Draft support replies inside your helpdesk with a self-hosted agent
A small-business owner wired Hermes Agent into Front with a write-only token so it drafts replies for his team. The goal is 80% less email writing; it is still a work in progress.
Explain it simply
A business owner connected a free AI agent that he runs himself to his customer email system. It reads each conversation and writes a draft reply, and a person sends it. He hopes it will cut email writing by 80%, and says it has been harder than expected.
What was done
Nolan Gore connected Hermes Agent to Front using a write-only API token. It reads the full customer thread, looks for answers in the company's own software and writes a draft; a person sends it.
In the same thread, another builder suggested giving it an FAQ built from old sent emails to reference.
How it went
It reads the thread and writes a draft, but he said looking up answers in their software was still unreliable and the project was way harder than expected. The 80% figure is his goal, not a result.
- A short, self-reported update, quoted in a third-party review; we couldn't load the original post ourselves.
- Hermes is not a helpdesk product: by default its messaging gateway rejects unknown users, and its memory is shared across chats on a profile.
- Keeping it behind your team, drafting only, is the safe shape.
Prompt
For each new thread in [helpdesk], read the whole conversation, then search [FAQ built from our last 500 sent replies] and [help docs].
Write a draft reply in our voice. If you can't find a supported answer, leave an internal note saying what's missing instead of guessing.
Never send. Drafts only.Setup notes
- Give the agent a write-only or draft-only token, never send permissions at first.
- Build the FAQ from your best past replies.
- Track how many drafts go out unedited, and widen its scope only as that number climbs.
Business fit
Who this helps, and how:
- StartupsSmall support teams cut writing time while keeping a person on every send.
- Local & serviceService businesses with repeat questions get first drafts ready to approve.
- Shopify & ecommerceStores on Front or similar helpdesks can draft order replies; add order-data access carefully.
Related
Similar tools
Other tools for this job, and how they differ. Chosen by our editors, never paid for.
- Grok Bot
Managed instead of self-hosted: it works the queue on a schedule and sends refund requests to you for approval.
See it in use: Run customer support with a bot that asks before refunding
- Gorgias
A full helpdesk whose AI Agent answers customers and acts on Shopify orders; billed per resolved conversation.
See it in use: Automate order-status and return tickets on a Shopify store
- OpenClaw
Also self-hosted, but built to run around the clock on its own; expect more setup and upkeep.
Evidence grade D means: A brief, early or in-progress claim. Treat it as an idea to test, not proof. How we grade. Spotted a mistake? Suggest a correction.