Chatbot Module Guide

Provide 24/7 customer support with an AI-powered chatbot that answers questions instantly.

What is the Chatbot Module?

The Chatbot Module adds a live chat widget to your store, powered by AI. It answers customer questions automatically, helps them find products, and escalates complex issues to you when needed.

Think of it as:

• A virtual sales assistant that never sleeps
• Your FAQ page, but interactive and smart
• A helpful friend guiding customers through your store
• Your first line of customer support

Why chatbots work:

• Instant answers - Customers get help in seconds, not hours
• 24/7 availability - No need to stay up late answering questions
• Higher conversion - Answered questions = more sales (15-30% lift)
• Lower support costs - AI handles 70-80% of routine questions
• Better experience - Customers prefer chat to email/phone

What the Chatbot Can Do

✅ Answer product questions - "Is this waterproof?" "What sizes do you have?" ✅ Help find products - "Show me blue sneakers under $100" ✅ Check order status - "Where's my order #1234?" ✅ Process returns - "I need to return this item" ✅ Provide shipping info - "Do you ship to Canada?" ✅ Share store policies - "What's your return policy?" ✅ Escalate to human - "I need to speak to a person"

How It Works (Simple Explanation)

Customer perspective:

1. Visits your store - Sees chat bubble in corner
2. Clicks to chat - Types: "Do you have this in blue?"
3. Gets instant answer - AI: "Yes! We have it in Sky Blue and Navy. Would you like me to show you?"
4. Continues conversation - Can ask follow-up questions
5. Makes purchase - Confident and informed

Behind the scenes:

1. AI reads your store - Knows your products, policies, FAQs
2. Understands questions - Even typos and casual language
3. Finds answers - Searches products, orders, help content
4. Responds naturally - Friendly, helpful tone
5. Escalates when needed - Passes to you for complex issues

You stay in control:

• Review conversations
• Take over anytime
• Train the AI with better answers
• Set escalation rules

Deploying the Chatbot Module

Quick Start (5 Minutes)

Step 1: Deploy via AI

Add a chatbot to my store

AI will ask:

• What's your chatbot's name? (e.g., "Alex", "Shop Assistant")
• What tone? (Professional, Friendly, Casual)
• What should it help with? (All questions, Products only, Support only)

Step 2: Wait for Setup

The AI will:

• Read your products
• Import your FAQ pages
• Learn your store policies
• Create the chat widget
• Add it to your site

This takes 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Test It

Visit your store and click the chat bubble. Try asking:

"Do you ship internationally?"
"Show me your best-selling products"
"I have a question about my order"

Done! Your chatbot is live.

What Just Happened?

When you deploy the Chatbot:

1. Chat widget added - Bubble appears on all pages (bottom-right by default)
2. Knowledge base created - AI trained on your store data
3. Dashboard enabled - View conversations and analytics
4. Email notifications - Get alerts for escalations
5. 24/7 support activated - Chatbot answers questions immediately

Chatbot Configuration

Let's customize your chatbot to match your brand and needs.

Access Configuration

Open chatbot settings

Or: Dashboard → Chatbot → Configure

1. Chatbot Identity

Settings → Identity

Name:

Examples:
- "Alex" (personal, friendly)
- "Shop Assistant" (clear, functional)
- "Sophie" (approachable)
- "[Your Brand] Bot" (branded)

Avatar:

• Upload photo or icon
• Use brand logo
• Generic bot icon
• Human photo (makes it personal)

Greeting Message:

Default: "Hi! 👋 I'm here to help. What can I answer for you today?"

Better examples:
- "Hey! Looking for something specific? I can help you find it! 🔍"
- "Welcome! Have questions? I've got answers. Just ask! 💬"
- "Hi there! I know everything about our products. Try me! 😊"

Tone:

• Professional ("How may I assist you today?")
• Friendly ("Hey! What can I help with?")
• Casual ("Yo! Need help?")

Choose one that matches your brand voice.

