The job: Your team answers the same twenty questions every week by email or chat, and response times slip whenever someone is off.
What AI actually does here
- Reads the incoming message and works out what the customer is actually asking.
- Pulls the relevant answer from your help centre, policies or previous replies.
- Writes a draft in your tone of voice for a person to check, edit and send.
Tools to look at
- Help-desk built-in AI such as Zendesk AI or Intercom Fin
- A general assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) with your policies pasted in, for very small teams
Named tools are examples, not endorsements. We have no paid relationships with them at the moment; see our disclosure.
What you need first
- Up-to-date help articles or a written policy sheet: AI can only be as accurate as what it reads.
- A rule that a person approves every reply at first.
- A check of where customer data goes, and that your tool’s data-processing terms fit UK GDPR (see the ICO guidance).
How to measure ROI
- Measure median handling time per ticket for two weeks before and after.
- Track the share of drafts sent with little or no editing.
- Watch customer satisfaction or complaint rates so speed doesn’t cost quality.
Run the numbers in the ROI calculator →
What the evidence says
In an independent study of 5,179 customer support agents, access to a generative AI assistant raised issues resolved per hour by 14% on average, with the biggest gains for newer staff (NBER Working Paper 31161). Your results will depend on your own volumes and content.
Ready-to-use prompt
Replace the [BRACKETS]. Only paste data you’re allowed to share with the tool you’re using.
View promptYou are a customer support assistant for [BUSINESS NAME].
You are a customer support assistant for [BUSINESS NAME].
Tone: friendly, plain British English, no jargon, no more than 150 words.
Use ONLY the policy and help text below. If the answer is not covered, say so and suggest the customer is passed to a human. Never invent prices, dates or promises.
POLICY AND HELP TEXT:
"""
[paste your returns policy, FAQs, opening hours, etc.]
"""
CUSTOMER MESSAGE:
"""
[paste the email]
"""
Write: 1) a one-line summary of what the customer wants, 2) a draft reply, 3) anything a human should double-check before sending.Sources
- Brynjolfsson, Li and Raymond, "Generative AI at Work", NBER Working Paper 31161 Independent research
- Zendesk AI (product page) Vendor page
- Intercom Fin (product page) Vendor page
- ICO, Guidance on AI and data protection Regulator guidance
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