Knowledge base best practices for accurate AI answers
How to structure FAQs, policies, and documents so Dottie agents answer correctly — and know when to hand off instead of guessing.
- knowledge base
- Dottie
- FAQs
Auf einen Blick
Skim the essentials, then dig into the steps.
- Right contentServices, hours, policies, and real FAQs — not junk files.
- Clear structureShort sections with headings that match how customers ask.
- Write for voicePlain answers first; dense legalese second.
- Keep freshUpdate when prices/hours change; delete superseded docs.
Your agent is only as reliable as the knowledge behind it. Good knowledge bases are curated operating manuals — not a dump of every file on the shared drive. This guide shows how to structure content so chat and voice answers stay accurate.
Section 1
What belongs in the knowledge base
- Services, inclusions/exclusions, and typical timelines
- Opening hours, service areas, and emergency vs standard paths
- Pricing guidance you are willing to state publicly (or “from” ranges)
- Policies: deposits, cancellations, guarantees, warranties
- FAQs staff already answer on the phone every week
- Safety or compliance statements that must be worded carefully
Section 2
What to leave out (or mark carefully)
- Internal HR docs, salaries, and unreleased strategy
- Outdated price lists (archive or delete — do not leave conflicting files)
- Scanned image-only PDFs that cannot be read reliably
- Contradictory versions of the same policy
Section 3
Structure that models retrieve well
Use clear headings and short sections. One topic per article or document chunk. Prefer “Cancellation policy” as its own section over burying it mid-paragraph in a 40-page handbook.
- H2-style titles that match how customers ask (“Do you cover Sunday call-outs?”)
- Bullet lists for steps, requirements, and exclusions
- Explicit “We do not…” lines for common misconceptions
- Consistent names for services and locations
Section 4
Write for speech as well as chat
Voice agents read answers aloud. Avoid dense tables, long URLs, and legal walls of text without a plain-English summary. Put the customer-facing answer first; keep fine print after.
Section 5
Keep knowledge fresh
- Owner for updates (who changes prices or hours in the KB)
- Review cycle when seasons, menus, or rate cards change
- Remove superseded docs instead of stacking versions
- After each missed answer in a transcript, add a short FAQ the same day
Section 6
Teach handoff, not heroics
Document when the agent must escalate: medical emergencies, legal threats, VIP accounts, or anything outside published scope. A good agent says “I’ll get a colleague to help” faster than inventing an answer.
Section 7
Launch checklist
- Core services + areas + hours uploaded
- Top 15 phone FAQs covered
- One clear cancellation/deposit policy
- Test questions for edge cases and “we don’t do that”
- Handover path verified with the team
When knowledge is solid, go back to Getting started with Dottie and run a full stranger test on chat (then voice). Accurate answers plus fast booking is the combination that turns marketing traffic into booked work.
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