2. Appearance

Settings → Appearance

Widget Position:

• Bottom-right (most common)
• Bottom-left
• Top-right
• Top-left

Colors:

• Chat bubble color (matches your brand)
• Header color
• Message bubbles
• Send button

Size:

• Small (mobile-friendly)
• Medium (recommended)
• Large (desktop focus)

Via AI:

Make my chatbot green to match my brand, positioned bottom-left

3. Availability

Settings → Availability

Always On (Recommended):

• Chatbot available 24/7
• AI handles all questions
• Escalates to you when needed

Business Hours:

• Chatbot only active during set hours
• Outside hours: Shows offline message
• Collects email for follow-up

Example Business Hours:

Monday-Friday: 9am-6pm EST
Saturday: 10am-4pm EST
Sunday: Closed

Offline message: "We're currently offline. Leave your email and we'll respond within 24 hours!"

Via AI:

Set chatbot business hours: Monday-Friday 9am-6pm EST

4. Knowledge Base

Settings → Knowledge

This is what the chatbot knows.

Automatically Included:

• ✅ All products (names, descriptions, prices, stock)
• ✅ All collections
• ✅ Shipping policies
• ✅ Return policies
• ✅ Store policies
• ✅ FAQ pages

Add Custom Knowledge:

Product Details:

Add to knowledge base:
"Our bamboo bottles are dishwasher safe on top rack only, NOT microwave safe"

Common Questions:

Q: Do you offer gift wrapping?
A: Yes! Add gift wrapping at checkout for $5. Includes premium paper and handwritten card.

Store Information:

Our warehouse is in Portland, OR.
We typically ship within 1-2 business days.
Free shipping on orders over $50 to US addresses.

Via AI:

Teach the chatbot that we offer gift wrapping for $5

5. Product Recommendations

Settings → Recommendations

Enable Smart Suggestions:

• Chatbot recommends products based on conversation
• Uses AI to understand what customer wants
• Shows product cards in chat

Example Conversation:

Customer: "I need a water bottle for hiking"
Bot: "Perfect! I'd recommend these hiking-friendly bottles:

[Product Card: Trail Bottle Pro]
32oz, insulated, carabiner clip
$34.99

[Product Card: Adventure Flask]
20oz, lightweight, leak-proof
$24.99

Would you like to see more details on either?"

Recommendation Rules:

• Max products per message: 3 (not overwhelming)
• Only suggest in-stock items
• Match price range customer mentions
• Prioritize best-sellers

Via AI:

Enable product recommendations in chatbot

6. Escalation Rules

Settings → Escalation

When should chatbot hand off to a human?

Auto-escalate for:

• ✅ Customer explicitly asks for human ("speak to a person")
• ✅ Angry/frustrated language detected
• ✅ Refund requests
• ✅ Billing disputes
• ✅ Complex technical issues
• ✅ After 3 "I don't know" responses

Escalation Methods:

Option 1: Email Notification

You get email: "Customer needs help with..."
You respond via dashboard

Option 2: Live Takeover

You get notification in app
Click to take over conversation
Chat directly with customer

Option 3: Support Ticket

Creates ticket in your help desk
Customer gets ticket number
You follow up via email/phone

Escalation Message:

"Let me connect you with my human colleague. They'll be able to help with this right away!"

[Notification sent to store owner]

Via AI:

Escalate chatbot conversations to me for refund requests

Training Your Chatbot

Make your chatbot smarter over time.

Review Conversations

Dashboard → Chatbot → Conversations

Daily Review:

Review 10-20 conversations per day
Look for:
- Questions answered incorrectly
- Information chatbot didn't know
- Opportunities to add to knowledge base

Example:

Customer: "Is this vegan?"
Bot: "I don't have that information. Let me connect you with a team member."

🚨 You should teach it!

Add Missing Information

When chatbot doesn't know something:

Teach chatbot: Product "Leather Wallet" is made from genuine leather, not vegan

Or via dashboard:

1. Find conversation
2. Click Add to Knowledge
3. Enter question and correct answer
4. Click Save

Chatbot learns immediately!

