Guides

Onboarding guide

Introduction

This technical documentation outlines the complete process for setting up and deploying a Zowie AI Agent. Follow this step-by-step guide to configure your automated customer service solution across all supported channels.

Onboarding Process Overview

Setting up a Zowie AI Agent involves six key phases:

  1. Initial Configuration: Define your AI agent's identity and business context
  2. Knowledge Base Setup: Build the information foundation for your AI agent
  3. Intent and Process Configuration: Create pathways for handling customer inquiries
  4. Channel Integration: Deploy your AI agent across communication channels
  5. Localization and Personalization: Configure multi-language support and regional settings
  6. Testing and Optimization: Refine your AI agent's performance

1. Initial Configuration

1.1 Configure Your AI Agent's Persona

The persona defines your AI's identity, business context, and communication style, influencing every response.

  1. Access Persona Settings:
  • Navigate to AI Agent → Persona in the left sidebar
  • Complete all required fields:
    • Name your AI Agent: Choose a customer-facing name
    • Provide business context: Define your company's products/services and the AI's role
    • Describe tone of voice: Specify communication style (formal/casual, detailed/concise)
  1. Best Practices for Persona Definition:
  • Keep business context concise but informative
  • Clearly establish topic boundaries
  • Use descriptive adjectives for tone ("friendly," "professional," etc.)
  • Avoid mixing persona settings with operational instructions

1.2 Set Up Working Hours and Availability

Configure when your AI Agent should handle inquiries and when to transfer to human agents.

  1. Create Schedules:
  • Navigate to Availability → Schedules
  • Click "Create new" to add a schedule
  • Configure time zone and working hours
  • Create separate schedules for different teams if needed
  1. Set Up Out of Office Periods:
  • Navigate to Availability → Out of Office
  • Create entries for holidays and special events
  • Configure custom messages for these periods

2. Knowledge Base Setup

2.1 Plan Your Knowledge Structure

Before adding content, plan your knowledge architecture:

  1. Identify common customer questions
  2. Map out logical categories based on your business type
  3. Define priority areas to tackle first
  4. Consider localization needs for serving multiple markets

2.2 Create and Import Knowledge Policies

Add information to your knowledge base:

  1. Access Knowledge Management:
  • Navigate to the Knowledge section
  1. Add Policies Through Multiple Methods:
  • Manual Creation: Create policies directly within the platform
  • External Import: Connect to and import from:
    • Zendesk
    • Kustomer
    • Salesforce Knowledge Base
    • Websites (using the selector tool)
    • Custom API integration
  1. Follow Best Practices for Policy Content:
  • Focus on single topics per policy
  • Use customer-centric language in titles
  • Structure content with clear headings
  • Provide explicit, comprehensive information
  • Format as plain text (avoid tables and images)

2.3 Organize and Categorize Knowledge

  1. Apply Tags and Categories:
  • Tag policies with descriptive labels
  • Group related policies using consistent categories
  1. Configure Segments and Regions:
  • Assign policies to specific customer segments
  • Create region-specific variations of policies
  • Consider language variations for multilingual support
  1. Activate Strategically:
  • Begin with high-quality policies for common inquiries
  • Enable policies in small batches
  • Monitor performance before expanding

2.4 Implement Multi-language Knowledge Management

  1. Maintain Primary Language Quality:
  • Focus on comprehensive, accurate content in your primary language
  • Ensure primary language content follows all best practices
  1. Leverage Language Support:
  • Understand how Zowie handles content across 53 supported languages
  • Configure language-specific knowledge when automatic translation isn't sufficient
  1. Address Regional Variations:
  • Create separate policies for regional differences in product offerings, pricing, or regulations
  • Use region and language tags to ensure customers receive appropriate information

3. Intent and Process Configuration

3.1 Set Up Intents Router

Configure how your AI agent recognizes and routes customer intentions:

  1. Access Intents Router:
  • Navigate to Engine → Intents router
  1. Create New Intents:
  • Click "Create new"
  • Complete required fields:
    • Title: Name your intent (e.g., "Return Policy")
    • Description: Define what customer messages should trigger this intent
    • Target Process: Select the Decision Engine process to handle this intent
  • Add reference phrases (recommended minimum: 20 per intent)
  • Save and train the intent model
  1. Manage and Optimize Intents:
  • Review performance regularly
  • Add more reference phrases for underperforming intents
  • Ensure descriptions clearly define intent boundaries

3.2 Configure Decision Engine Processes

For structured business processes (returns, order status, etc.):

