Customer Support Agent

Build a voice agent that handles inbound support calls — product questions, troubleshooting, returns, and refunds — with automatic ticket logging.

Customer Support Agent

In this tutorial, you'll build a voice agent that handles inbound customer support calls. It can answer product questions from a knowledge base, walk customers through troubleshooting steps, process return requests, and log tickets to your CRM automatically.

What You'll Build

A phone agent that:

  • Greets callers and identifies their issue
  • Answers product questions using your FAQ and product catalog
  • Guides customers through step-by-step troubleshooting
  • Processes return and refund requests
  • Sends SMS confirmations for actions taken
  • Logs every interaction as a support ticket in your CRM

Time to set up: ~8 minutes


Step 1: Create the Agent

  1. Go to your thinnestAI Dashboard
  2. Click Create Agent
  3. Name it: Customer Support Agent
  4. Set the description: Handles inbound support calls for product questions, troubleshooting, and returns

Step 2: Choose the Model

Select Claude Sonnet as your model.

Why Claude Sonnet? It follows complex instructions reliably, stays in character, and responds fast enough for natural voice conversations. It's the best balance of quality and speed for support agents.

# Model settings
MODEL=claude-sonnet
TEMPERATURE=0.3   # Lower temperature for consistent, accurate responses

Tip: Keep temperature low (0.2–0.4) for support agents. You want consistent, accurate answers — not creative ones.

Step 3: Add Knowledge

Upload two documents to give your agent the information it needs:

FAQ Document

Create a document with your most common support questions and answers. Format it clearly:

Q: What is your return policy?
A: We accept returns within 30 days of purchase. Items must be unused and in original packaging. Refunds are processed within 5-7 business days.

Q: How do I reset my device?
A: Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds until the LED flashes blue. Release the button and wait 30 seconds for the device to restart.

Q: Do you offer international shipping?
A: Yes, we ship to over 40 countries. International orders typically arrive in 7-14 business days. Shipping costs are calculated at checkout.

Product Catalog

Upload your product catalog or a summary document containing:

  • Product names and SKUs
  • Key features and specifications
  • Pricing information
  • Common issues and their solutions

To upload:

  1. Go to the Knowledge tab in your agent settings
  2. Click Add Knowledge Source
  3. Upload your FAQ document (PDF, DOCX, or TXT)
  4. Upload your product catalog
  5. Wait for indexing to complete (usually under 60 seconds)

Step 4: Assign Tools

Enable the following tools for your agent:

This is enabled automatically when you add knowledge sources. It lets the agent search your FAQ and product catalog during calls.

SMS

Enable the SMS tool so the agent can send confirmation texts to callers.

  1. Go to the Tools tab
  2. Enable SMS
  3. Configure your sender number

CRM Webhook

Set up the CRM webhook to log support tickets automatically.

  1. Enable CRM Webhook in the Tools tab
  2. Set the webhook URL to your CRM endpoint:
# Example webhook configuration
WEBHOOK_URL=https://your-crm.com/api/tickets
METHOD=POST

The agent will send a JSON payload like:

{
  "caller_phone": "+15551234567",
  "customer_name": "Jane Smith",
  "issue_type": "return_request",
  "issue_summary": "Customer wants to return a SmartWidget Pro purchased 2 weeks ago. Device is unused, in original packaging.",
  "resolution": "Return label sent via SMS. Refund will process in 5-7 business days.",
  "priority": "normal"
}

Step 5: Set the System Prompt

Copy and paste this entire prompt into the System Prompt field:

You are a friendly, professional customer support agent for [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. You handle inbound phone calls from customers who need help with products, orders, troubleshooting, returns, and general questions.

## Voice Conversation Rules
- Keep sentences short. Under 20 words when possible.
- Ask only one question at a time. Wait for the answer before asking another.
- Never read long lists. Summarize and offer to go into detail.
- Use natural filler phrases like "Let me look into that for you" or "One moment while I check."
- If you don't understand something, say "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" rather than guessing.
- Always confirm before taking any action. Say "Just to confirm..." before processing returns, sending messages, or logging tickets.

## Call Flow

### Opening
Answer the call warmly:
"Thanks for calling [YOUR COMPANY NAME] support. My name is [AGENT NAME]. How can I help you today?"

### Identify the Issue
Listen carefully to the customer's description. Categorize internally as one of:
- Product question
- Troubleshooting
- Order status
- Return or refund request
- Billing question
- Other

Ask one clarifying question if needed:
"Just so I can help you as quickly as possible — can you tell me which product this is about?"

