Support teams today face a tough challenge. Customers want fast answers, but ticket volumes keep growing. Reps can't keep up by only answering one question at a time. That's where combining self-service with live support makes a real difference.
HubSpot's Knowledge Base Agent works alongside Help Desk to give customers instant answers while reducing the load on your team. When these two tools connect, simple questions get handled automatically, and complex issues get routed to reps who have full context.
In this blog, you'll learn how the Knowledge Base Agent and Help Desk work together, how to set them up, and the benefits you'll see once they're connected.
The Problem: Support Teams Are Stretched Too Thin
Most support teams are stuck in a cycle. Customer expectations keep rising, but resources stay flat. Reps spend hours answering the same questions over and over, while more complex issues sit waiting in the queue.
The numbers show just how urgent this problem is. 90% of consumers expect an immediate response when they have a customer service question. At the same time, 60% of customers say that long wait times are the most frustrating part of customer service.
This creates a tough spot for support leaders. You need to respond faster, but you can't just hire more people every time volume goes up. The answer is to use self-service for simple questions and reserve human support for issues that truly need it.
How Does HubSpot Help Desk Work with the Knowledge Base Agent?
HubSpot Help Desk is built to manage tickets from multiple channels like email, chat, forms, and calls. It turns every customer request into a ticket that can be assigned, tracked, and closed in one central workspace.
The Knowledge Base Agent adds a layer of automation on top of this. It uses AI to answer customer questions instantly by pulling information from your knowledge base articles, website pages, and other synced content.
When a customer asks a common question, the agent provides an answer right away without creating a ticket.
Here's how they work together:
1. The Customer Agent Handles Simple Questions
When a customer reaches out through chat or email, the Knowledge Base Agent (also called the Customer Agent in HubSpot) reads the question and searches your knowledge base for an answer.
If it finds a good match, it responds instantly with a clear answer and links to the relevant article.
For example, if someone asks, "How do I reset my password?" the agent can provide step-by-step instructions pulled directly from your knowledge base. The customer gets help in seconds, and no ticket is created.
2. Complex Issues Get Routed to Help Desk
Not every question can be answered by the Knowledge Base Agent. When the agent can't find a confident answer, it transfers the conversation to a human rep and creates a ticket in Help Desk.
This handoff includes the full conversation history, so the rep doesn't have to ask the customer to repeat themselves.
This means your team only handles tickets that truly need human attention. Routine questions are resolved automatically, and reps can focus on complex or high-value issues.
3. Tickets Become New Knowledge Base Articles
One of the most powerful features of combining these tools is that every solved ticket can become a self-service resource.
HubSpot's Breeze Knowledge Base Agent analyzes ticket data and identifies gaps in your knowledge base. It then drafts new articles based on successful support interactions.
For example, if your team resolves the same billing question five times in one week, the Knowledge Base Agent can draft an article about it. Your team reviews and publishes the draft, and future customers can find the answer on their own.
This creates a feedback loop where your knowledge base grows smarter with every ticket your team closes.
Can a Knowledge Base Reduce Support Resolution Times?
Yes, and the impact can be significant. When customers can solve problems on their own, they don't have to wait for a rep to respond. This cuts resolution time from hours or days down to seconds.
Self-service also reduces the number of tickets your team has to handle manually. With fewer simple questions coming through, reps can close complex tickets faster because they're not constantly interrupted.
The data backs this up. 98% of customers use FAQ, help center, or other self-service online resources on company websites, highlighting a near-universal reliance on these tools for resolving queries.
Customers want to help themselves, and when you give them the right tools, they will. For your support team, this means fewer tickets, faster resolutions, and more time to focus on building stronger customer relationships.
How Do I Connect the Knowledge Base and Help Desk in HubSpot?
Setting up the Knowledge Base Agent and Help Desk to work together is straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide to get started:
Step 1: Set Up Your Help Desk Channels
Before you can use the Knowledge Base Agent, you need to connect your support channels to Help Desk. This includes email, chat, forms, and any other channels where customers reach out.
To connect a channel:
- In your HubSpot account, click the settings icon in the top navigation bar.
- In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk, then click Help Desk.
- In the Ticket sources and routing section, select Channels.
- Click Connect a channel, then select Connect a new channel.
- Choose the channel type you want to connect (team email, chat, form, etc.) and follow the prompts to complete the setup.
Once your channels are connected, every customer request will create a ticket in Help Desk.
Step 2: Create and Sync Your Knowledge Base Content
The Knowledge Base Agent can only answer questions if it has content to pull from. Start by creating knowledge base articles, website pages, or blog posts that cover your most common customer questions.
To add content sources:
- In your HubSpot account, click the settings icon in the top navigation bar.
- In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk, then click Help Desk.
- In the Help Desk customization section, click AI tools.
- In the Content Sources section, click Add content.
- Select Content in HubSpot to add knowledge base articles, landing pages, websites, or blogs. Or select Public URLs to import external pages.
- Click Add to sync the content.
The Knowledge Base Agent will automatically pull the most up-to-date information from these sources.
Step 3: Assign the Customer Agent to Your Channels
Once your content is synced, you can assign the Customer Agent (Knowledge Base Agent) to your support channels. This allows the agent to respond to incoming questions automatically.
To assign the agent:
- In your HubSpot account, click the settings icon in the top navigation bar.
- In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk, then click Help Desk.
- Under the Ticket sources and routing section, select Channels.
- Hover over the channel you want to connect (such as team email or chat) and click Edit.
- Navigate to the Automation tab.
- Click the Assign incoming tickets to dropdown menu and select Customer agent.
- Click the If the AI can't answer, assign to dropdown menu to choose which users or teams should receive tickets the agent can't answer.
