
engine type, and any other important details.&gt; </li>
<li class="li">Commuter car B: Celebrated for its great fuel economy, comfortable interior,
and durability. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs,
engine type, and any other important details.&gt; </li>
<li class="li">Commuter car C: Offers a balance of comfort, efficiency, and technology
features. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine
type, and any other important details.&gt;</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">For families: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_vn2_n53_4cc">
<li class="li">Family car A: A family favorite due to its spacious interior, high safety
ratings, and good fuel economy. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency,
insurance costs, engine type, and any other important details.&gt;</li>
<li class="li">Family car B: Known for its third-row seating, robust safety features, and
comfortable ride. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance
costs, engine type, and any other important details.&gt;</li>
<li class="li">Family car C: A larger SUV that offers ample space, towing capacity, and
advanced tech options. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance
costs, engine type, and any other important details.&gt;</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">For off-road enthusiasts: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_yww_n53_4cc">
<li class="li">Off-road car A: Renowned for its off-road capabilities and ruggedness.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.&gt;</li>
<li class="li">Off-road car B: A reliable pickup with strong off-road credentials.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.&gt; </li>
<li class="li">Off-road car C: Versatile and powerful, suitable for both work and play.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.&gt;</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">For luxury seekers:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_sff_453_4cc">
<li class="li">Luxury car A: Combines luxury with performance and advanced technology.
&lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine type, and
any other important details.&gt;</li>
<li class="li">Luxury car B: Offers a plush interior, smooth ride, and cutting-edge
features. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance costs, engine
type, and any other important details.&gt;</li>
<li class="li">Luxury car C: Known for its elegant design, all-wheel-drive system, and
high-quality cabin. &lt;Include real pricing, fuel efficiency, insurance
costs, engine type, and any other important details.&gt;</li>
</ul>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Step 3: Discuss financing options</strong></p>
<p class="p">After the customer has selected a car, ask the customer if they would rather pay
in cash or credit. </p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Step 4: Close the deal or offer a test drive</strong></p>
<p class="p">If the customer is ready to close the deal: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_ph4_g53_4cc">
<li class="li">Thank them, ask for their name and phone number, and inform them that they
will be contacted by another agent in 2 hours. </li>
</ul>
<p class="p">If the customer is not ready to make a choice: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_nb3_kcp_xcc__ul_lkr_g53_4cc">
<li class="li">Encourage the customer to take a test drive in the cars they are most
interested in. If they agree, ask them for their name and phone number. Then
tell them that someone will reach out within 1 hour to confirm whether the
timing they suggested is available. </li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Extra information that you know of: </p>
<p class="p">Our dealership offers a 7-day return policy, flexible financing options (pay in
monthly or semesterly installments), and a complimentary loaner vehicle during
service appointments. For every other question regarding financing or
promotions, you cannot help.</p>
</div>
</div>
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