Email

Configure your ept AI chatbot to respond to emails sent to a specific domain address, enabling email-based conversations with your AI assistant.

Back to Integrations Overview

Overview

The Email integration allows your ept AI chatbot to:

• Receive emails sent to a specific address (e.g., question@yourdomain.com)
• Automatically respond to email inquiries using your knowledge base
• Maintain conversation context across email threads
• Provide 24/7 email support without human intervention

Prerequisites

Before setting up the email integration, ensure you have:

• Domain Email: A dedicated email address for the chatbot (e.g., question@yourdomain.com)
• Domain Control: Ability to configure DNS records for your domain
• ept AI Setup: Your ept AI chatbot configured and ready
• Knowledge Base: Support documentation loaded into ept AI

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Configure Domain Email Address

1. Create Dedicated Email Address:

   • Set up an email address like question@yourdomain.com or ai@yourdomain.com
   • This will be the address customers send emails to for AI assistance
   • Ensure the email account is active and can receive messages

2. Configure Email Forwarding (Optional):

   • If you want to forward emails from another address, set up forwarding rules
   • Example: Forward help@yourdomain.com to question@yourdomain.com

Step 2: Create Email Integration in ept AI

1. Access Integration Settings:

   • Log into your ept AI dashboard
   • Navigate to Configuration > Integrations
   • Click "Create Integration"
   • Select "Email" from the available integrations

2. Configure Email Settings:

   Email Address: question@yourdomain.com
   SMTP Server: smtp.yourdomain.com
   Authentication: Your email credentials

3. Authorize Connection:

   • Click "Connect Email"
   • Complete the email authentication
   • Grant necessary permissions to ept AI

Step 3: Configure Email Channel

1. Create Channel:

   • Navigate to Configuration > Channels
   • Click "Create Channel"
   • Configure the channel:
     • Channel Name: "Email Support"
     • Channel Type: Select "Email"
     • Integration: Select the Email integration you created
     • Knowledge Source Configuration: Choose the appropriate KSC for email responses

2. Configure Channel Settings:

   {
     "email_channel_config": {
       "integration_id": "email_integration_123",
       "knowledge_source": "support-ksc",
       "auto_reply": true,
       "thread_management": "maintain_context",
       "response_format": "html",
       "include_signature": true,
       "max_response_length": 1000
     }
   }

Configuration Options

Email Response Settings

• Auto-Reply: Enable automatic responses to incoming emails
• Thread Management: Maintain conversation context across email threads
• Response Format: Choose between HTML or plain text responses
• Signature: Include professional email signature in responses
• Response Length: Set maximum length for AI-generated responses

Conversation Handling

• Context Preservation: AI remembers previous email exchanges in the thread
• Subject Line Updates: Automatically update subject lines for clarity
• Multiple Recipients: Handle emails with multiple recipients appropriately
• Attachment Handling: Process and respond to email attachments

Use Cases

Customer Support

1. 24/7 Email Support: Provide instant responses to customer inquiries
2. FAQ Handling: Answer common questions automatically
3. Issue Escalation: Route complex issues to human agents when needed
4. Follow-up: Send automated follow-up emails for resolution

Business Inquiries

• Product Questions: Answer questions about products and services
• Pricing Inquiries: Provide pricing information and quotes
• Booking Requests: Handle appointment and meeting requests
• General Information: Share company information and policies

Internal Support

• Employee Questions: Answer internal company questions
• Policy Inquiries: Provide information about company policies
• Resource Requests: Share internal resources and documentation
• Process Guidance: Explain internal processes and procedures

Example Email Flow

Customer Sends Email

To: question@acme.com
Subject: Product Pricing
Body: Hi, I'm interested in your premium plan. What's the pricing?

AI Response

From: question@acme.com
Subject: Re: Product Pricing
Body: Thank you for your interest in our premium plan!

Our premium plan pricing is as follows:
- Monthly: $99/month
- Annual: $990/year (save 17%)

Key features include:
- Unlimited conversations
- Advanced analytics
- Priority support
- Custom integrations

Would you like me to help you get started with a free trial?

Best regards,
AI Assistant
Acme Corporation

Best Practices

Email Management

1. Professional Communication: Maintain professional tone and formatting
2. Clear Expectations: Set clear response time expectations
3. Escalation Procedures: Define when to escalate to human agents
4. Response Quality: Ensure responses are helpful and accurate

Domain Configuration

1. Dedicated Address: Use a dedicated email address for AI responses
2. Clear Purpose: Make the email address purpose clear (e.g., question@, ai@, help@)
3. DNS Records: Ensure proper DNS configuration for email delivery
4. Spam Protection: Configure spam filters appropriately

Response Optimization

1. Knowledge Base: Keep your knowledge base updated and comprehensive
2. Response Templates: Use consistent response templates and formatting
3. Personalization: Include customer name and relevant context when possible
4. Call-to-Action: Include clear next steps in responses

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Email Not Received

• Verify email address is correctly configured
• Check DNS records and email server settings
• Ensure email account is active and accessible
• Review spam filter settings

Response Generation Issues

• Verify knowledge base is properly configured
• Check AI model performance and accuracy
• Review email parsing and formatting
• Test with different email clients

Thread Management Problems

• Ensure proper email threading headers
• Check conversation context preservation
• Verify subject line handling
• Review email client compatibility

Error Codes

Error Code	Description	Solution
550	Mailbox Unavailable	Check recipient email address
553	Authentication Required	Verify email credentials
554	Message Rejected	Review email content and formatting
421	Service Unavailable	Check email service provider status

Support Resources

• Email Service Documentation
• ept AI Support
• Integration Status Page

Monitoring & Analytics

Key Metrics

• Email Volume: Number of emails processed per day/week
• Response Time: Average time to respond to emails
• Customer Satisfaction: Feedback scores for email interactions
• Escalation Rate: Percentage of emails escalated to humans

Dashboard Views

Configure your ept AI dashboard to show:

• Email channel status
• Recent email activity
• Response time analytics
• Customer satisfaction metrics

Advanced Configuration

Email Routing

Set up intelligent email routing based on content:

{
  "routing_rules": {
    "support@company.com": "support_knowledge_base",
    "sales@company.com": "sales_knowledge_base",
    "general@company.com": "general_knowledge_base"
  }
}

Response Templates

Configure email response templates:

{
  "templates": {
    "greeting": "Thank you for contacting us. I'm here to help!",
    "closing": "If you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out.",
    "escalation": "I'm transferring your inquiry to a human agent who will respond shortly.",
    "unsubscribe": "To unsubscribe from these emails, reply with 'STOP'."
  }
}

Integration with Other Systems

Connect email integration with:

• CRM systems for contact management
• Support ticketing systems
• Marketing automation platforms
• Calendar systems for scheduling

Security Considerations

Email Security

1. Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication
2. Access Control: Limit access to email integration settings
3. Data Protection: Handle customer data securely
4. Audit Logging: Maintain logs of all email interactions

Privacy & Compliance

1. Data Protection: Ensure customer data is handled according to privacy policies
2. Consent Management: Respect unsubscribe requests
3. GDPR Compliance: Include proper privacy notices and opt-out options
4. Data Retention: Implement appropriate data retention policies

Next Steps

After setting up your Email integration:

1. Test the Integration: Send test emails and verify responses
2. Monitor Performance: Track response times and customer satisfaction
3. Optimize Responses: Refine AI responses based on customer feedback
4. Scale Gradually: Start with limited email volume and expand

For additional support or custom email configurations, contact our integration team.