Recipe: Auto-answer and deflect common tickets
1min read
TL;DR: When a new ticket arrives, this playbook searches your knowledge base for a matching answer, drafts a reply grounded in those articles, and either posts it as a suggested response for an agent or sends it automatically to deflect common questions. Trigger is a helpdesk webhook; output is a drafted or sent reply.
Who this is for
Support teams handling repetitive how-to and FAQ tickets that already have documented answers.
What you'll need
- Connectors: Freshdesk or Zendesk, your knowledge base (Brainfish or an HTTP search endpoint), optional Slack.
- Secrets: Helpdesk API key, knowledge base API key.
- Trigger: Webhook on ticket creation.
How to build it with Ask Ballet
- Open the Console on Home.
- Paste the prompt below; set whether replies are auto-sent or left as drafts.
- Review the plan and confirm.
- Connect the helpdesk and knowledge base, then register the webhook.
Build a playbook that triggers on a new support ticket webhook. Search our knowledge
base for articles relevant to the ticket subject and body. If a confident match is
found, draft a concise answer that cites the source articles. Add the draft as a
private note on the ticket for agent review. If confidence is high and the category is
"how-to", send the reply to the customer and tag the ticket "auto-answered".
What the playbook does
- Webhook trigger — receives the new ticket.
- HTTP step (search KB) — queries the knowledge base for relevant articles.
- Code step (draft) — composes an answer grounded in retrieved articles with a confidence score.
- HTTP step (reply or note) — posts a private draft note, or sends the reply and tags the ticket when confidence is high.
Variations and tips
- Keep humans in the loop: start in "draft only" mode and switch to auto-send once quality is proven.
- Always cite source articles in the draft so agents can verify quickly.
- Pair with Triage and route so only deflectable categories reach this playbook.