How to prepare your FAQs and documents for an AI assistant

An AI assistant can only be as good as the information it answers from. These steps make the biggest difference.

1. Collect real questions

Export your last few hundred WhatsApp chats, emails or call notes. Group questions by topic and count them. Your FAQ should reflect what customers actually ask, in their words.

2. Write one clear answer per question

One question, one approved answer.
Short sentences. Include numbers, conditions and exceptions.
Avoid "it depends" without saying what it depends on.

3. Remove contradictions

If two documents give different prices, timelines or policies, the assistant may use either. Keep one source of truth per topic and archive old versions.

4. Structure your catalogue

For products or services, use a spreadsheet with consistent columns: name, category, key specs, price or price range, availability, link. Structured data is easier to search accurately than long brochures.

5. Mark what the assistant must not answer

List topics that always go to a person: custom quotes, complaints, refunds, medical or legal questions, anything you're not ready to automate.

6. Assign owners and review dates

Every document needs someone responsible for keeping it current, and a date to review it. Outdated information is the most common cause of wrong answers.

Checklist

[ ] Top 50 customer questions with approved answers
[ ] Product or service sheet in a consistent format
[ ] Policies: delivery, returns, payment, cancellation
[ ] Business details: hours, locations, contacts
[ ] "Do not answer, hand to a person" list
[ ] Document owners and review dates