Correct Wrong Answers

If chatbot gives wrong info:

Correct chatbot: Free shipping is $75+, not $50+

Or:

1. Find conversation
2. Click Flag Error
3. Provide correct answer
4. AI learns and updates

Improve Responses

Make answers better:

Current:

Bot: "Shipping takes 5-7 business days."

Improved:

Teach chatbot better answer: "Most orders arrive in 3-5 business days! We ship within 24 hours on weekdays. You'll get tracking info as soon as it ships. 📦"

Tips for better answers:

• Use friendly tone
• Be specific (not vague)
• Anticipate follow-up questions
• Add personality (emojis okay!)

Managing Conversations

Real-Time Dashboard

Access: Dashboard → Chatbot → Live Conversations

See who's chatting right now:

Active Conversations (3):

Sarah J. - "Do you ship to Canada?"
Status: Chatbot responding...
[View] [Take Over]

Mike R. - "I need help with my order"
Status: ⚠️ Escalated to you
[Respond Now]

Emma K. - "Show me blue dresses"
Status: Chatbot recommending products
[View]

Actions:

• View - Read conversation
• Take Over - You start responding
• Monitor - Watch without intervening

Taking Over Conversations

When to jump in:

• Customer is frustrated
• Chatbot doesn't know answer
• You can provide better help
• Personal touch needed

How to take over:

1. Click Take Over on conversation
2. Type your message
3. Customer sees: "A team member has joined the chat"
4. You chat directly with customer
5. When done, click End Conversation

Example takeover:

Bot: "I don't have information about custom orders."

[You take over]

You: "Hi! I can definitely help with a custom order. What did you have in mind?"

Conversation History

Access: Dashboard → Chatbot → History

Search conversations:

• By customer name
• By date range
• By topic
• By outcome (resolved, escalated, abandoned)

Why review history:

• Learn what customers ask most
• Find gaps in knowledge
• Improve training
• Measure satisfaction

Export conversations:

Export chatbot conversations from last month

Use for analysis, training, compliance.

Chatbot Analytics

Track performance and improve.

Key Metrics

Access: Dashboard → Chatbot → Analytics

Resolution Rate:

Questions resolved by chatbot / Total questions
280 resolved / 350 total = 80%

What's good: 70-85% is typical

Average Response Time:

Time from question to answer
Chatbot: 2 seconds (instant!)
Human: 15 minutes (when you respond)

Conversations Per Day:

Day              Conversations
Monday Jan 15          47
Tuesday Jan 16         52
Wednesday Jan 17       61

Rising trend = More customers using chat

Customer Satisfaction:

After each conversation:
"Was this helpful?" 👍 👎

👍 Positive: 87%
👎 Negative: 13%

Top Questions:

1. "Do you ship internationally?" - 42 times
2. "What's your return policy?" - 38 times
3. "Is this waterproof?" - 29 times
4. "Do you have this in blue?" - 24 times
5. "Where's my order?" - 21 times

Use this to:

• Add common questions to FAQ
• Improve product descriptions
• Update policies page

Escalation Rate:

Escalated to human / Total conversations
35 escalated / 350 total = 10%

What's good: 10-20% is normal

Impact on Sales

Conversion Rate:

Visitors who chatted: 8.2% conversion
Visitors who didn't chat: 2.1% conversion
Improvement: +290%!

Assisted Revenue:

Orders where customer used chatbot before purchase:
$4,280 this month

Average Order Value:

With chatbot: $87
Without chatbot: $65
Difference: +34%

These metrics prove the chatbot's value!

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Chatbot Not Appearing on Site

Check:

1. Module is active

   Is my chatbot module active?
   

2. Widget placement

   • Settings → Appearance → Placement
   • Make sure it's not hidden off-screen

3. Page exclusions

   • Check if certain pages are excluded
   • Settings → Display Rules

4. Browser cache

   • Clear cache
   • Try incognito mode
   • Check on different device

Via AI:

Why isn't my chatbot showing on my store?

