How to Set Up Chatbot FAQs for Instant Customer Responses
Add FAQs to your AI chatbot and give customers instant answers to common questions — no AI processing, faster responses, reduce cost per match.
How Chatbot FAQs Work#
Creating a FAQ#
Each FAQ has two parts:
Trigger Phrases
The different ways a customer might ask the same question. Add multiple variations to maximise matches.
Example — Appointment booking
book appointment
make appointment
book consultation
how to book
booking
make a bookingAnswer
The response customers see when any trigger phrase matches. Supports markdown (bold, links, lists).
Example
To make an appointment, you can:
- Email info@sydneylowcarb.com.au
- Call 02 8214 2578
- Book online at https://sydneylowcarb.com.au/booking
No referral letter is required.Writing Effective Trigger Phrases#
Add multiple variations of the same question
Customers phrase things differently. Cover the common ways:
| Topic | Trigger Phrases |
|---|---|
| Appointment booking | "book appointment", "make appointment", "book consultation", "how to book", "booking" |
| Pricing | "how much", "consultation fee", "pricing", "cost of consultation" |
| Cancellation | "cancel appointment", "cancellation", "cancel my booking", "need to cancel" |
Include short and long forms
"bulk billed" (short)
"bulk billing" (word variant)
"do you bulk bill" (natural phrasing)Include common synonyms and abbreviations
"telehealth"
"tele health"
"online consultation"
"video call consultation"Avoid single vague words as triggers
Single words like "book", "free", "cancel" are too broad — they could appear in many unrelated questions. Use specific phrases instead:
Avoid: "book"
Use: "book appointment", "book consultation"
Avoid: "free"
Use: "free consultation", "free initial consultation"Let the system handle filler words
Words like "the", "a", "is", "are", "do", "I", "you" are automatically ignored during matching. A customer asking "Are you bulk billed?" will match your trigger "bulk billed" without you needing to add every filler word variation.
FAQ Templates by Industry#
Healthcare and Clinics
| FAQ | Trigger Phrases | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment booking | book appointment, make appointment, how to book, booking | Email info@... or call ... to make an appointment. |
| Referral requirements | referral, need referral, referral letter, gp referral | No referral is required to attend our clinic. |
| Billing | bulk billed, bulk billing, bulk bill | We are privately billed. Medicare rebates are available. |
| Telehealth availability | telehealth, online consultation, virtual appointment | We offer telehealth consultations Australia wide. |
| Appointment cancellation | cancel appointment, cancellation, cancel my booking | You can cancel by calling ... A cancellation fee applies. |
| Medicare and health fund | medicare rebate, health fund rebate, private health rebate | Doctor visits are eligible for Medicare rebate. Dietitian visits are eligible for health fund rebates. |
| Preparing for first visit | first appointment, first visit, what to bring | Please bring recent blood test results, medication list, and a food diary. |
Online Retail and E-commerce
| FAQ | Trigger Phrases | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping and delivery | shipping, delivery time, how long delivery, shipping cost | Free shipping on orders over $50. Standard delivery is 3-5 business days. |
| Returns and refunds | return policy, returns, how to return, refund | Return items within 30 days. Visit our returns page at ... |
| Order tracking | track order, order status, where is my order | Track your order at ... or email support@... with your order number. |
| Payment options | payment methods, pay with, accepted payments | We accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Afterpay. |
SaaS and Technology
| FAQ | Trigger Phrases | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing and plans | pricing, how much, subscription, plans | View our plans at .../pricing. We offer Free, Pro, and Enterprise tiers. |
| Free trial | free trial, trial period, try for free | 14-day free trial, no credit card required. |
| Subscription cancellation | cancel subscription, cancel plan, unsubscribe | Cancel anytime from Settings > Billing. |
| Technical support | contact support, technical support, need help | Email support@... or open a ticket at .../support. |
Restaurants and Hospitality
| FAQ | Trigger Phrases | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Table reservations | reservation, book table, make reservation, table booking | Book a table at .../reserve or call ... |
| Dietary accommodations | vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dietary options | We cater to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets. Inform us of allergies when booking. |
| Opening hours | opening hours, what time open, when open | Tue-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 11am-3pm brunch. Closed Mondays. |
How Many FAQs to Add#
Recommended starting set:
- 1Greeting — hi, hello (always add this first)
- 2Booking or contact — how to reach you or schedule
- 3Pricing — how much things cost
- 4Hours and location — when and where you operate
- 5Your top 3 most-asked questions — check your chat history or ask your team
Best Practices#
Use your chat history — identify the questions customers repeat most and add those first
Keep answers concise — 1-3 sentences with a link for more detail
Always include next steps — if the FAQ can’t fully answer, direct customers to phone, email, or a specific page
Review monthly — add new FAQs when you spot patterns in customer conversations
Test before publishing — use the FAQ test tool to confirm your trigger phrases match correctly
Let the AI handle complexity — FAQs work best for simple, definitive answers. Nuanced or detailed questions are better served by your AI-powered document search