Knowledge Base Best Practices

Why Your Knowledge Base Matters

The knowledge base is the single biggest factor in how well your AI assistant performs. Complete, well-written articles mean better answers and fewer transferred calls.

What to Include

Cover every topic a customer might call about:

• Hours of operation - Include regular hours, holiday hours, and seasonal changes.
• Services and pricing - List each service with a clear price or price range.
• Location and directions - Street address, landmarks, parking info.
• Policies - Cancellation, refund, late arrival, age restrictions.
• FAQs - Any question you hear more than once belongs here.
• Menu or catalog - If you sell products or food, include names, descriptions, and prices.

How to Write Effective Articles

Be Specific

Bad: "We have competitive prices."

Good: "A standard haircut is $30 BZD. A haircut with beard trim is $45 BZD. Children under 12 are $20 BZD."

Use Real Examples

Bad: "We offer tours."

Good: "We offer three tours: the Jungle Trek (half-day, $120 BZD per person), the Cave Exploration (full-day, $200 BZD per person), and the River Float (2 hours, $80 BZD per person). All tours include a guide and equipment."

Write Naturally

Imagine you are explaining something to a brand-new employee on their first day. Use plain language. Avoid abbreviations unless you also spell them out.

Anticipate Follow-Up Questions

If you mention a service, include how to book it, how much it costs, and when it is available. If you mention a policy, explain what happens if a customer violates it.

Categories and Organization

Organize articles into logical groups:

• General - Hours, location, contact info
• Services - What you offer and pricing
• Policies - Rules and procedures
• FAQs - Quick answers to common questions
• Seasonal - Holiday hours, special events, limited menus

Keep category names short and intuitive.

How the AI Uses Your Knowledge Base

When a caller asks a question, the AI:

1. Identifies the topic of the question.
2. Searches your knowledge base for the most relevant article.
3. Extracts the specific information needed.
4. Delivers the answer in natural, conversational language.

The AI does not read articles word-for-word. It understands context and rephrases. This means your articles should be detailed and factual rather than conversational.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Too vague - "We have great food" tells the AI nothing useful.
2. Outdated info - Review and update articles at least once a month.
3. Missing prices - Price is the number-one thing callers ask about.
4. Duplicate articles - Having two articles about hours confuses the AI. Keep one authoritative article per topic.
5. Skipping edge cases - What happens on holidays? When you are fully booked? When a service is temporarily unavailable?
6. Forgetting both languages - If you serve bilingual customers, add articles in both English and Spanish.