Chatbot Giving Wrong Answers

Common causes:

1. Outdated information
   • Product details changed
   • Policy updated
   • Pricing changed

Fix: Update knowledge base

2. Misunderstanding question
   • Customer phrased it unusually
   • Typos or slang

Fix: Teach chatbot common variations

3. Missing information
   • Question about something not in knowledge base

Fix: Add to knowledge

Example:

Customer asked: "Is this BPA free?"
Chatbot said: "I don't have that information."

Fix: Add to knowledge base:
"All our bottles are BPA-free and food-safe. Made from premium materials!"

Too Many Escalations

If 30%+ conversations escalate:

Reasons:

1. Knowledge base incomplete

   • Missing common questions
   • Needs more product details

2. Escalation rules too sensitive

   • Escalating too quickly
   • Not trying hard enough to help

3. Complex products

   • Technical specifications needed
   • Customization options

Solutions:

Make chatbot try harder before escalating - only escalate after 5 attempts

Or expand knowledge:

Add these 10 common questions to chatbot knowledge base:
[paste questions]

Customers Prefer Human Help

Some customers don't trust bots.

Solutions:

1. Make it clear human is available

   Bot greeting: "Hi! I'm your AI assistant. Need a human instead? Just ask!"
   

2. Show chatbot capabilities first

   • Let it try to help
   • Most questions it CAN answer
   • Humans for exceptions

3. Easy escalation

   Customer types: "human"
   Bot: "No problem! Connecting you now..."
   

4. Transparency

   Show "Powered by AI" or bot icon
   Be honest it's not human
   But emphasize it's smart!
   

Spam in Chat

Bots, trolls, or inappropriate messages.

Built-in protections:

• Spam detection
• Rate limiting (max messages per minute)
• Block inappropriate language
• IP monitoring

Manual blocking:

Block IP address [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx] from chatbot

Report spam:

Flag this conversation as spam to improve filters

Advanced Features

Multi-Language Support

Chatbot speaks 50+ languages!

Auto-detect:

• Customer types in Spanish
• Chatbot responds in Spanish
• Seamless experience

Supported languages:

• Spanish, French, German
• Italian, Portuguese
• Japanese, Chinese
• And 40+ more

Setup:

Enable multi-language support in chatbot

Or manually translate key phrases:

Settings → Languages → Add Translations

Voice Chat (Coming Soon)

Future feature:

• Customer speaks into microphone
• Chatbot transcribes and responds
• Great for mobile users
• Accessibility benefit

Proactive Chat

Chatbot reaches out first:

Triggers:

• Customer on page for 30 seconds
• Customer viewed 3+ products
• Customer on checkout page (abandoned cart alert)
• Customer returned to site (welcome back!)

Example:

[After 30 seconds on product page]
Bot: "Hi! 👋 I see you're looking at our Trail Bottle Pro. Any questions I can answer?"

Setup:

Settings → Proactive → Enable
- Trigger: After 30 seconds
- Message: "Need help finding something?"

Caution: Don't be too aggressive (annoying)

Chat Campaigns

Targeted messages for segments:

Examples:

• First-time visitors: "Welcome! 10% off your first order"
• Returning customers: "Welcome back! Check out what's new"
• Cart abandoners: "Still interested? I can help you complete your order"

Setup:

Create chatbot campaign for first-time visitors offering welcome discount

Integration with Other Tools

Chatbot + Email:

• Capture emails in chat
• Add to newsletter
• Follow up later

Chatbot + CRM:

• Log conversations
• Update customer profiles
• Track interactions

Chatbot + Support Desk:

• Create tickets
• Track resolution
• Measure satisfaction

Chatbot + Analytics:

• Track chat events in Google Analytics
• Measure impact on conversion
• Attribute revenue

Setup via AI:

Connect chatbot to [tool name]

Best Practices

DO's

✅ Give it a friendly name - "Alex" not "Bot 3000" ✅ Use conversational tone - Match your brand voice ✅ Train regularly - Review 10+ conversations daily ✅ Respond to escalations quickly - Within hours, not days ✅ Show personality - Emojis, humor (if appropriate) ✅ Test frequently - Ask chatbot questions yourself ✅ Update knowledge - When products/policies change ✅ Monitor analytics - Weekly reviews

