Build a simple FAQ chatbot

Why this matters

Your customers ask the same ten questions over and over. What are your hours? Do you ship internationally? What is your return policy? Each time you answer manually, you spend a few minutes on something that could be handled instantly. Multiply that by dozens of customers a week and it adds up fast.

A simple FAQ chatbot handles these repetitive questions automatically. It does not replace your personal touch for complex issues — it frees you up to focus on the conversations that actually need a human. Your customers get instant answers at 2 AM, and you wake up to fewer messages in your inbox.

Step 1: Compile your FAQ list

Go through your recent customer messages and write down every question that comes up more than twice a month. Aim for 10-20 questions. For each one, write the ideal answer — the same response you would send if you were typing it yourself. Be thorough but concise. This list is the brain of your chatbot.

Step 2: Set up the chatbot

Choose a no-code chatbot platform (many have free tiers for small businesses). Paste in your FAQ list with the questions and answers. Most platforms let you add variations of each question so the chatbot recognizes different phrasings. For example, "What are your hours?" and "When are you open?" should both trigger the same answer.

Step 3: Add a handoff for complex questions

Configure a fallback: when the chatbot does not recognize a question, it should collect the customer's name and question, then notify you. This way nothing falls through the cracks, and you only get pulled in when genuine human judgment is needed.

What to try next

After a month, review which questions the chatbot handles most often and which ones trigger the fallback. Add new answers for common fallback questions and refine existing ones based on customer feedback.