claude-howto

Guide: Building a Customer Support Agent with Claude Code

Step 1: Define the Agent's Purpose
The Customer Support Agent will handle FAQs, escalate issues, and provide basic troubleshooting. Start by outlining the agent's core functions:
- Answer common customer questions
- Escalate complex issues to human agents
- Provide step-by-step troubleshooting guides

Step 2: Set Up the Agent's Environment
Create a new Claude Code project and set up the environment:
```python
import os
from claude_agent import ClaudeAgent

# Initialize the agent
agent = ClaudeAgent(
    api_key=os.getenv('CLAUDE_API_KEY'),
    agent_name='CustomerSupportAgent'
)
```

Step 3: Implement the FAQ Functionality
Add a function to handle frequently asked questions:
```python
def handle_faq(question):
    faq_database = {
        'How do I reset my password?': 'Go to the login page and click on "Forgot Password". Follow the instructions to reset your password.',
        'How do I contact support?': 'You can reach our support team via email at support@example.com or call us at +1-800-123-4567.',
        'What are your business hours?': 'Our business hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.'
    }
    return faq_database.get(question, 'I couldn't find an answer to your question. Please contact support for further assistance.')
```

Step 4: Add Escalation Logic
Implement logic to escalate issues to human agents:
```python
def escalate_issue(issue_description):
    if 'urgent' in issue_description.lower() or 'critical' in issue_description.lower():
        return 'Escalating to human agent immediately.'
    else:
        return 'Your issue has been logged and will be addressed within 24 hours.'
```

Step 5: Create Troubleshooting Guides
Develop a function to provide step-by-step troubleshooting guides:
```python
def provide_troubleshooting(issue):
    troubleshooting_guides = {
        'login issues': ['Check your internet connection.', 'Ensure you are using the correct credentials.', 'Clear your browser cache and try again.'],
        'payment problems': ['Verify your payment details.', 'Check your account balance.', 'Contact your bank if the issue persists.']
    }
    return troubleshooting_guides.get(issue, ['Sorry, I couldn't find a troubleshooting guide for your issue. Please contact support for further assistance.'])
```

Step 6: Integrate and Test the Agent
Combine all functions and test the agent:
```python
def main():
    while True:
        user_input = input('How can I help you today? ')
        if 'faq' in user_input.lower():
            question = input('What is your question? ')
            print(handle_faq(question))
        elif 'escalate' in user_input.lower():
            issue = input('Describe the issue: ')
            print(escalate_issue(issue))
        elif 'troubleshoot' in user_input.lower():
            issue = input('What is the issue? ')
            print(provide_troubleshooting(issue))
        else:
            print('I didn''t understand your request. Please try again.')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()
```

Visual Diagram:

[Insert a visual diagram here showing the flow of the Customer Support Agent, including user input, FAQ handling, escalation logic, and troubleshooting guides.]

Copy-Paste Template:
```python
# Customer Support Agent Template

import os
from claude_agent import ClaudeAgent

# Initialize the agent
agent = ClaudeAgent(
    api_key=os.getenv('CLAUDE_API_KEY'),
    agent_name='CustomerSupportAgent'
)

def handle_faq(question):
    faq_database = {
        'How do I reset my password?': 'Go to the login page and click on "Forgot Password". Follow the instructions to reset your password.',
        'How do I contact support?': 'You can reach our support team via email at support@example.com or call us at +1-800-123-4567.',
        'What are your business hours?': 'Our business hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.'
    }
    return faq_database.get(question, 'I couldn''t find an answer to your question. Please contact support for further assistance.')

def escalate_issue(issue_description):
    if 'urgent' in issue_description.lower() or 'critical' in issue_description.lower():
        return 'Escalating to human agent immediately.'
    else:
        return 'Your issue has been logged and will be addressed within 24 hours.'

def provide_troubleshooting(issue):
    troubleshooting_guides = {
        'login issues': ['Check your internet connection.', 'Ensure you are using the correct credentials.', 'Clear your browser cache and try again.'],
        'payment problems': ['Verify your payment details.', 'Check your account balance.', 'Contact your bank if the issue persists.']
    }
    return troubleshooting_guides.get(issue, ['Sorry, I couldn''t find a troubleshooting guide for your issue. Please contact support for further assistance.'])

def main():
    while True:
        user_input = input('How can I help you today? ')
        if 'faq' in user_input.lower():
            question = input('What is your question? ')
            print(handle_faq(question))
        elif 'escalate' in user_input.lower():
            issue = input('Describe the issue: ')
            print(escalate_issue(issue))
        elif 'troubleshoot' in user_input.lower():
            issue = input('What is the issue? ')
            print(provide_troubleshooting(issue))
        else:
            print('I didn''t understand your request. Please try again.')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()
```