Formatting your articles for optimal clarity

An organized structure can significantly enhance the accessibility and usability of your content. Remember, each chunk is stored and retrieved based on its meaning, so the clearer that is, the better.

• Use clear hierarchy: Use titles and subtitles effectively, and structure the content with action-oriented steps. As per the tip above, avoid separating topics or questions from their answers.
• Avoid nested instructions: If multiple solutions exist for a problem, present each as a separate instruction rather than sub-steps within a broader step. This clarity will aid both your users and the LLM in finding solutions quickly.
• Include introductions: Each article should begin with an introduction that outlines the relevance and the problems it aims to solve. This is beneficial for human users currently, and will become increasingly relevant for LLMs as their contextual understanding evolves.
• Keep it simple: Keep paragraphs short, focused on answering specific questions directly or explaining topics concisely. Likewise, sentences should be direct and to the point. This also aids in better translations.
• Structure lists: Use bullet points to list facts or tips, and number your steps when detailing a process. Worth noting: although text-based tables (actual text, not an image) can be read by generative AI agents, typically they're harder for an LLM to understand and assign meaning to than information laid out in normal sentences. So it’s better to stick to natural language everywhere you can.
• Clarify terminology: Always spell out terms in full, with the abbreviation in parentheses when first introduced. This ensures clarity for all users.
• Know your audience: If your help center (or part of it) has been created for your own agents rather than a customer-facing resource, then consider whether the information needs to be rewritten in a way that’s appropriate for your AI agent to deliver to your customers.

As with implementing any new technology, a little bit of prep goes a long way. So get your customer service help center ready before plugging in a generative AI solution. You’ll reap the rewards: faster time-to-value and more accurate automated support.

And finally, it's important to remember that a generative AI agent isn't a silver bullet that can solve all of your support issues. Instead, this technology should be used as part of a broader, well-planned CX strategy: where generative AI, situation-based automation, and (of course) human agents all play to their strengths and work together to deliver the best experience for your customers.