  1. Design Process Workflows:
  • Map out step-by-step business processes
  • Identify data collection points
  • Plan for condition-based branches
  1. Build Process Using Building Blocks:
  • User Input Gatherer: Collect customer information
  • User Message Block: Generate responses
  • Conditional Block: Create branching paths
  • Code Block: Execute custom logic
  • Call Another Process Block: Embed sub-processes
  • Finish Block: End process execution
  1. Connect Processes to Intents:
  • Ensure each process is connected to relevant intents
  • Test process execution with various user inputs

4. Channel Integration

4.1 Configure Website Widget

  1. Access Widget Settings:
  • Navigate to Channels → Widget
  1. Configure Basic Appearance:
  • Set widget name and description
  • Upload company logo (recommended: 25px × 25px PNG)
  • Customize header and message colors
  • Set text input placeholder
  1. Install Widget on Website:
  • Choose installation method:
    • JavaScript code snippet
    • Google Tag Manager
  • Install using the provided code from the Widget menu
  • Configure placement and behavior options

4.2 Set Up Social Media Channels

  1. Connect Facebook Messenger:
  • Navigate to AI Agent → Channels → Messenger
  • Click "Continue with Facebook" and authenticate
  • Connect your Zowie Inbox to Messenger
  • Configure page settings and handover protocol
  1. Connect Instagram Direct:
  • Link through Facebook Business Suite integration
  • Configure message routing in handover settings
  1. Set Up Other Social Channels (WhatsApp, Viber, etc.):
  • Follow channel-specific instructions in the Channels section

4.3 Configure Email Integration

  1. Prepare for Email Integration:
  • Archive existing emails before connection
  • Verify security compliance with your IT department
  1. Set Up Email Mailbox:
  • Navigate to Inbox → Settings → Mailboxes
  • Click "Add mailbox"
  • Choose connection method (Microsoft OAuth or manual configuration)
  • Configure AI Agent and routing preferences

4.4 Configure AI-to-Human Handoff

  1. Access Handoff Settings:
    • Navigate to Modules → Handovers
  2. Create Channel-Specific Handovers:
    • Configure General settings (schedules, messages)
    • Set up Advanced options (confirmations, notifications)
    • Configure Routing (ticket destinations based on channels)
  3. Link Handovers to Decision Engine Processes:
    • Ensure processes can properly transfer to human agents
    • Test handoff functionality across all channels

5. Localization and Personalization

5.1 Configure Multi-Language Support

  1. Access Language Settings:
    • Navigate to localization settings in your Zowie dashboard
    • Review the 39+ supported languages
  2. Configure Primary and Secondary Languages:
    • Set your default primary language
    • Enable additional languages as needed
    • Configure language-specific settings if required
  3. Test Cross-Language Functionality:
    • Verify automatic language detection works correctly
    • Test responses in each supported language
    • Ensure knowledge retrieval works across languages

5.2 Set Up Regions

  1. Configure Geographic Regions:
    • Create region definitions based on your target markets
    • Designate a default region as fallback
    • Link regions to appropriate language settings
  2. Assign Knowledge to Regions:
    • Specify which policies apply to which regions
    • Create region-specific variations of universal policies
    • Ensure region-specific regulatory requirements are addressed

5.3 Implement Customer Segmentation

  1. Define Customer Segments:
    • Create segments based on customer characteristics
    • Configure property-based categorization rules
    • Set up segment-specific knowledge retrieval
  2. Connect Segments to Channels and Processes:
    • Ensure Decision Engine processes handle segment data
    • Configure channel-specific segment handling
    • Test segment-based personalization across touchpoints

6. Testing and Optimization

6.1 Test AI Agent Performance

  1. Use the Testing Interface:
    • Access "Test out your AI Agent" in the left sidebar
    • Create test conversations covering common scenarios
    • Verify responses match expectations
  2. Test Across Channels:
    • Test functionality on each configured channel
    • Confirm handoff works properly on all channels

5.2 Gradual Rollout Strategy

  1. Start with Limited Traffic:
    • Begin with a small percentage of customer inquiries
    • Gradually increase as performance improves
  2. Monitor Key Metrics:
    • Track automation rate
    • Monitor customer satisfaction
    • Review session logs for improvement opportunities

6.3 Continuous Improvement

  1. Regular Knowledge Base Updates:
    • Review and update policies monthly
    • Conduct quarterly audits of all content
    • Update seasonal information before relevant periods
  2. Expand AI Capabilities:
    • Add more intents and processes
    • Enhance knowledge with additional policies
    • Refine persona settings based on customer interactions
  3. Performance Analysis:
    • Review customer feedback for improvement areas
    • Adjust configuration based on performance data

Conclusion

Following this onboarding guide will help you set up a fully functional Zowie AI Agent that provides consistent, personalized customer experiences across all communication channels. Remember that optimization is an ongoing process, and regular reviews of your configuration will ensure your AI Agent continues to improve over time.

For additional support or questions, contact your Customer Success Manager at Zowie.