- Click Save.
Now, when a customer reaches out through that channel, the Knowledge Base Agent will attempt to answer their question first. If it can't, the ticket will be routed to a human rep.
Step 4: Enable Chat Transcripts (Optional)
If you're using the chat channel, you can turn on automatic chat transcripts so customers receive a full record of their conversation after it closes.
To enable transcripts:
- In your HubSpot account, click the settings icon in the top navigation bar.
- In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk, then click Help Desk.
- Under the Ticket sources and routing section, select Channels.
- Hover over the Chat channel and click Edit.
- Toggle the Chat transcript switch on.
- Click Save.
This gives customers a helpful reference and ensures they can revisit the conversation if needed.
Step 5: Use Ticket Data to Create New Knowledge Base Articles
As your team resolves tickets, the Knowledge Base Agent will identify gaps in your knowledge base and draft new articles. Your team can review these drafts and publish them to expand your self-service library.
To review and publish drafts:
- In your HubSpot account, navigate to Service > Knowledge Base.
- Look for draft articles generated by the Knowledge Base Agent.
- Review the content, make any necessary edits, and publish the article.
This process turns every solved ticket into a resource that helps future customers, creating a knowledge base that grows smarter over time.
What's the Best Way to Combine Self-Service and Live Support?
The best approach is to let self-service handle routine questions and reserve live support for issues that need a human touch. Here are some best practices to make this work:
1. Start with Your Most Common Questions
Look at your ticket history and identify the questions your team answers most often. These are the perfect candidates for knowledge base articles. Create clear, step-by-step guides for each one and sync them with the Knowledge Base Agent.
This immediately reduces the number of tickets your team has to handle manually and gives customers instant answers.
2. Set Clear Handoff Rules
Not every question should go to self-service, and not every question needs a human. Set rules so the Knowledge Base Agent knows when to answer and when to escalate.
For example, you might decide that billing questions should always go to a human rep, while password resets can be handled by the agent. These rules ensure customers get the right level of support for their issue.
3. Monitor Performance and Adjust
Once your Knowledge Base Agent is live, keep an eye on how it's performing. HubSpot's reporting tools let you track metrics like how many questions the agent answers successfully, how often it escalates to a human, and how customers rate the experience.
Use this data to identify gaps in your knowledge base and refine your handoff rules. Over time, the agent will get better at answering questions, and your team will spend less time on routine issues.
4. Keep Your Knowledge Base Fresh
A knowledge base is only useful if it's up to date. As your product changes, make sure your articles reflect the latest features and processes.
The Knowledge Base Agent can help by drafting updates based on recent ticket trends, but your team should review and publish them regularly.
Fresh content keeps customers from getting confused and reduces the chance they'll reach out with a question your knowledge base should already answer.
5. Use Automation to Save Time
HubSpot's automation tools can handle many of the repetitive tasks that slow down support teams.
For example, you can set up workflows to automatically assign tickets based on issue type, send follow-up emails after a ticket is closed, or remind reps when a ticket is about to miss its SLA.
These small automations add up to big time savings, letting your team focus on delivering great service instead of managing admin work.
The Benefits of Combining Knowledge Base Agent and Help Desk
When you connect self-service with live support, the benefits show up fast. Here's what support teams can expect:
1. Faster Resolution Times
Customers get instant answers to simple questions, and reps can focus on complex issues without getting bogged down by routine requests. This cuts overall resolution time and keeps customers from waiting.
With 72% of customers expecting a response within 30 minutes, speed matters more than ever. Self-service ensures that most questions are answered in seconds, not hours.
2. Lower Ticket Volume
Every question the Knowledge Base Agent answers is one less ticket your team has to handle. Over time, this adds up to a significant reduction in workload. Your reps can close more tickets per day because they're not constantly interrupted by simple questions.
This also means you can scale support without hiring more people, making your team more efficient and cost-effective.
3. Happier Customers
Customers want fast answers, and they prefer to solve problems on their own when possible. In fact, 78% of customers expect brands or products to offer online self-service portals instead of relying solely on traditional customer service support.
By giving customers the tools they need to help themselves, you're meeting them where they are and improving their overall experience. When they do need human help, they get it faster because your reps aren't overwhelmed with simple questions.
4. A Smarter Knowledge Base
The feedback loop between Help Desk and the Knowledge Base Agent means your knowledge base is always improving. Every ticket your team resolves can become a new article, and every gap the agent identifies gets filled.
This creates a self-service library that grows alongside your business, ensuring your customers always have access to the latest information.
5. Better Use of Team Resources
Your support reps are your most valuable resource, and they should be spending their time on work that truly requires their expertise.
By automating routine questions, you free them up to focus on complex issues, build customer relationships, and contribute to larger projects like improving processes or creating new training materials.
This not only makes your team more effective but also makes their work more fulfilling.
Why This Matters for Support Leaders
Support leaders know that scaling customer service is one of the hardest challenges a growing business faces. You can't just add more reps every time ticket volume increases, and you can't sacrifice quality to keep up with speed.
The combination of Knowledge Base Agent and Help Desk solves this problem by automating the easy questions and giving your team more time to focus on what matters.
It's not about replacing human support. It's about making your team more effective and giving customers the experience they expect.
When you invest in tools that work together, you're not just improving efficiency. You're building a support system that can grow with your business and keep customers happy along the way.
Work With Origin 63
At Origin 63, we help businesses set up and optimize HubSpot Service Hub so support teams can work smarter, not harder. Whether you're just getting started or looking to improve your existing setup, we'll guide you through the process and make sure your tools are working together to deliver the best results.
Ready to combine self-service with live support for faster resolutions? Talk to a HubSpot Expert today and start building a support system that scales with your business.
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