6.3 Templates & Pre-Built Solutions: Your AI Automation Starter Pack¶

What You'll Learn¶

How to use AgentKit's pre-built templates to create powerful agents in minutes instead of hours, and when to customize versus starting from scratch.

The Recipe Analogy¶

Building agents from templates is like cooking with recipes: - Recipe book = AgentKit template library - Ingredients = Your data and business requirements - Modifications = Customizing for your specific needs - Final dish = Working agent tailored to your business

Just like cooking, you can follow recipes exactly or adapt them to your taste!

Understanding AgentKit Templates¶

What Are Templates?¶

Templates are pre-built agent configurations that solve common business problems. Think of them as "proven solutions" that thousands of other users have already tested and refined.

Template Categories¶

📧 Communication & Email¶

Email responder
Meeting scheduler
Newsletter creator
Follow-up manager

📊 Data & Analytics¶

Report generator
Survey analyzer
Performance tracker
Competitive monitor

🛒 E-commerce & Sales¶

Order processor
Inventory tracker
Customer follow-up
Price monitor

👥 HR & Operations¶

Expense processor
Time tracker
Onboarding assistant
Policy updater

Content scheduler
Social monitor
Campaign tracker
Lead qualifier

Template Anatomy: What's Inside¶

Every template includes:

1. Pre-Written Instructions¶

Role: Customer Service Email Responder
Goal: Respond to customer inquiries professionally and helpfully
Guidelines:
- Always acknowledge the customer's concern
- Provide specific solutions when possible
- Escalate complex issues to human support
- Maintain friendly, professional tone

2. Tool Configurations¶

Enabled Tools:
  - Email Reader (Gmail, Outlook)
  - Email Sender (with approval workflow)
  - Knowledge Base Search
  - Ticket Creator (for escalations)

3. Sample Data and Examples¶

Example Good Response:
"Thank you for contacting us about your order delay.
I've checked your order #12345 and see it's currently
in transit with an expected delivery of Thursday.
I've updated you to priority shipping at no charge
as an apology for the inconvenience."

4. Testing Scenarios¶

Test Cases:
- Order status inquiry
- Product return request
- Billing question
- Technical support issue

Step-by-Step: Using Your First Template¶

Example: Email Responder Template¶

Let's deploy the "Customer Service Email Responder" template for your business.

Step 1: Browse Template Library¶

In AgentKit dashboard, click "Templates"
Filter by "Customer Service"
Select "Email Auto-Responder"
Click "Preview Template"

Step 2: Review Template Details¶

Template Overview:

Name: Professional Email Responder
Purpose: Handle routine customer service emails
Estimated Setup Time: 15 minutes
Technical Skill Required: Beginner

What This Template Does: - Reads incoming customer emails - Categorizes inquiry type (billing, support, order status) - Generates appropriate responses - Routes complex issues to humans - Logs all interactions for review

Step 3: Customize for Your Business¶

Business Information:

Company Name: [Your Business Name]
Industry: [Retail/Service/B2B/etc.]
Tone: [Professional/Friendly/Casual]
Response Time Goal: [2 hours/Same day/etc.]

Contact Information:

Support Email: support@yourcompany.com
Phone Number: 1-800-SUPPORT
Website: www.yourcompany.com
Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM EST

Custom Response Templates:

Billing Questions:
"Thank you for your billing inquiry. I've reviewed your
account and [specific response based on query]. If you
need further assistance, our billing team is available
at billing@yourcompany.com or 1-800-BILLING."

Product Support:
"I'd be happy to help with your [product] question.
Based on your description, I recommend [solution].
Please try this and let me know if you need additional
assistance."

Step 4: Configure Business Rules¶

Escalation Criteria:

Auto-Escalate When:
  - Customer mentions "lawsuit" or "legal"
  - Refund amount exceeds $500
  - Technical issue beyond basic troubleshooting
  - Customer explicitly requests human agent
  - Negative sentiment score below -0.7

Response Approval:

Require Human Approval For:
  - Refunds over $100
  - Account modifications
  - Technical solutions
  - First-time customer contacts

Step 5: Test and Deploy¶

Testing Phase (1 week): 1. Forward 5-10 test emails to agent 2. Review all responses before sending 3. Adjust templates based on results 4. Train team on escalation process

Gradual Deployment: 1. Week 1: Handle FAQ-type questions only 2. Week 2: Add order status inquiries 3. Week 3: Include basic troubleshooting 4. Week 4: Full automation with human oversight

Template Customization Strategies¶

Level 1: Basic Customization (No Technical Skills)¶

What You Can Change: - Company name and contact information - Response templates and messaging - Business hours and availability - Escalation thresholds and criteria