DON'Ts

❌ Don't pretend it's human - Be transparent it's AI ❌ Don't leave it untrained - Will give bad answers ❌ Don't ignore escalations - Defeats the purpose ❌ Don't make it pushy - Respect customer's space ❌ Don't overload with info - Keep answers concise ❌ Don't forget mobile - Most chats happen on phone ❌ Don't set and forget - Requires ongoing maintenance

Real Success Stories

Example 1: Small Boutique

Before Chatbot:

• 50+ customer emails per day
• 2-4 hour response time
• Overwhelmed owner

After Chatbot:

• 80% of questions answered instantly
• Only 10 emails per day
• Owner focuses on growth

Result: 25% increase in sales, happier customers

Example 2: Tech Accessories Store

Challenge: Complex products, many questions

Solution:

• Detailed product specs in knowledge base
• Comparison features
• Troubleshooting guides

Result:

• 90% resolution rate
• Conversion up 40%
• Returns down 15% (better informed buyers)

Example 3: Sustainable Goods

Challenge: Values-driven customers with questions

Solution:

• Added sustainability info
• Sourcing details
• Impact metrics

Result:

• Customers love transparency
• Brand loyalty increased
• Word-of-mouth referrals up

FAQs

How much does the Chatbot module cost?

Nothing extra. Chatbot is included on every plan, including Free, with no per-module fee and no cap on how many modules you install.

What it consumes: conversations use AI credits from your plan's monthly allowance — roughly 8 credits per message, or about 100 for a conversation the chatbot fully resolves. Escalations to your team are not charged as resolutions.

Can chatbot process orders?

Not directly, but it can:

• Recommend products
• Share product links
• Guide to checkout
• Track order status

Cannot:

• Process payments (security)
• Modify orders

Will it replace me?

No! The chatbot:

• Handles routine questions (70-80%)
• Escalates complex issues to you
• Saves you time for strategic work

You're still needed for:

• Complex problems
• Personal touch
• Escalated issues
• Special cases

Can I customize responses?

Yes! Two ways:

1. Add to knowledge base - Pre-written answers
2. Train the AI - Learns from corrections

Full control over:

• What it knows
• How it responds
• When it escalates

Does it work on mobile?

Yes! Fully responsive:

• Mobile-friendly chat widget
• Touch-optimized
• Works on all devices

Most chats happen on mobile (60-70%)

What about privacy?

GDPR/CCPA compliant:

• No personal data stored without consent
• Customers can request data deletion
• Encrypted conversations
• Privacy policy integration

Settings → Privacy to configure

Can I use it with live chat?

Yes! Two modes:

AI-first (Recommended):

• Chatbot tries to help
• Escalates to you when needed

Hybrid:

• Chatbot during off-hours
• You during business hours

Human-only:

• Disable chatbot
• All chats go to you

Configure in Settings → Availability

Getting Help

Training questions:

How do I teach the chatbot about [topic]?

Technical issues:

My chatbot isn't responding correctly to [question]

Optimization:

Help me improve my chatbot's resolution rate

Support:

• Email: support@synton.ai
• Live chat: Click icon in app
• Documentation: Full guides here

Next Steps

1. Deploy the chatbot:

   Add a chatbot to my store
   

2. Customize appearance to match your brand

3. Train it with your most common questions

4. Test it by asking questions yourself

5. Monitor conversations for first few days

6. Review analytics weekly

7. Keep improving based on customer feedback

8. Combine with other modules:

   • Reviews - Chatbot can share reviews
   • Loyalty - Check points in chat

Questions? Ask the AI:

Show me my chatbot analytics
Help me train the chatbot on [topic]
Why is my resolution rate low?

A well-trained chatbot can handle thousands of conversations, increase sales by 20-40%, and free up your time to focus on growing your business. Set it up today! 💬