How to train an AI chatbot on your own content
You don’t need to write scripts or decision trees. A modern AI chat learns from documents and pages you already have. What matters is giving it the right content, in a clear form.
By the TullyDesk Chat team ·
Start with the questions customers really ask
Before you upload anything, list the 20 questions you hear most often by phone, email and in person. These are the questions your AI must answer well. If your team keeps a list of common replies, that list is gold.
What content to add first
- Prices and packages, including what’s included and what costs extra.
- Opening hours, holiday hours, locations and service areas.
- Policies: shipping, returns, cancellations, deposits and warranties.
- Your services or products, with the details people ask about.
- Your FAQ page, if you have one.
- How to book, order or get a quote, with the links to do it.
Write it so the AI can find it
AI answers are only as clear as the information behind them. A few simple habits make a big difference:
- Use plain language and full sentences, not internal shorthand.
- Put one topic per heading or section, so related facts stay together.
- Include numbers: prices, times, distances and sizes.
- Say what you don’t do, too. “We don’t offer weekend appointments” prevents wrong assumptions.
- Add the links you want shared, such as your booking page or contact form.
Tell it how to behave
Besides facts, give the AI simple instructions in plain English: how formal to be, what to always mention, and what it should never discuss. For example: “Always suggest booking a free consultation for pricing questions” or “Never give medical advice; suggest calling the clinic instead.”
Also write a fallback message for questions your content doesn’t cover, such as offering to connect the visitor with your team.
Test it like a customer
Open your chat and ask your 20 questions the way a customer would, including typos and short questions like “price?”. Ask in another language if you have international visitors. When an answer is wrong or missing, fix the source content rather than the symptom.
Keep it up to date
Out-of-date information is the most common cause of wrong answers. Update the AI the same day you change a price, policy or hours. Pause old documents instead of leaving them active, and re-import web pages after you edit them. Read a sample of conversations every week: the questions the AI couldn’t answer show you exactly what to add next.
Doing this in TullyDesk Chat
In TullyDesk Chat, you add PDFs, Word files, spreadsheets and web pages on the Knowledge page, paste quick notes, pause sources without deleting them, and write instructions on the Behavior page. Tully answers only from the sources you choose.