Example Changes:

Original: "Thank you for contacting our support team"
Your Version: "Thanks for reaching out to [Your Company]!
We're here to help with all your [industry] needs"

Level 2: Intermediate Customization (Basic Config)¶

What You Can Modify: - Add new email categories - Create industry-specific responses - Integrate with your existing tools - Modify automation triggers

Example: Adding New Category:

New Category: Partnership Inquiries
Trigger Words: ["partnership", "collaboration", "vendor"]
Response Template: "Thank you for your partnership interest..."
Routing: Forward to partnerships@company.com

Level 3: Advanced Customization (Technical)¶

What You Can Build: - Custom integrations with your systems - Complex decision trees - Multi-step workflows - Custom data processing logic

Template Success Stories¶

Small Business: Local Restaurant¶

Template Used: Customer Feedback Responder Customization: Added menu questions, reservation handling Results: - 80% of customer emails handled automatically - Response time improved from 4 hours to 15 minutes - Staff can focus on food service instead of emails

E-commerce Store: Online Retailer¶

Template Used: Order Status & Returns Manager Customization: Connected to Shopify, added tracking integrations Results: - 90% of order inquiries resolved automatically - Return processing time cut in half - Customer satisfaction increased 25%

B2B Service: Marketing Agency¶

Template Used: Lead Qualification Assistant Customization: Added industry-specific questions, CRM integration Results: - Qualified leads 24/7 instead of business hours only - Lead response time improved from 2 days to 30 minutes - Sales team focuses on qualified prospects only

When to Use Templates vs. Build From Scratch¶

Use Templates When:¶

✅ Your use case matches a common business need ✅ You want to deploy quickly (under 1 week) ✅ You're new to agent building ✅ You need proven, tested functionality ✅ Your customization needs are straightforward

Build From Scratch When:¶

🛠️ Your workflow is highly unique 🛠️ You have specific compliance requirements 🛠️ You need integration with proprietary systems 🛠️ Templates don't match your business logic 🛠️ You have complex multi-step processes

Template Selection Framework¶

Step 1: Identify Your Pain Point¶

Ask yourself: - What task takes the most time each week? - What process has the most errors? - What would save the most money if automated?

Step 2: Match to Template Category¶

Pain Point: Too much time on email → Communication Templates
Pain Point: Manual data entry → Data Processing Templates
Pain Point: Customer response delays → Customer Service Templates
Pain Point: Repetitive reporting → Analytics Templates

Step 3: Evaluate Template Fit¶

Rate each potential template: - Functionality Match (1-5): How well does it solve your problem? - Customization Needed (1-5): How much modification required? - Integration Complexity (1-5): How hard to connect to your systems? - Team Adoption (1-5): How easily will your team use it?

Step 4: Calculate Template ROI¶

Time Saved per Week: ___ hours
Hourly Labor Cost: $___
Weekly Savings: $___
Monthly ROI: $___ x 4 weeks = $___

Best Practices for Template Success¶

Start Small¶

Choose templates for high-frequency, low-complexity tasks
Test with small data sets first
Get team buy-in before full deployment

Document Everything¶

Keep track of customizations made
Document business rules and escalation procedures
Create training materials for your team

Monitor Performance¶

Track accuracy rates and error patterns
Measure time savings and efficiency gains
Collect user feedback regularly

Plan for Growth¶

Design templates that can scale with your business
Build in flexibility for future changes
Consider how templates will work together

Common Template Mistakes to Avoid¶

Mistake 1: Over-Customization¶

Problem: Modifying templates so much they become unstable Solution: Start with minimal changes, iterate gradually

Mistake 2: Ignoring Business Context¶

Problem: Using templates without adapting to your industry Solution: Always customize messaging and workflows for your business

Mistake 3: No Testing Period¶

Problem: Deploying templates directly to customers Solution: Always run a 1-2 week testing phase with review

Mistake 4: Poor Change Management¶

Problem: Team resistance to new automated processes Solution: Include team in template selection and customization

Your Template Deployment Roadmap¶

Week 1: Template Discovery¶

Browse AgentKit template library
Identify 3-5 potential templates for your business
Read reviews and success stories

Week 2: First Template Setup¶

Choose your highest-impact template
Complete basic customization
Set up testing environment

Run template with sample data
Gather feedback from team
Make necessary adjustments

Week 4: Deployment & Monitoring¶

Launch template in production
Monitor performance daily
Document lessons learned

Ready to tackle specific business processes? In Section 6.4, we'll dive deep into building business process automation agents that can handle your most time-consuming routine tasks.