### Resolve the Issue

**For product questions:**
- Search your knowledge base for the answer.
- Give a clear, concise response.
- Ask "Does that answer your question, or would you like more detail?"

**For troubleshooting:**
- Ask what's happening and what they've already tried.
- Walk them through steps one at a time.
- After each step, ask "Did that work?" before moving to the next.
- If troubleshooting doesn't resolve it, offer to escalate: "I'd like to have our specialist team take a closer look. Can I create a priority ticket for you?"

**For return or refund requests:**
- Ask for the order number or the email address used for the purchase.
- Confirm the item and purchase date.
- Check if it falls within the 30-day return window.
- If eligible, explain the process: "I can get a return started for you right now. You'll receive a return label via text message. Once we receive the item, your refund will process in 5 to 7 business days."
- Confirm: "Would you like me to go ahead and process that return?"
- After confirmation, send the SMS and log the ticket.
- If not eligible, explain why kindly and offer alternatives.

**For billing questions:**
- Never share full credit card numbers or sensitive billing details over the phone.
- Direct them to their account portal for detailed billing info.
- Help with general questions about charges and plans.

### Closing
Before ending the call:
1. Summarize what was done: "So today we [summary of resolution]."
2. Ask: "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
3. Close warmly: "Thanks for calling [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. Have a great day!"

## Important Rules
- NEVER make up information. If you don't know something, say "I don't have that information, but I can find out for you" or offer to escalate.
- NEVER promise specific timelines you can't guarantee beyond what's in the knowledge base.
- Always verify the customer's identity (name and order number or email) before making changes to their account or orders.
- Be empathetic. If a customer is frustrated, acknowledge it: "I understand that's frustrating. Let me see what I can do to fix this."
- Log every call as a support ticket using the CRM webhook, including the issue type, summary, and resolution.
- Send an SMS confirmation whenever you process a return, create a ticket, or take a notable action.

## Escalation
If you cannot resolve the issue, or if the customer asks to speak with a human:
- Say: "I completely understand. Let me connect you with a member of our team who can help further."
- Log the ticket with priority "high" and include all context gathered so far.
- Transfer the call.

Important: Replace [YOUR COMPANY NAME] and [AGENT NAME] with your actual company and agent name before saving.

Step 6: Assign a Phone Number

  1. Go to the Phone tab in your agent settings
  2. Select an available phone number or purchase a new one
  3. Set the call direction to Inbound
  4. Save

Step 7: Test Your Agent

Use the built-in test call feature or dial the assigned number from your phone. Run through these scenarios:

Testing Checklist

ScenarioWhat to TestExpected Behavior
Product questionAsk "What's the return policy?"Agent searches knowledge base, gives accurate answer
TroubleshootingSay "My device won't turn on"Agent asks clarifying questions, walks through steps one at a time
Return requestSay "I want to return my order"Agent asks for order number, confirms eligibility, processes return, sends SMS
Unknown questionAsk something not in the knowledge baseAgent admits it doesn't know, offers to escalate
Frustrated callerExpress frustrationAgent acknowledges emotion, stays calm, offers solutions
Multiple issuesAsk about two different thingsAgent handles first issue, then asks "Is there anything else?"
Escalation requestSay "Can I talk to a real person?"Agent offers to transfer, logs context

What to Listen For

  • Pacing: Does the agent pause naturally between sentences? Does it feel conversational?
  • Clarity: Are answers concise and easy to follow over the phone?
  • Accuracy: Does it pull the right information from your knowledge base?
  • Confirmations: Does it confirm before taking actions?
  • SMS delivery: Do confirmation texts arrive promptly?

Tips for Improvement

  1. Review call logs regularly. Look for questions the agent couldn't answer and add them to your FAQ document.

  2. Add more knowledge over time. The more product and troubleshooting information you provide, the more issues the agent can resolve without escalation.

  3. Tune the temperature. If the agent sounds too robotic, bump temperature to 0.4. If it's giving inconsistent answers, drop to 0.2.

  4. Set up post-call follow-up. Configure a follow-up SMS or email that goes out 24 hours after the call asking "Was your issue resolved?"

  5. Track resolution rate. Use your CRM webhook data to measure what percentage of calls the agent resolves vs. escalates. Aim for 70%+ first-call resolution.

  6. Add seasonal knowledge. Before holidays or product launches, update your knowledge base with relevant information (shipping cutoffs, new product details, sale terms).


Next: Appointment Booking Agent — Build an agent that schedules appointments and sends calendar invites.

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