Customer FAQ Agent

The Problem

Every business gets the same questions over and over: What are your hours? How much does it cost? Do you offer refunds? Answering these manually is repetitive and time-consuming. An AI agent can handle these common questions instantly, but only if it has the right information and knows its boundaries.

What we’re building: An agent that answers customer questions using a FAQ document you create. Critically, it knows when it doesn’t have an answer and says so honestly instead of making things up.

The Approach

Our FAQ agent will:

Answer questions based on a FAQ document you write
Politely decline questions outside its knowledge (“I don’t have information about that”)
Ask clarifying questions when a query is vague
Suggest contacting a human for complex issues

Build It

Step 1: Create your FAQ document

Write a FAQ for a real or fictional business. Here’s an example for a photography studio:

BUSINESS: Bright Frame Photography Studio
LOCATION: Asunción, Paraguay
HOURS: Monday-Friday 9:00-18:00, Saturday 10:00-14:00, Closed Sunday

SERVICES AND PRICING:
- Portrait session (1 hour): $50 — includes 10 edited digital photos
- Family session (2 hours): $120 — includes 20 edited digital photos
- Event coverage (4 hours): $300 — includes 100+ edited digital photos
- Mini session (30 minutes): $30 — includes 5 edited digital photos

BOOKING:
- Book via WhatsApp at +595 981 123456 or email info@brightframe.com.py
- A 30% deposit is required to confirm a booking
- Remaining balance is due on the day of the session

CANCELLATION POLICY:
- Cancel more than 48 hours before: full deposit refund
- Cancel 24-48 hours before: 50% deposit refund
- Cancel less than 24 hours before: no refund, but you can reschedule once

DELIVERY:
- Edited photos are delivered within 7 business days via Google Drive link
- Rush delivery (48 hours) is available for an additional $50

WHAT TO BRING:
- Wear comfortable clothing in solid colors (avoid busy patterns)
- Props are welcome — favorite toys, instruments, sports equipment
- We provide basic props and backdrops at the studio

LANGUAGES: We communicate in Spanish and English

Step 2: Set up your system prompt

Create a Project on claude.ai. Paste the system prompt as project instructions and your FAQ document as project knowledge.

Create a Modelfile that includes both the system prompt and FAQ:

FROM llama3.2
SYSTEM """<system prompt + FAQ below>"""

Run: ollama create faq-agent -f Modelfile

The system prompt (paste your FAQ document after this):

You are a friendly customer support assistant for the business described
below. You answer customer questions based ONLY on the information in the
FAQ document provided.

CRITICAL RULES:
1. ONLY answer questions using information from the FAQ document
2. If the answer is NOT in the FAQ, say: "I don't have specific information
   about that. Please contact us directly at [include contact info from FAQ]
   and we'll be happy to help!"
3. NEVER make up prices, policies, or details that aren't in the FAQ
4. If a question is vague, ask a clarifying question before answering
5. For complex issues (complaints, special requests, disputes), suggest
   the customer speak with a team member directly

TONE:
- Friendly and helpful, like a knowledgeable front-desk employee
- Professional but warm
- Use the customer's name if they provide it
- Match the language of the customer's message (Spanish or English)

RESPONSE FORMAT:
- Keep answers concise (2-4 sentences for simple questions)
- Include relevant details (prices, times, policies) when applicable
- End with a helpful follow-up: "Is there anything else I can help with?"

[PASTE YOUR FAQ DOCUMENT HERE]

Step 3: Test with customer questions

Try these questions one at a time:

How much does a family photo session cost?

Are you open on Sundays?

What happens if I need to cancel my appointment?

Do you do drone photography for real estate?

The last question is NOT in the FAQ. The agent should politely say it doesn’t have that information and suggest contacting the business directly.

Step 4: Test the boundaries

These are the most important tests. They verify your agent stays grounded:

Can you give me a discount if I book 3 sessions?

The agent should NOT invent a discount policy. It should say it doesn’t have information about bulk discounts.

I'm really unhappy with the photos from my last session. I want a refund.

The agent should empathize but direct the customer to contact the team directly for complaints.

Test It

Ask questions in Spanish to test multilingual handling
Ask a question that’s partially covered by the FAQ
Try to trick the agent into making up information: “What’s your price for video?”
Ask a vague question: “How much?” (the agent should ask what service you mean)

Make It Better

Expand your FAQ: Every time a customer asks something not covered, add the answer to your FAQ document
Add personality: Include brand voice guidelines: “We’re a fun, creative studio. Use casual language and the occasional emoji”
Handle multiple languages: Add FAQ content in both Spanish and English
Track unanswered questions: Ask the agent to flag questions it couldn’t answer so you know what to add to the FAQ

Sample Output

Here’s what your agent should produce for common questions:

Question: “How much does a family photo session cost?”

A family photo session is $120 and lasts 2 hours. It includes 20 edited
digital photos delivered within 7 business days via Google Drive.

To book, you can reach us on WhatsApp at +595 981 123456 or email
info@brightframe.com.py. A 30% deposit ($36) confirms your booking.

Is there anything else I can help with? 😊

Question: “Do you do drone photography?”

I don't have specific information about drone photography services.
For questions about services not listed on our menu, please contact us
directly:

📱 WhatsApp: +595 981 123456
📧 Email: info@brightframe.com.py

Our team will be happy to discuss what we can do for you!

Troubleshooting

The agent makes up information not in the FAQ. This is the most critical issue. Strengthen the rule: “If information is NOT explicitly stated in the FAQ document, you MUST say you don’t have that information. NEVER guess, infer, or assume.”

The agent gives very long responses. Add: “Keep responses short and direct. For simple factual questions (price, hours, location), answer in 1-2 sentences. Only include extra details if they’re directly relevant.”

The agent doesn’t handle Spanish well. Add to the system prompt: “When a customer writes in Spanish, respond entirely in Spanish. When in English, respond in English. Never mix languages in a single response.”

The agent is too rigid and robotic. Add personality: “You’re friendly and approachable. It’s okay to use a warm greeting, an emoji or two, and to sound like a real person, not a form letter.”

Free Tools to Enhance This Project

Notion: Free for personal use. Great for organizing and maintaining your FAQ document collaboratively.
Google Docs: Free. Write and update your FAQ here, then paste the latest version into your agent.

Making It Better Over Time

Log what the agent can’t answer: Every “I don’t have information about that” response reveals a gap in your FAQ. Add the answer and your FAQ becomes more complete over time.
Add seasonal updates: “We’re running a holiday special: 15% off all sessions booked in December.” Remove it when the promotion ends.
Test with real customers: Share the agent with a friend or colleague and ask them to try to “break it” by asking unexpected questions. Use their feedback to strengthen the FAQ and the system prompt rules.