FAQ Chatbot Escalation Agent Template

• What it does: Runs a Support Agent that searches your File Search knowledge base, then hands off to an Escalation Agent that sends a Gmail alert to your team and a short, human-sounding reply to the user when the bot cannot resolve the issue or when policy requires a human.
• Best for: SaaS and product teams, customer support, founders and ops who want answers grounded in uploaded docs plus a clear escalation path
• Apps used: File Search (knowledge base), Gmail (escalation alerts)
• Setup time: 10 to 15 minutes

FAQ Chatbot Escalation uses a Support Agent grounded in File Search uploads and an Escalation Agent that sends Gmail alerts to your team. This template acts as a starting point: any app, instructions, and agents can be updated as required for your own use case—simply ask Max (Agent Builder) to update the workflow as needed. Last verified from workflow config on April 2026. Includes common failure modes and fixes.

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Problem this solves

• Customers repeat the same product, pricing, and policy questions; answers live in PDFs and docs that are not easy to search in chat.
• When automation cannot answer, users need a clear path to a human and your team needs an internal alert.
• You want first-line answers only from what you uploaded, not generic model guesses, with escalation for complaints, refunds, billing disputes, or explicit human requests.

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What this agent does

This template can:

• Accept user messages from a text trigger (widget, chat, or API).
• Query File Search for product overview, features, FAQs, pricing, billing, troubleshooting, and other content you uploaded to the knowledge base.
• Reply in 2 to 4 sentences when the knowledge base clearly covers the question, and end with: Is there anything else I can help you with? (per agent instructions).
• Apply date awareness when your docs include relative dates (for example closures or windows), and state applicable dates clearly.
• Hand off to the Escalation Agent when the topic is not in the knowledge base, or for complaints, refunds, billing disputes, or when the user asks to speak to a human.
• Send a structured Gmail message to SUPPORT_TEAM_EMAIL (configure in Escalation Agent instructions) with the customer question, escalation reason, and timestamp, then reply warmly to the customer without exposing internal tools or AI.

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How it works

1. User sends a text message through the workflow trigger.
2. Support Agent runs File Search with a clear query, reads relevant results, and decides whether the knowledge base supports a confident answer.
3. If yes, the Support Agent answers concisely and asks if anything else is needed.
4. If not, or if the case matches escalation rules, the Support Agent hands off to the Escalation Agent with the user question and reason.
5. Escalation Agent sends an HTML email via Gmail (subject: [Support] Customer query needs attention) and then sends a short empathetic reply to the user (2 to 3 sentences), signed as The Support Team.
6. The customer-facing reply does not promise a specific response time and does not reveal automation details (per Escalation Agent compliance rules).

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Requirements

• File Search: Upload product docs, FAQs, pricing sheets, and other support content to the knowledge base. Enable the File Search tool node in the canvas if it is off in your copy of the export.
• Gmail: Connect Google for Gmail. In the Escalation Agent instructions, set SUPPORT_TEAM_EMAIL to the inbox that should receive escalation alerts.
• Agent copy: Edit Support and Escalation instructions for your business name, tone, and policies so answers and escalation reasons match how you operate.

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Setup guide

1. Clone the template and open it in AgentSpace.
2. Knowledge base (File Search): Upload your product docs, FAQs, pricing sheets, or any support content. The Support Agent is designed to answer exclusively from these files.
3. Gmail: Connect your Google account. Replace SUPPORT_TEAM_EMAIL inside the Escalation Agent instructions with your real support email.
4. Test with two inputs:
   • An in-scope question (for example What plans do you offer?) → expect a direct answer from the KB.
   • An out-of-scope or escalation-style question (for example I want a refund or I need to speak to a human) → expect escalation email plus a short user-facing confirmation.
5. Optional: use the canvas Starter prompts sticky for additional test ideas (services, pricing, getting started, free plan; refund, human, complaint scenarios).
6. Deploy to your channel (widget, chat, or API).

Common issues and fixes

• Empty or wrong answers: Confirm File Search has files uploaded, the tool node is enabled, and content matches the questions you test. Refresh uploads when products or pricing change.
• Escalation never fires: Check Support Agent rules (missing KB coverage, complaints, refunds, billing disputes, human request). Test with an clearly out-of-scope or escalation-style prompt.
• Gmail not sending: Verify Gmail is connected and SUPPORT_TEAM_EMAIL is a valid address. Check spam for subject [Support] Customer query needs attention.
• Over-answers or guesses: Tighten Support Agent instructions so answers stay strictly within uploaded material; escalate when anything is not explicitly supported.

Customization knobs

• Add or replace KB files (PDFs, FAQs) as your product evolves.
• Tune escalation triggers in the Support Agent instructions (for example always escalate certain topics).
• Ask Max (Agent Builder) to add tools (for example ticketing instead of or in addition to Gmail) while keeping the same two-agent pattern.

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Apps used

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Use cases

• SaaS product support: Answer feature, pricing, and how-to questions from uploaded manuals and FAQs; escalate edge cases. Best for support and success teams.
• Single source of truth: One knowledge base your team maintains; no split between multiple live doc systems in the default template. Best for ops-focused teams.
• Founder-led support: One workflow grounded in files you control, with email escalation to a shared inbox. Best for small teams before full ticketing.
• Audit-friendly answers: Reduce invention by requiring explicit KB support before answering; escalate when sources are silent. Best when you review what the bot says.

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Example prompts and outputs

Example 1: In-scope (from starter prompts)

Prompt (user): “What are your pricing plans?”

Output: Support Agent searches File Search and answers from your uploaded pricing content, then asks if anything else is needed.

Example 2: Escalation (billing or human)

Prompt (user): “I want a refund” or “I need to speak to a human.”

Output: Support Agent hands off. Escalation Agent emails your team and sends a short reassuring reply to the user (no SLA promise).

Example 3: Out-of-scope

Prompt (user): A question your uploads do not cover.

Output: Escalation path after the Support Agent confirms the knowledge base does not support a confident answer.

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Why you need this template

• One knowledge channel: File Search holds what you approve; answers map to what you uploaded.
• Clear escalation path: Gmail alerts plus customer-facing reassurance when automation should not own the outcome.
• Starting point: Change instructions, email wording, or tools; iterate in AgentSpace without code.
• Faster first-line responses when answers exist in your materials, and fewer silent failures when they do not.

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